Servcorp provides virtual office space and serviced office solutions for businesses around the world. Keen to grow its global network of offices, particularly in the UK and US, it has embarked on an innovative campaign that aims to show – rather than tell – its audience exactly how its products and services can help their businesses.
Enter Australian entrepreneur, Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin. In a unique campaign that aims to boost Servcorp’s brand awareness, the office solutions company is sponsoring the Aussie entrepreneur – by way of providing him office solutions around the world – to aid his Guinness World Record attempt to become the smallest multinational business. UK PR agency Onechocolate is working with lead agency The Hallway in Australia and US PR agency Brodeur to run the global campaign, creating exposure and coverage for the entrepreneur’s ambitious challenge. This particular corporate sponsorship initiative is the first of its kind for Servcorp. Commenting on his whirlwind tour, Eckersley-Maslin said, “In today’s business world, you don’t have to be big to be big and I aim to prove it.”
The campaign brief was to engage Servcorp’s target market of ambitious SMB companies. The sponsorship concept was presented to create a strong online following, built up over a year, following the adventures of a relatively small company with the capability to expand across the world.
Global channels
The campaign aims to engage its target market with its unique and entertaining content that integrates social media, traditional press and documentary-style video. Each city that Eckersley-Maslin visits to do business in is captured in a visually engaging ‘webisode’, which is then broadcast on multiple websites linked to the campaign, including www.virtualoffice.com, www.smallestmultinational.com and YouTube. Eckersley-Maslin then intends to submit a film of his efforts to the Guinness World Records as evidence to support his attempt at the smallest multinational business.
Social media has played a key role in this campaign, with entrepreneurs being driven to Eckersley-Maslin’s website using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, 4Square and Onechocolate’s blog.
During Eckersley-Maslin’s trip to the UK earlier in 2010, business meetings were held at a London branch of Aussie bar, Walkabout, with prospective clients treated to a free Servcorp Virtual Office package to encourage them to start their own businesses. Walkabout’s social media platform and mailing lists were used to promote Eckersley-Maslin’s visit to the UK – and of course, the Servcorp brand.
Brand uplift
So far, Servcorp says that Eckersley-Maslin’s website is one of the highest referring sites to its product site, (www.virtualoffice.com) with a 30 per cent lift in Eckersley-Maslin’s Twitter followers.
Marcus Moufarrige, CIO and general manager for Asia at Servcorp, says, “The webisodes that follows Sebastien on his round-the-world tour is an inspiring and entertaining look at what it takes to get a business off the ground in a matter of days.
“Servcorp Virtual Office product was instrumental in Sebastien securing meetings in foreign markets, and we will continue to support him in his goal to become the smallest multinational in the world.”
