Global Insights Magazine Issue 8 – Published by Schindler Parent Germany 2013
Inside this issue
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e3 insights
s oe al b g on b2 oti em
2 More emotion in the customer Âexperience
Show your true colours
The Black Box Project
HR rocks in the open air
Companies need to break the mould
Dare to be different: the chameleon campaign
Can a cardboard box boost brand awareness?!
How to turn a musical into a recruitment initiative
Adding emotion to the customer experience At Schindler Parent, we knew Emotionalising the message doesn’t require lavish visuals, it all along. Now the latest study bombastic copy, or a would-be viral video featuring a cartoon by the German Association of character. That would be stretching the gap between the Communications Agencies technical benefits and the emotional arguments a bit too (GWA) has delivered conclusive far: we’ve all seen advertising that is literally cringeproof: the process of identi- inducing, even from high-profile corporations. What we fying, selecting and ultimately mean by emotion is a creative way of engaging the purchasing goods and services audience’s attention, arousing is driven by how people feel. their interest, building their trust And that applies to commercial in our customers’ offering. And procurement as much as to per- tried-and-trusted isn’t always sonal consumption. Yet business the best approach. You have communications often stress to break the mould – in other the similarities with competitors’ words, subvert the norm estab offerings, instead of focusing on lished by the competition. It’s a the differences. To be effective- battle against complacency in ly conveyed to potential custom organisations where everything is ers, these differences need ticking over nicely. Why change, to be emotionalised – in much why add an edge, why move out of the comfort zone? the same way as song lyrics Because in a fast-moving global market, pedalling on strike a chord when we listen the spot means falling behind. All you have to do is tell your to them: the singer’s perfor- B2B target group an authentic, consistent story. Make it mance adds feelings to the text. emotionally charged and entertaining and they will listen.
Michael Meier Schindler Parent Meersburg
In B2B communication, there are three main issues that are essential, regardless of the product, price, place, or promotion: Identity It has been an accepted wisdom in consumer-facing companies for decades: people buy brands rather than products. Some companies in the B2B space have adopted this approach – Caterpillar, for example, has a brand so strong that it even offers consumer products. A clear, compelling identity conveys values such as high quality and reliability – whether the product is electric switches or automotive parts. In terms of differentiation, a distinctive identity offers a unique promise of s atisfaction to customers.
Industry An in-depth knowledge of sales and purchasing processes is essential to provide the right information to the target group. Often, the actual purchaser is not the decision-maker. And the decision-maker is likely to rely on one, several or even a large group of technical specialists and/or support staff. Each and every one of these people has to be addressed at the right time with the right message. It’s no easy task – but tailored, targeted communication is more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach.
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International B2B markets often span international borders. But to be effective, communication has to be as local as possible. Frequently, differentiated messages need a local touch to anchor them firmly in the minds of the target group. After all, business people are still p eople. To reach them – to permeate through the filter – we need to simultaneously amuse, entertain and inform.
Adding colour to a bright new brand The chameleon campaign How do you simultaneously communicate the superior efficiency of power inverters and strengthen an up-and-coming brand in the market for photovoltaic technology? With a combined product and image campaign that features an out-of-the-ordinary key visual. At the 2012 world-leading solar technology trade fair, Intersolar Europe in Munich, Schindler Parent revealed an all-new look and feel with a stand-out key visual for the PLATINUM ® brand. With their extralong, extra-swift tongues, c hameleons can catch prey in a flash. They also respond to temperature and sunlight by changing colour. These unique characteristics make the reptile the ideal symbol for the PLATINUM® brand promise: brings more sun to the grid. The generous use of white space around the visual enhances its impact. The chameleon soon became a firm fi xture of PLATINUM® communications: featuring
in ads, as a key visual at the trade fair stand, on posters, roll-up banners and in a range of other materials for the event. And it caused a stir in the industry, too – as tests performed by energy industry publication IKZ-Energy confirmed: despite relatively few insertions, the PLATINUM® visual enjoyed above-average success. The review included praise such as “interesting idea, out-of-the-ordinary, amusing, upbeat, original and eye-catching”. The fact that some comments erroneously r eferred to the chameleon as a frog did not detract from the excellent results. The visual is particularly appealing for PLATINUM® as it can be easily adapted to support other products and their USPs. In an advertisement for a battery system, the chameleon’s tongue is shown wrapped around the device several times. The image effectively communicates the product’s high capacity: the battery “holds on tight” to electricity.
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Thanks to the versatility of the visual, the product campaign also doubles up as an image campaign for the PLATINUM® brand. This is a further example of how a unique, ground-breaking idea can help strengthen a brand.
Normally, designers get asked to think outside the box. So what happens if you ask some of the world’s leading designers to do just the opposite – to summon up all their creativity and think inside the box?
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Black Box project One bit of cardboard is pretty much the same as any other. At least it is for most people. The stuff of perfume packaging, chocolate boxes and product information tags doesn’t generally come in for much scrutiny. However, there are actually quite significant differences, according to the Swedish manufacturer Iggesund Paperboard. But how do you generate interest in something fairly low on most people’s list of priorities – especially when they are continually bombarded by advertising? And particularly when you’re hoping to attract the attention of designers, graphics experts and marketing executives – who look at advertising with a critical, professional eye?
has manufactured a limited number of boxes based on each artwork, which are available at the events. In add ition, each designer is featured in a video, where he or she explains how they hit upon their ideas. You can view the videos at www.blackbox.iggesund.com, along with photos of the boxes and events, a short description of the project and lots more.
Why not do something interesting that gets everyone talking? This was the simple yet ingenious idea behind the advertising campaign for Invercote cardboard packaging. Iggesund asked selected designers to fill a black box, expressing their spirit of invention and the source of their inspiration. There was only one condition: they had to use a box made of Invercote cardboard. The result is a riotous roller-coaster ride of interpret ations, free of the limitations that hold designers back in their everyday work.
And what does Iggesund get out of it? A large number of new contacts, the vast majority of whom spread the word about the Black Box Project without any external prompting. A social media presence that would have been hard to achieve otherwise. And a positive connection with the target group. The informal, indirect way of gener ating awareness of Iggesund and its product Invercote has proven to be far more effective than any conven tional advertising campaign.
The designers’ creations are currently on tour – to date, they’ve been on show in Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, Hamburg, Stockholm and Milan. Iggesund
Last but not least, Iggesund benefits from stronger ties with the designer community. In just a short space of time, the project has led to a clear increase in demand. 4
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1. VHD, the design agency led by Dutchman Frans van Heertum, primarily works for international manufacturers of drinks and more. The patterns and colours of Frans’ creation reflect the role that his Dutch roots play in his work. 2. Landor, an international agency group, held an in-house competition to gather ideas from offices all over the world. The result was described as “a pixel becomes a cube”. 3. Ada and Andrea Brunazzi from Turin, the birthplace of the slow food movement, captured the aromas of Italy and their favourite food in a box within the box, complete with a colander and spaghetti servers – all made from Invercote. 4. Marc Benhamou, based in New York, the owner of Creative 360° and creative director for a number of leading cosmetics brands, interpreted tarot cards in relation to the world of beauty and fashion. 5. Sebastian Onufszak, Augsburg, broke with convention, replacing print content with video-inprint. His surrealist animated film “Still Life in a Circle” portrays the transience of life and hope in reincarnation. 6. Jeff Nishinaka, born and raised in Los Angeles, but with Japanese roots, combined a big idea with fine detail in Zen fashion. Each time you study his triptych “Pandora’s Box”, you find something new.
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Witzenmann rocks How to turn a musical into an HR initiative Every two years, Pforzheim theatre rounds off its season with a weekend of open-air productions. Witzenmann was again the main sponsor for the three-day event – and helped make the cult musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show a truly unique experience. The out-there parody of Frankenstein, horror, monster and sci-fi films has been an enduring hit since it was first staged in London in 1973, and has a devoted following all around the world. Many fans come to the show dressed as characters from the musical. And they join in countless scenes with talk-back lines and crazy routines – making each show a spectacular event. The goody bags helped get the audience fully involved. When 1,900 rolls of toilet paper flew onto the stage, it was clear the theatre-goers had gotten into the Rocky Horror spirit.
Depending what’s happening on stage, the audience throws rice and toilet paper, gets their lighters out,
“I’m especially pleased to have succeeded in achieving a significant impact with a small budget and plenty of effort. I’ve received countless emails from impressed theatre-goers wanting to thank Witzenmann for this successful initiative,” enthuses Ulrike Brandauer, responsible for events at Witzenmann.
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or mimics the actors – for example, putting newspapers on their heads to mimic the leading lady protecting herself from the rain. We channelled the unbridled enthusiasm that surrounds this anarchic theatre show into a HR campaign for Witzenmann. Our idea was to make a goody bag for all 1,900 audience members, with everything they needed to get involved in the show. 1,900 Witzenmann rockt (Witzenmann rocks) bags were produced and handed out to theatre-goers. They included instructions on how and when to use each of the items. And the message printed on the bags presented Witzenmann as a reliable and committed local employer. Die Pforzheimer Zeitung also got on board. They provided a free specialedition newspaper for use during the show.
Recruitment goes digital
EIGENTLICH WILL ICH JA ZUM FILM!
combatting boredom in lectures
Die Inspiration. Hier findest du die Richtung und du ahnst, was zu tun ist. Es ist witzig und vielleicht auch schräg aber es ist perfekt gemacht. Von hoher Qualität, Engagement und vor Allem: Intelligent. Aber mal ehrlich? Das willst du doch! Perfekt sein und Spaß daran haben, eigenen Ideen Ausdruck zu verleihen. Der Film. Hier kannst du den Ton
How long is it since you were a student? When was the last time you sat in the back row in a lecture? If that summons up memories of note taking, listening attentively, getting involved in discussions and asking questions, then you were most likely an eager beaver – and probably not exactly Mr. Popular. Nowadays, iPads, smartphones and YouTube have taken over the lecture theatre.
Die Inspiration. Hier findest du die angeben – reinpacken was dich ausRichtung und du ahnst, was zu tun ist. macht. Schreib die Geschichte neu. Es ist witzig und vielleicht auch schräg Mit Verve, mit Witz und Spass. aber es ist perfekt gemacht. Von hoher So wie du sprichst, so wie du bist. Qualität, Engagement und vor Allem: Und wenn es gut ist – legen wir den Intelligent. Aber mal ehrlich? Das willst Film neu auf. Mit deinen Worten. du doch! Perfekt sein und Spaß daran Und du wirst dabei sein. Im Tonstudio haben, eigenen Ideen Ausdruck zu und als Autor. verleihen. “I’d rather in kannst Hollywood!” UseTon your smartphone tonatürlich read the QR code Der Produzent. Wir sind Ideengeber Der Film. be Hier du den and discover a recruitment und Umsetzer. In diesem Fall auf einem angeben – reinpacken wascampaign dich aus-with a difference. Die Inspiration. Hier findest du die Richtung und du ahnst, was zu tun ist. Es ist witzig und vielleicht auch schräg aber es ist perfekt gemacht. Von hoher Qualität, Engagement und vor Allem: Intelligent. Aber mal ehrlich? Das willst du doch! Perfekt sein und Spaß daran haben, eigenen Ideen Ausdruck zu verleihen.
Schindler Parent Industry jumped on the bandwagon and used QR codes in a recruitment drive. We launched a multimedia campaign that caught the attention of even the most studious. The adverts appeared in a student magazine, directly reaching the target group. And that was the aim – to attract graduates to Witzenmann.
Der Film. Hier kannst du den Ton angeben – reinpacken was dich ausmacht. Schreib die Geschichte neu. Mit Verve, mit Witz und Spass. So wie du sprichst, so wie du bist. Und wenn es gut ist – legen wir den Film neu auf. Mit deinen Worten. Und du wirst dabei sein. Im Tonstudio und natürlich als Autor.
Der Produzent. Wir sind Ideengeber und Umsetzer. In diesem Fall auf einem für uns eher ungewöhnlichen Feld. Aber innovativ sein heißt, über den Tellerrand hinauszublicken. Das hat uns weltweit zur Nummer 1 in unserer Branche gemacht. Wir sind gespannt, welche Geschichte du aus unserem Film machst. Einsendung oder Fragen an: tina.klingel@witzenmann.com Die Einstellung muss stimmen. www.witzenmann.de
Die Inspiration. Hier findest du die
QR codes are fun – even if your Richtung student und days long du are ahnst, wasgone. zu tun ist.
macht. Schreib die Geschichte neu. Mit Verve, mit Witz und Spass. So wie du sprichst, so wie du bist. Und wenn es gut ist – legen wir den Film neu auf. Mit deinen Worten. Und du wirst dabei sein. Im Tonstudio und natürlich als Autor.
Es ist witzig und vielleicht auch schräg aber es ist perfekt gemacht. Von hoher Qualität, Engagement und vor Allem: Intelligent. Aber mal ehrlich? Das willst du doch! Perfekt sein und Spaß daran haben, eigenen Ideen Ausdruck zu verleihen.
für uns eher ungewöhnlichen Feld. Aber innovativ sein heißt, über den Tellerrand hinauszublicken. Das hat uns weltweit zur Nummer 1 in unserer Branche gemacht. Wir sind gespannt, welche Geschichte du aus unserem Film machst. Einsendung oder Fragen an: tina.klingel@witzenmann.com Die Einstellung muss stimmen. www.witzenmann.de
Technology 2.0
visitors manoeuvred flexible elements, and their actions were replicated on a large screen using electronic equipment and infra red cameras. The result was astounding – a hit with technology lovers of all ages. Beams of light streamed in from the edge of the screen; the striped pattern rippled; a red image of high-pressure activity pulsated; and a flurry of products flew in from the right. And with a single movement, visitors were able to quieten the chaos, sweeping everything aside to clear the screen.
Witzenmann products in virtual game
The challenge was to show potential applicants and up-andcoming engineers how Witzenmann products work. And the best way to go about it: to impress them; in a fun way.
It was a 2.0 visual spectacular – a truly innovative installation that captured the attention of hundreds of people. What’s more, it fully achieved its hidden agenda – to attract future employees to the business.
That’s precisely what happened at a three-day city-centre event. Witzenmann wanted to enhance its image as an innovative e mployer – and tasked Schindler Parent with showcasing its technologies, and demonstrating how they work. Our idea was to turn physical movements into a visual reality; to show how the products interact, without losing the sense of detail. Event
Still sound like a bit of a mystery? Then why not check out the video for yourself! http://video.schindlerparent.de/witzenmann.html
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Brand emotion The identity tells the whole story What determines brand emotion? What determines brand appeal? The answer: brand personality. But what exactly does that mean? How can you even define a brand in terms of “personality”? After all, it’s not a living, breathing human being. And it isn’t a tangible object either. So what is it? And at what point does a company that sells successful products become a brand that people love? Brands have emotional characteristics The word brand has its roots in the Proto-Germanic brandaz and Old Norse brandr – a firebrand or sword. To brand is to leave an identifying mark; to label something; to differentiate it from others. Brands prom ise quality and consistency. But it’s never just about the product and its attributes – such as its durability, robustness, or craftsmanship. The brand’s emotional characteristics are key – the joy that it engenders; the dynamism it exudes; or the trust people put in it. These emotional characteristics are precisely what makes brands an integral part of our everyday lives. Brands conquer markets All brands have their own specific emotional characteristics; it’s what differentiates them; it’s what makes each one unique. The fact that we assign emotional characteristics to brands lies in their narrative struc ture; brands are the protagonists of their own success stories. Like fairytale heroes, they go out into the world, conquer their markets, and win the hearts, not of buyers, but of followers, of fans. How? By rising to the toughest of challenges. And by knowing the answers to the questions of their time, and providing solutions to their target groups’ needs.
E3 Network
Brands paint pictures in our minds If you understand the core of a brand, you know what makes it tick. Is it aggressive and in-your-face, or shy and retiring? Is it innovative, generating a rapid series of new products? Or does it operate a more long-term strategy? Does it wear shorts and drive a Ferrari, or would it tend towards a 1950s Peugeot 403 convertible? Is it about speed? Or charm and intelligence? If a brand can be trusted, if it is more reliable, fairer and more innovative than its competitors, then how would it be have in a certain situation? That’s exactly what we attempt to define for the brands we work with. And we strive to translate our insights into powerful, emotional communications. What about you?
Adsmith / China Advertigo / Romania Aloft Group / USA Ansel-Möllers / Germany Audacity / USA Base One / UK BBC / Belgium Bernstein / Germany BMLab / Russia C&COM Advertising / Czech Republic Café Design / Hungary DAG Communication / Italy Epoka / Poland Igriega / Spain Kirnauskis 2.0 / Finland Maitri Advertising Works / India Mandate / Singapore Media Consulting / Portugal Netural / Austria Preferendum / France Quarry / Canada Recommended / Finland Recommended / Sweden SPS Marketing / Austria SanderWerbung / Germany Schindler Parent / Germany TANGRAM / Liechtenstein TANGRAM / Switzerland Truly Deeply / Australia Van Heertum Design VHD / Netherlands
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