Strategems

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Hawker Beechcraft Rebrand

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC)'s new vice president of marketing determined that a fresh and aggressive approach was required for developing and promoting the brand. His plans included a new brand program to debut at the 2008 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)'s annual event. A new Hawker and a new Beechcraft product would also be announced.

My team supported Hawker Beechcraft with a total rebrand of both Hawker and Beechcraft product lines and the launch of two new airframe products – the Hawker 450XP and the Beechcraft King Air 350i. We proposed ground-level strategies, marketing messages and competitive advantages. Along with our creative director, I lead the development of integrated brand programs including comprehensive product brochures, print advertising, video presentation, trade-show graphics and media relations efforts.

The new brand efforts were launched at the NBAA annual convention, where the company received orders for three Hawker 4000s, two Hawker 900XPs, three Hawker 750s, five Hawker 450XPs and an undisclosed number of Beechcraft products.

Cleared for takeoff.

The DeCrane Aerospace principals and marketing team executives needed to elevate the brand perception in support of attracting the right corporate investor. They asked Jajo to develop a new brand campaign, including voice and look.

Jajo's strategy was to focus on not only brand values and strengths, but to pump up established brand elements. New corporate identity pieces were created, as well as a new print campaign series. The large-type headlines of the print campaign fit the client's limited marketing budget and cut through the clutter of the busy industry publications.

This same approach was applied to the Audio International division of DeCrane, providers of premium in-flight entertainment and cabin management systems for business jets.

In addition to winning several readership awards, the campaign supported DecCrane Aerospace goals for future growth through acquisition.

Ready, set, grow.

Growth is paramount. So when a company expands its market, the proper exposure can make all the difference.

Cox Business regularly expands into new areas within and outside its existing market. It needed a campaign that could be executed to promote any new network expansion within its Kanas and Northwest Arkansas region.

The concept behind this new campaign developed by my team was "the bounty of the bundle" and featured bright visuals with clever growth messages. A direct mail campaign with mobile billboards assisted Cox Business in developing a new patronage and solidified that a new option for business had arrived to serve.

Hit 'em where they live.

Cox Business Kansas and Northwest Arkansas continues to look for new ways to reach its audience: small business owners and IT professionals with decision making rights at corporations. A corporate campaign planned by the corporate offices in Atlanta, Ga. was developed with the intention of national regions supplementing the corporate campaign with local efforts. Cox Business KS/NWA had not previously implemented a comprehensive online campaign.

My team at Jajo encouraged Cox Business to hit the target audience where it lives – online outlets. Working with an online media partner, we developed an annual online campaign to reach key target markets throughout the region. The campaign included paid online advertisements on local publication and media sites, as well as an emarketing program.

Results were immediately outstanding. The email component performed at 217% above industry standard for open rate and 299% above industry standard for click-through rate. The paid online advertisement campaign is still active, but results to date indicate delivered brand impressions of 4,942,451 at 99% pace and a cumulative click-through rate of 0.06%.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Hey, soul sister.

JLW New Member Class of 2010/2011 at Botanica.

I've finally found a way to recapture my youth. I'm spending a lot of time with more than 60 beautiful women. We're all being "initiated" into an organization that promotes good will, giving back and voluntarism. We work on fun projects together; some long term and some short. We're exploring needs in our own community and the organizations that exist to meet those needs. And feel a bit "rushed" to fulfill requirements. Through it all, we're bonding and developing new friendships with other strong, independent women – each with her own unique skills and abilities.

I'm not sure that the Junior League of Wichita veterans will appreciate my oh-so transparent comparison to a college sorority. But I didn't take the opportunity to join sorority life when I had it. At 18, I just didn't recognize the rewards that participation would bring. Now at 42, I have learned to truly enjoy the sisterhood I've found in the League.

A few Saturdays past, I pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, grabbed work gloves and tools. And met my new friends at Botanica. We planted almost 1,500 pansies in the butterfly garden and felt a great sense of accomplishment in our labor. Later, we teamed up for an afternoon of adventure, delivering yearbooks to sustaining members throughout the metro. We explored new parts of our community and were inspired by meeting "retired" JLW members who paved the way for us.

The economy is bleak and much hardship exists for many in our community. But the people I've met through the nonprofit organizations we serve and the fellowship I've experienced has brought joy and happiness. When I start feeling a little discouraged, there is always an opportunity to give. Or a gathering to lift my spirits. There are so many more lessons to learn about giving back and discoveries to be made about my community. Although the best discovery is the reward I've already found: serving in fellowship with like-minded women. My own sorority. My own sisterhood.

Monday, September 27, 2010

The Big Idea

Founders of a new organization called on Jajo with a dream. They had joined together in a mission to save starving people around the world. The big idea was to serve as the facilitator for other corporations and ordinary people to have an alternative to writing a check in order to give back. This new organization would coordinate food-packaging events nationwide, allowing volunteers to do the hands-on packaging. But the organization had not identity. It was standing at ground zero, seeking creative counsel and direction.

The first step was to determine a name for this organization. I was invited to participate in the naming process. The chosen concept, which I contributed to the mix, proved to be Numana – based on the Old Testament story of manna provided to followers wandering in the desert. A positioning statement of "Saving the Starving" was recommended to communicate the mission. With the new name established, my team moved forward with logo mark and identity development. We were also involved in determining media relations strategies and messages to begin communicating the Numana story to the local audience. Over the next several years, Numana had much work to do establishing key supplier and logistic partnerships. The Salvation Army World Service Office signed on as the logistics and distribution arm for Numana.

Numana was poised and first shipments of food were waiting to ship to Haiti in late 2009. Then in January 2010, the Haiti earthquake hit. Numana's role in serving starving peoples was multiplied one-hundredfold within weeks. During the first quarter of 2010, two dozen food-packaging events coordinated by the organization were held from Hartford, Conn. to Los Angeles, Calif. Eight million meals were prepared by 57,000 volunteers for distribution in Haiti. Future plans include international events and expanded distribution to other nations.

InMyHome Product Launch

Via Christi Health was developing a new program which would allow seniors to live in their own home longer with the support of membership-based services and technology tools. This new InMyHome product required an entirely new marketing program and campaign to launch and establish awareness among the target audience. Both a membership program and technology component were products offered; both required a significant financial investment up front from new participants.

My team worked closely with the business development team at Via Christi to devise an integrated program that included establishment of brand voice and messaging for a completely new market segment, a comprehensive sales kit, membership portfolio, direct mail campaign, and other community-based sales supports. During this same time, Via Christi was also preparing for the launch of a new brand identity at the corporate level. So we played a lead role in the development of marketing execution establishing the new brand.

The InMyHome products required planning and a significant decision by participants in order to sign on. The membership program alone was an initial investment of $25,000. InMyHome lead and sales development cycles would not be short. The product launched in late fall. Within a few short months – despite the significant costs involved, Via Christi Health had already enrolled several clients for the InMyHome technology product.