We’re happy to report that Smoothstone Communications has gone live with the re-branding campaign we developed with them called “Work over IP”.  Check it out at http://www.smoothstone.com or download the new brochure here.

In addition to being one of our more innovative campaigns to date it’s a great example of our unique approach to “marketing advocacy”.

Smoothstone first approached us back in March with the ultimate technology marketing challenge - to craft them a  new brand identity that would:

1. Be provocative, edgy and memorable in the crowded VoIP market;
2. Clearly differentiate them from a huge number of competitors in their space;
3. And yet, still pass the “sniff test” with enterprise IT buyers who wanted technical buying information.

After digging deep into Smoothstone’s capabilities, we quickly recognized they did so much more than just VoIP - they provide mid-size enterprises with all the communication tools they need to work effectively in the digital age.  And thus was born the idea of “Work over IP” and the tagline “Don’t Just Voice over IP.  Work over IP”.

Confident in the initial idea - we went ahead and trademarked the phrase and registered URLs.   We eventually pitched the entire concept along with possible designs, various taglines, and examples of how we could fundamentally re-message and re-position the company around the idea of helping mid-sized enterprises “Work over IP”.

Once the overall brand concept was approved we developed copy and design concepts for online and offline collateral including setting standards for graphics and diagrams.  And then we produced the overview brochure and flash movie on the website as well as their Powerpoint sales presentations.

And through it all we practiced the ideal of “marketing advocacy” collaborating closely with Smoothstone’s own designers and writers - as well as their existing agency to maintain consistency of the new brand.  James Whitemore, Smoothstone’s CMO captured it best when he remarked:

“Idea-ware’s unique marketing advocacy approach was a perfect fit for Smoothstone.  They not only provided refreshing creativity, beautiful design and powerful messaging - they coordinated seamlessly with our internal teams and other external agencies to ensure a consistent brand presentation across all mediums.  With JP and George as our marketing advocates we were able to fundamentally re-brand the company in a matter of months.”

- JPL

With this post I’m happy to announce that Idea-ware is officially launching its newest offering - Social Media Advocacy! Of course lots of agencies today are offering a social media campaigns or consulting - but in the spirit of Advocacy - our approach and reasoning are slightly different.

The Unintentional Social Media Maven

For starters, we sort of “backed into” this whole practice area.  A little over a year ago I started a blog about the journey of raising my twins.  There was never a commercial reason for it - it was purely a personal attempt to share the trials and tribulations of having a “twofer” (two kids for the price of one).  But very quickly I found myself part of a vibrant community of “mom-bloggers”.   Blessed with a strong background in marketing, I recognized that there was tremendous power in this gathering of like-minded women and that major brands and advertisers wanted access to – and endorsements from – “mom-bloggers” like me.  I saw that in order to “stand-out” my blog needed to have a content strategy, needed to be promoted in social media circles, and that there was a right and wrong way to engage with followers.

Building  a Brand

Over the first few months my single Blog evolved into a series of platforms:  multiple Blogger-based sites for different content (product reviews, stories, etc), a Twitter feed, a Facebook page, etc.  But they lacked a consistent feel and organization.  So working as a team we (Idea-ware) developed a true “brand” for the online persona I had been developing.  We created a custom logo, designed a new website, re-organized my unique content into various “channels”, and then moved it all to a single site on a new domain with a CMS platform from SquareSpace that I could administer myself quickly and easily.  TwoferMom.com is now a place where I can maintain my personal blog, my reviews/giveaways blog and promote my social media advocacy and consulting practices.

Leveraging Success For Our Clients

Fast forward to today and I am still a “mom blogger” (http://TwoferMom.com), however I have also worked with brands like Frigidaire, Subway, and ShopRite, attracted over 3,000 followers on Twitter, 400 friends on Facebook, and acquired a business (http://BuzzCooperative.com) that has a network of over 130 influential bloggers and 400 public relations/brand contacts who work together on social media campaigns.

Along the way I have amassed a tremendous amount of practical knowledge and contacts.  I knew that if I was able to put them to very effective use in promoting TwoferMom.com the same could be done for Idea-ware’s clients.  And thus was born our offering - Social Media Advocacy:

• Grounded in real-world, hands-on experience;
• Providing a structured, proven framework for social media outreach and measurement;
• Leveraging a home-grown, thousands-strong network of bloggers, consumers, reviewers, brand influencers and fans that cut across industries and provide a jumping off point to develop buzz for any business, product or service.

That’s our unique formula for social media.  It’s not just consulting. It’s more than simply execution.  It’s advocacy.  So who is your social media advocacte?

- Janine