BEFORE CONTENT came agency brand STRATEGY
Prior to content I worked in ad agencies defining messaging strategy including 20 years in one that pioneered modern brand concepts in the enterprise space. We eventually became the tech practice of global agency JWT (now Wunderman Thompson). As head of business development I was engaged in initial brand strategy and implementation for dozens of clients.
During that time, we grew from 10 to 300+ people and $60M+ revenue while creating great success for our clients. While I can't claim responsibility for writing the work showcased below (as I can content on other pages of this site) I played a key role creating and nurturing the environment it emerged from. I credit the many talented people I worked with - creative and driven in every facet of our business - for inspiring me to become the kind of insightful content writer I am today.
And that, as we used to say, is how you make people give a damn about your company and your product.
great Strategy, ideas and results
CDW: Fred the IT guy, season 2 (TV)
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
CDW: Fred the IT guy TV, season 3 (TV)
Fred the IT guy helped CDW step out front of the direct tech class by showing their audience CDW knows exactly what it's like to be in IT.
CDW: Fred the IT guy TV, season 3 (TV)
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
CDW: Fred the IT guy TV, season 3 (TV)
After a few years, Fred stepped from behind the camera, ready to mess with end users a bit. IT types loved it and the results showed it.
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
Most CDW print was co-op partner solutions but, like the TV, brand print illustrated CDW knew IT buyers' sense of quirky confidence.
CDW-G: Showing empathy for gov/edu IT, too
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
CDW: The right technology, right away (print)
CDW-G was created to serve the unique needs of government and education. As always, our work for them screamed, we got IT, we get IT.
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
Our work for IP service provider Level 3 used their logo's brackets to show stability at a time when their next gen IP rivals were in freefall.
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets (print)
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
Level 3, now Lumen: Brackets worldwide (TV)
Level 3 began as an IP backbone provider for other carriers, but as they grew they expanded to the enterprise and we were right with them.
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Hacker (TV)
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
We helped startup ISS/Internet Security Systems put a face on the wide range of threats facing the enterprise and positioned dynamic security as the solution.
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
Translating great TV to print can be hard but putting faces on external and internal security threats came easy. ISS was a big success and became a great M&A target.
Cabletron, now Extreme: Networks that make sense
Internet Security Systems, now IBM: Threats (print)
Cabletron, now Extreme: Networks that make sense
Cabletron solutions lacked a key feature rivals like Cisco always delivered; built-in obsolescence. We positioned them accordingly as "Networks That Make Business Sense."
Texas Instruments DLP: It's the mirrors (TV)
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
Cabletron, now Extreme: Networks that make sense
Before LCD became affordable, DLP projection TVs led the field. We made them look even more magical and turned "It's amazing, it's the mirrors" into a cultural catchphrase.
Texas Instruments DLP: It's the mirrors (print)
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
A little girl, an elephant and a box of light with 1M tiny mirrors translated well to print. The TI DLP ingredient brand's star shined for years until LCD prices fell to Earth.
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
American Software: ERP takes on the supply chain
First ERP to focus on SCM. We named them them "The Supply Chain Management Company." Great TV, too. Same size as SAP then but lost faith. Shoulda, coulda, woulda...
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
We told early commercial ISP UUNET to build brand fast before the sleeping telco giants awake. They went from $17M to $4.5B to be the world's leading ISP.
UUNET: The Business Side of the Internet print
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
UUNET was also an early web hosting leader, making them a pioneer in what we refer to now as the cloud. Today UUNET is the IP backbone of Verizon.
RIM: BlackBerry goes deep, enterprise print
UUNET, now Verizon: Business side of the Internet
DCA IRMA: The enterprise goes cross-platform
Before the iPhone, BlackBerry was a ubiquitous symbol of mobile success. As their their first US agency we helped target the enterprise showing BlackBerry takes you deep.
DCA IRMA: The enterprise goes cross-platform
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
DCA IRMA: The enterprise goes cross-platform
DCA pioneered cross-platform connectivity, including IP, at the dawn of the Internet. IRMA connected PCs/LANs to mainframes. We called this The Freedom to Communicate.
DCA RLN: Enterprise networks go remote
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
Hard to believe but getting on the network remotely wasn't always easy. Remote LAN Node changed that. Another way that DCA; created The Freedom to Communicate.
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
DCA CrossTalk: PCs take to the early Internet
In addition to the enterprise, DCA's Crosstalk let PC users go pretty much anywhere online including "the net." Our fun cartoon campaign helped it become leader of the pack.
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
During early PC days fax/copiers were integral aspects of business tech and Sharp was a global leader (printers and scanners, too). Sharp Thinking helped make that happen.
Sharp Wizard: Mobile predecessor to smartphones
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
Long before smartphones, the tech savvy carried PDAs (personal digital assistants). The Wizard led the way and we helped them introduce the concept of the app.
Commodore Amiga: Pioneering multimedia PC
Sharp Thinking: Global leader in fax, copiers, etc.
Commodore Amiga: Pioneering multimedia PC
Before the color Mac the Amiga was the multimedia PC of choice among creatives of all sorts. We helped introduce it, and to home and education markets, too. Only Amiga...