SAP Business Objects is a global business intelligence (BI) software company with more than 35,000 customers – including over 80 per cent of the Fortune 500 – and a network of more than 3000 partners and resellers. Its software helps companies gather and analyse their data to improve their performance.
Its latest release was reporting solution Crystal Reports 2008, which enables users to take data from any source, such as a database or an Excel spreadsheet and turn it into attractive and interactive charts, graphs and dashboards.
Challenge
The principal objective of the campaign was to persuade developers to download the free trial version of Crystal Reports 2008 and try it themselves, the rationale behind the product being that whilst many developers will develop their own software applications for extracting and manipulating data, few will bother creating their own reporting solution, preferring to buy an off-the-shelf solution instead.
Given that earlier releases of Crystal Reports weren’t particularly good and that developers tended to avoid them, it was vital to convince the developers that the new release was different, since the problems and failings had been rectified.
Solution
Software developers who create bespoke software applications for independent software vendors were targeted, it being common practice for them to attach an “off the shelf” reporting solution to their bespoke applications. Business Objects already knew that this audience didn’t respond well to corporate marketing, instead preferring to discover and evaluate products for themselves and share their views with their peers.
Given that the target audience was unresponsive to overt marketing, the campaign needed to feel as non-corporate as possible, both in format and branding. Playing on the fact that the target audience were binary code experts, an illustrated children’s book entitled One and Zero’s Happy Day was created. One was a bit cool, whilst Zero was always eating because he had a hole in his tummy.
At the start of the story, One and Zero and their friends are stuck in their dreary database with nothing to do. Then, a software genius (adding some audience flattery) adds an application and ultimately Crystal Reports 2008 to the database. One and Zero are able to escape into a colourful, vibrant world of charts, graphs and interactive dashboards.
The story ended inviting the reader to visit the campaign website to find out more about Crystal Reports 2008 and take a free 30-day trial. Those who did could win an iPod touch and soft toy versions of One and Zero, especially made by CodSteaks, the company who make sets and props for Aardman Animation.
When the website loaded, the counter was in binary, using 1’s and 0’s, and built simply to introduce individual elements one by one. Illustrated icons were used for navigation and the transitions from page to page uniquely handled as either One or Zero was despatched through the inner workings of the site, thus encouraging developers to explore. They could buy or download the software, join Business Objects Diamond Community or read the story online. They could also play a game – One and Zero’s Pipe Dream.
The mailing had no accompanying letter, brochure or response form, instead relying on the story itself to do the selling. It was also not sent out under the Business Objects brand as this was deemed inappropriate. Instead, a deal was brokered with PCWare, one of Business Objects’ partners, and the initial campaign ran under their brand. More and more partners adopted the campaign until Business Objects finally ran their own corporate version. The campaign kicked off in the Nordics and was rolled out over the following six months by other partners in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
Results
Altogether, 750 mailings were sent out in the Nordics. – resulting in 31.95 per cent of recipients visiting the website. Following the roll out of DM and EDMs in the UK and other key European markets, via other Business Objects partners, the website received 3474 unique visitors across 83 countries, many of whom made multiple return visits. 708 of the unique visitors (20 per cent) downloaded the free trial software.
“The campaign talks to developers on their level and isn’t afraid to entertain and engage before it starts talking about the features and benefits of the product. I’m delighted that One and Zero has performed so well because I love them,” says Kamaey Sodhi, EMEA developer & distribution channel marketing at Business Objectives.