Good morning. My name is Samuel Chatelain and I would very much like to present to you how I would plan and brief a media campaign for the launch and support of Epson range of laser printers for SMEs.First of all,I would briefly like to address your initial questionsWhat information would you provide to the agencies? I will intend to provide the content of this presentation in the form of a creative brief. Somehow this presentation follows the same rational.What key questions do you have for the agency?I will answer this question along with others during the course of this presentation.
What’s the overview?Epson’s most recent printing product strategy is (1)Delivering powerful yet easy-to-use printers that delight global customers and (2) Serving the home and business markets with innovative business models, (3) Capturing business in the commercial and industrial digital printing sectors and (4) Developing products that meet the needs of customers in emerging economies.Epson motto is “Exceed your vision”, while its name was derived from the idea of the company being the offspring (”SON”) of the EP-101, the world’s smallest electronic printer (EP).The Epson brand proposition is to offer an extensive array of award-winning products at the forefront of digital imaging technology for the consumer, business and government worldwide.
The identity of the Epson brand can be captured in six dimensions. Each dimension is managed to influence the customer’s opinion of this brand. Its brand style will not only look at its background and values but also its character and how their customer sees themselves in relation to Epson. Then their brand theme is to be considered: the appearance, target audience and how Epson seeks to relate to its customers. But the Epson brand identity will change over time and vary across categories or sub-brands. It embraces to extend its brands with line extensions in new/existing market and product or services (Ansoff’s) with the B2B Solution Partnership programme which offers innovative technology to solutions partners for business growth, maximum value, performance and reliability.Epson revitalises, repositions and updates itself or even innovates with new products to lead or follow consumer trends. Yet, priority target segment will favour a unique and holistic selling proposition.
What further details or background information would you require from internal sources to be able to brief the agency effectively?I would need to analyse customer-led insight information of existing customers but also review the Performance Appraisal or lessons learned from previous campaigns. Most importantly, it is a question of worldwide brand positioning statements and multinational intelligence.Here are key success factors necessary for developing strategies:Understand both the global brand ideas of the brands in their custody and the cultures and values of those buyers to whom they hope to market those brandsDiscover how to make the values inherent in their brands relevant to the values held by the buyers in each marketplace or vertical sectorsRecognize that a buyer purchase anywhere is a very personal, intimate choice based on individual business requirements and perspectivesBe able to pioneer technology-led changes without ignoring existing buyers’ values and differences across markets and cultures
I will now discuss findings about the SME market and buyers’ characteristics as well as the buying process
IT and manufacturing equipment were the most common types of purchase made recently across all countriesOver half of purchases were for under 30,000 (56%), whilst 17% were for over 100,000. Those spending over £50k were more likely to make contact during the process of identifying potential suppliers (69%) than those spending less (58%), possibly reflecting the increased importance of making sure the best supplier is chosen as the investment size increases.How would you split the budget by country? By reaching growing markets and focusing on the largest market as a primary target segment.
Discuss both graphs:The marketshare is less than 1% for SMEs while Epson represents 15% of the consumer market at the 3rd place in front of HP and Canon.How would you split the budget by country? By increasing awareness in countries where market shares are low as a secondary target segment favouring large frequency and reach.
IT spending by businesses - Many organisations are still delaying the purchase of new products as cost containment policies remain intact with a focus on cost reduction. Buying process1- Buyers make theirmind up about the brand first then seek the dealers where they can get the best deal from2- Buyers seek the dealer out because theyoffer the convenience of choice3- Buyers rely on other sources as well: friends’ recommendations, retailers’ advice, past experience, reputation of manufacturers, websites, customer hot lines, etc.There are 3 buying phases 1 - Identifying the need (what is this?)2 - Identifying potential suppliers (What does this mean to me?)3 - Selecting a supplier (Oh I remember!)Cost implications• Financial restrictions on budgets will drive more rigorous scrutiny ofpurchase decisions• Efficiency of online research methods in both time and money
Most business buyers are currently using a laser printer or a competitor brand. While some small to midsized enterprises provide close to a one-to-one ratio ofemployees to printers, the industry average is more than double of that. It ispossible, however, to be effective at much lower printer densities. Here are theuser-per-printer averages in different sectors.In average: five to eight employees per printer depending on the work done.High density 1.2Average density 2.8Medium density 8Low density 12Buyers’ characteristics (Split female/male aged up to 30 and 31+ across 12 targeted dimensional cultures):Consumers are not global but exportbusinesses are and many SME buyers might be suspicious of anything "foreign”Buyers search for familiar brands, found in familiar outlets, down the aisles/webpage/catalogue sections where those brands have always beenBuyers develop patterns that they feel no need to alter; they are in the market for dependable and relevant brands that meet their needs and that they can find where they have always found them
Cross-cultural marketing frameworks allow to communicate efficiently across different cultures(Speciality good: consumer electronics will be influence by income at launch)For instance, Internet usage doesn’t correlate with income, but correlates with Uncertainty tolerance (unctol), Low Power distance (lowpo) and Femininity which appears to be the first predictor for Internet usage. The usage and ownership of home computers are related to individual, Uncertainty tolerance (unctol) and income.Did you know that the number and value of the watches people own or intend to buy correlate with Individualist (indiv) and High Power Distance (hipow): feminine cultures tend to buy lower-priced watches than do members of masculine cultures. Let’s talk about media behaviour instead of SeikoOther insights when marketing across cultures:1 - Individualist: More verbally oriented and Introduce oneself first as an individual and then gets down to business Collectivist: More visually oriented2 -High Power Distance: They view the press as an important authority, tend to read more. Larger number of national and regional newspapers Low Power Distance: They do not have much confidence in the press which results in the need to consult more and different sources. They are perceived as heavy readers of newspapers
What are the objecives? We want the recipients of the campaign to scan a QR code so they can access a micro site where they will be able to purchase the newly launched Epson AcuLaser CX37 laser printer or any other printers within the range. The advert should entice them to take advantage of the offers and discounts (see above). In the eventuality they don’t already own a smart phone and type a URL link, they will be able to enter a no obligation to buy competition to win one. They should feel that they receive the highest level of service and support, to match the renowned quality of Epson products; that is to be at the forefront of digital imaging technology
Printers are perceived as a cost. Buyers are concerned about hidden costs from a cheaper service provider that will become expensive in the long run due to expensive maintenance costs or other higher risks. Thus the rational within the promotion mix to dedicate offers and promotional discounts. For instance, I justify a 15% competitive discount to prompt buyers who already possess a laser printer to switch brand.
Get the right size/type of device and understand the role power and paper consumption play on the environment. It is crucial to maintain a green workplace and have a positive impact on the bottom line.
What key questions do you have for the agency?Do we require surveying further reference sources, e.g. previous ads, brochures, competitor ads?Do we need supplemental brief / info for a long format, social media, direct response, or new business pitch project?Do we need to define what must be in the communication, and what might be in the communication using the information on audience and market?Do we need to have a greater understanding of client requirements versus client preferences?How can we improve the representation of client's issues, concerns and wishes?
What key questions do you have for the agency?6. What's the single most important thing to say to buyers?7. What do we need from the creative team? When do we need it? They would need to provide all details on media, size and color - for both the initial concepts and finished art. And we would need to agree on timing from creative sketching to ads delivery to publications.
How would you expect the media to be split and what type of media, titles, online targeting would you expect to see on the plans?The task of the media planner is to deliver advertising messages through a selection of media that match the viewing and/or reading habits of the target audience at the lowest possible cost. Three set of decisions need to be made about the choice of media, vehicles and schedules. 1 - Choosing media, in combination with attempting to generate synergistic effects is far from easy (e.g. richness, social and utility issues). 2 - Selecting relevant vehicles to carry the message to the target need also to be combined. The medium is the message, as each medium message the recipient in different ways and so contributes to learning in different ways.The learning of past performance and industry indexes:Response index (1/2:122;1/2color:141;fullmono:171;fullcolor:200;inset: 1000)Response index (Mon:87; Tues:139; Wed:104;Thurs:99;Fri:116;Sat:58;Sun:90)Length/% all ad/response: (10’’/9%/42; 20’’/11%/65;30’’/59%/104;40-50’’/9%95;60’’/11%/213) 3 - The strength and weaknesses of each media and the characteristics of the target audience needs to be considered when deciding the optimal media mix.But how many GPRs are required to achieve a particular level of reach and what levels of frequency are really required to develop effective learning or awareness in the target audience?
PR is key driver to increase share of voice and opportunity to see the campaign by linking editorial opportunities and featured articles in the press.
There is a hierarchy of media ranging from the richest to the leanest media that helps establish a personal connection or a limited and impersonal one.The increasing importance of the internet• Becoming central to the business research process• Increased use of, and reliance on online methods• Increased influence of the information gathered onlineThe decline of traditional sources• Particularly paper based media• The comparative cost of face-to-face meetings or traditional seminarsto online methods is expected to drive down their useAccess to suppliers online• Allowing greater choice and levels of detail• Creating more transparency and openness• Suppliers coming to buyers instead of vice versaTechnological advances• Development and validation of new business/industry specificonline resources• Accessibility, flexibility and mobility of resources (e.g. mobiletechnology, multiple applications)
How would you expect the media to be split and what type of media, titles, online targeting would you expect to see on the plans?Different media have different capabilities which aren’t completely interchangeable depending upon the content they carry. Supplier websites and web searches were clearly the most frequentlyused sources of information overall. The results showed thattraditional online sources were most commonly utilised, followedby offline, with new online and social media sources used much lessfrequently overall. However, even though new media is the leastused, four in ten decision makers are now incorporating the use ofthese tools into at least some part of their decision making process.One of the biggest changes in buyer behaviouris the growing appetite for information. This isto be expected as we move from a traditionaloutbound model to an inbound model wherebrands need to produce more and more contentto satisfy the hunger. Yet while most channels were used more thanin last year’s report, offline events have seen asignificant decrease.Press advertising+Wide reach very flexibleHigh coverage at low costsShort lead timesReader control consumption-Short lifespanAds get little exposureLow attention-gettingIndustry press/magazines+Specific and specialised target audiencesHigh readership levelsLongevityHigh levels of information can be delivered-Long lead timesVisual dimension onlySlow build-up of impactModerate costs
Familiarity with the purchase itself did have some influence on contact patterns. Those purchasing something more familiar made more contact during the final selection process whilst those with no experience of purchasing a product for their business tend to seek early clarification with potential suppliers when defining their need.The chart [POINTS IN THE PURCHASE PROCESS AT WHICH POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS WERE CONTACTED]breaks down all the contact reported, to separateout single stage contacts from those engaging with suppliers morefrequently during the purchase process. Over half of respondentsmade contact at one stage only, whilst almost four in ten engagedwith suppliers multiple times during the purchase process.Interestingly, where there was engagement at multiple stages,this tended to be on-going throughout the entire purchase process,rather than at a specific combination of 2 out of the 3 stages.
Now let’s add social media to the equation and see if there is an uplift. But first let’s quickly discuss about the costs/benefits to embrace social media.Two statistics:80% of purchases usually start by a research if not a referral. 93% of buyers expect companies to have social media presenceThere are five main reasons. Social media is the new PR and an important tool to increase organic search, whilst it improves customer data relevance and increases lead conversions. And leads from social media focus on quality not quantity. The costs of social mediaThe costs of social media derive usually from wasted resources for knowledge management or customer service while an outreach campaign would impact negatively on a brand reputation. But when the benefits surpass the costs, a brand gains in intimacy with its customers: they won’t easily switch to the competition. The most active users will become sales champions at no extra cost and generate tremendous word-of-mouth effects.
Access to other buyers via social media• Shift towards impartial end-user reviews and recommendations• Sales-free information sharing• EmpowermentNew media (e.g. twitter, facebook, linkedin, online videos, webinars, podcasts and other online community sites)+High level of interactionImmediate response possibleTight targetingLow absolute and relative costsFlexible and easy to updateMeasurable (CPA, CPL)-Segment specificSlow development of infrastructureHigh user set-up costsTransaction security issues
Before we invest every last cent in social media, we need to be aware that ‘traditional online’ channels are by far the most influential.
Buyers under 30 are more likely to use new social media, with 15%using blogs to select suppliers, for example, compared to just 5% ofover-30s. As this younger generation progresses into decision makingroles, we may therefore see social media usage levels increasefurther.
Social sharing increases viral marketing campaign effects, and WOMBefore, a brand-led campaign targeted the few people the recipient knew they might also be interested in a product launch, competition or discoutns and offers. Now, an auto-generated post that says “Did you know that there is an offer on the new Epson laser printer for SMEs” or “this is a powerful yet easy-to-use printer that you’d really delight you and your team” will reach the wider audience of its virtual network.
The results are eloquent: For 1,000 QR code scanned, 13% of those who opened the URL links will share it with their like-minded community. The key message and unique local selling proposition of this Epson campaign will be seen five times more than the intended 4,000 recipients initially targeted or reached.Implications for team or network discountConsequently, the life cycle value of 2nd level connection customers is of greater importance. What is the value of a 1st connection customer bringing only £749.00 ex vat (£898.80 incl. vat) in revenue by the purchase of a single new Epson AcuLaser CX37DTNF ? Or, another customer raising £7490.00 worth of income, from ten 2nd connection buyers?Thus the usefulness and high value to identify influencers or network of influencers.
Performance measurementMoreover,we will look at evaluating pipeline performance in order to optimise each marketing channelby tracking, monitoring and measuring marketing KPIs, over current and historic event cycles. We will then develop and use marketing metrics and accounting measures of the performance of specific marketing activities against objectives to evaluate performance achieved, compared with the original business case. The use of the balanced scorecard framework will ultimately leverage linkage between performances at different levels: financial, customer perspective, internal business process, innovation & learning. Thus it facilitates new planning, forecasting and budgeting when and where required. KPIs could include:Increase in number of responses Increase in enquiry-to-salesIncrease in Conversion RatioIncrease in Leads Generated (CPL), Increase customer acquisition across new and existing customersIncrease CPAReduced CPMIncrease customer acquisition levelIncrease CTRIncrease ROI
To sum-up:Epson printers are engineered for speedbut how fast can they go?Can your Epson print the rack faster than the car can drive it?The answer is: YESInkjet: 1:19Car: 1:24Thank you for listening. Please feel free to ask questions.