Greater Than One

• Location: New York, NY
• Notable clients: Genentech, Texas Children’s Hospital, Estroven
• Number of Employees: 70
• URL: www.greaterthanone.com

Headquartered in New York City, Greater Than One is an agency that specializes in all aspects of digital marketing.  While the company has clients in a number of industries, it has enjoyed the most success in the healthcare field. The agency has been awarded many prestigious honors since launching in 2000, including being named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 500 franchises.

DMB’a Contel Bradford recently caught up with Elizabeth Apelles, Greater Than One’s CEO, to get the inside scoop on one of the industry’s major players.

What qualities make Greater Than One stand out in the increasingly competitive digital marketing space?
Our partnership model, which has attracted a team of proven digital marketing professionals. Our structure, which teams up strategists and marketing experts with technology masterminds. Our digital experience, which is simply unsurpassed. And our ability to help businesses that have complex customer relationships to maximize their opportunities. These are the four differentiators that uniquely define us.

What is your most popular marketing solution and why?
Our solutions have evolved over the past 10 years, so there is no real one most popular. I would say that our most popular offering is clarity of thought, purpose and results. We are in the business of using all available digital tactics and strategies both those available today, and at the same time prepare for those that we know are on the  horizon —  to build our clients businesses and to enable them to make long lasting and mutually rewarding connections with all of their stakeholders.

That’s for our clients. If you ask the children who’ve we’ve worked with through Greater Good, they’ll tell you our most popular offering is giving them the ability to be self sufficient.

Please explain to our audience why today’s businesses should consider integrating analytics with their marketing strategy.
When it comes to strengthening relationships between brands and customers, the past can often help define the future. We know smart analytics — based upon a review of important data points-can provide real guidance in the development of smart marketing strategies. But not just run of the mill analytics. At Greater Than One we strive to understand how people think as well as how they behave.  So, our Measurement and Analytics practice combines the art of consumer insight with the science of statistical analysis. The result is smarter solutions and better measurement that leads to more effective investment.

Our process integrates consumer and customer insights, media and site performance analytics, database behavioral analytics and ROI analysis and design. Through a deep understand of each of these disciplines, we offer our clients a truly integrated, fact-based strategies and initiatives.

The sky appears to be the limit for mobile marketing?  What is your outlook on this fast growing segment of the industry?
Some have dubbed 2010 as ‘the year of mobile marketing.’ This is not the first year to be tagged with that moniker. Unlocking the potential of mobile marketing in the US has been more difficult than any industry analysts have predicted. There are two factors responsible for the slow growth (compared to other geographies around the world) of US mobile marketing.

The first is the overwhelming successes in the online digital space. Online search, display, and social media have become staples of Fortune 500 company marketing budgets, often at the expense of traditional media like TV and print. Many senior marketers are just now adjusting to the online digital sea change, and are wary of reducing traditional media budgets further to test a new ‘emerging’ platform. The same agency execs who grabbed off 10-30 percent of the company ad budget for online media are looking for more digital dollars for mobile, and never suggesting it could be funded from existing digital budgets.

The second limiting factor is penetration of 3G service. In recent years, despite significant hype around the mobile Web and 3G capabilities, as of the end of 2009 only 40 percent of mobile users had access to 3G mobile web services.  The cost of service is the reason most often quoted for the limitation of 3G penetration.

There has been one recent development, though, that could accelerate the growth of 3G and 4G. That is the Apple vs. Google battle that is brewing as the Android operating system takes on the dominance of the iPhone in the 3G space. With the launch of the ‘Google phone,’ the Nexus One, Google made its boldest foray to date into the mobile marketplace. The real game changer is that the service providers are no longer supporting one or the other platform exclusively; Verizon will soon have a version of the iPhone (previously exclusive to AT&T) and AT&T is already selling Android phones.

There are other concerns, including the form factor (really small ads), privacy and security. However for direct response marketers, the nature of the device (it’s a phone, after all) means it’s made for interactivity, and therefore holds tremendous promise for one to one marketing.

In your opinion, what is the single most important thing Greater Than One has learned during its 10 years in the digital marketing business?
Over the past 10 years we have learned that our initial thinking — focusing on what is best for our clients — is the right thinking.  It has never been about doing the easiest or most profitable or “coolest” thing, it has always been about doing the right thing.

By keeping our clients’ business needs at the forefront, we have the right focus and the right priority.  And, ultimately, what is best for our clients is best for us.  Over the past 10 years we have developed successful, long-term  relationships and business successes of which  both we and our clients are justifiably proud.

R2integrated

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Number of Employees: 62
• Notable Clients: Black and Decker, Forbes, Time Warner
• website: www.r2integrated.com

R2integrated is a leading internet marketing firm that specializes in solutions that enables its clients to engage and effectively communicate with their customers online. The company helps brands and audiences connect through the implementation of rich media applications, social media and networking, and powerful, comprehensive analytics that allows businesses to better understand their market and fine-tune their marketing strategy accordingly. R2i’s diverse technology platforms and award-winning creative design have helped some of the largest corporations in the world enhance customer communications, cut costs, and maximize the return on their marketing investment.

DMB’s Contel Bradford recently spoke with Matt Goddard, R2integrated CEO, to get the inside scoop on this dynamic internet marketing agency.

What factors have attributed to R2integrated’s explosive growth over the last two years?
There are two main factors that attributed to R2i’s explosive growth: the exponential increase in peer-to-peer networks and changes in customer buying behavior, combined with the technology and complexities that have entered the marketing realm. For marketers, peer-to-peer communications are driving customer engagement and interaction and they need to find ways to reach and understand their audiences. At their disposal are all of these new and different technologies. Pulling all of this together is where R2i excels. We continue to grow the company by helping marketers reach their customers in ever-changing, ever-evolving networks; we help them understand the changes and nuances in their customers’ buying behavior; and, most importantly, we’re able to develop, integrate, and manage all of the technology requirements that marketers need to execute and measure their strategies.

Many new businesses struggle finding their customers online. How can your solutions connect them with their target audience?
We recognize that finding customers online is one of the most difficult and important tasks for businesses, and is getting harder because the Internet is such a fragmented landscape. People digest content via thousands of different places. There are new sites popping up every day. People are sitting inside of social networks and social spaces, and the way that they behave and the way they do things are changing. Plus, analytics and understanding of customer behavior are still maturing. What’s critical to finding customers online is recognizing that the Internet is a buying engine, or one big database of intentions. People go to the Web for a specific purpose and/or need. R2i has a number of solutions that help businesses identify their customers’ buying behavior. These solutions help businesses identify and connect analytics to how individuals are searching and looking for specific products. And our solutions help businesses locate the communities where their customers operate and spend their time-and money.

Can you tell us about your involvement with the DotNetNuke project?
R2i is one of the first DotNetNuke Gold Fusion Partners, and our firm has been involved with DNN since version 1.x - more than six years ago. Several members of the DNN core development team are sitting inside of our walls. We’ve contributed code to the DNN platform, and were a major contributor to the DNN Map Module Project Lead. We of course provide a slew of DotNetNuke services including Web site design, skin design, SEO marketing programs, module development and integration, DNN support, consulting, and development. Recently, we re-launched the R2i DotNetNuke microsite, which was created to educate, assist, and enrich the DNN community and its clients. We will continue to be very active in the DNN community.

How does this open-source CMS compare to proprietary solutions in terms of support for enterprise needs?
The open source platforms that are out there are building rapidly in terms of their support. DotNetNuke, for example, has a very low license cost that includes support. We’re seeing increases every month in the amount of support that open source projects are providing. The flexibility that enterprises get by using these platforms, the amount of people who know how to use these platforms, the ability to pick and choose, and the ability not to be stuck with any one vendor are all making open source CMS platforms the best choices. CTOs, CMOs, and others decision makers from some very large corporations - including R2i clients - are reaching out and seeking out these open source platforms - DNN, Joomla, Drupal - and the support is going to continue to grow.

Please give us your philosophy on integrating marketing with technology and why this combination has become a must in today’s digital space.
In the past, marketing departments often rented technology. If they wanted to do a television commercial, for example, they would have to rent the television platform and all of the technology that went with it. Same with radio, same with running direct mail pieces. Today, the diverse set of technologies available-CMS technologies, sales force automation, widgets, FaceBook applications, Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, and so on-are now owned by marketing departments so the integration is a must. Owning these technologies means managing them, too. Marketers have to deal with technology issues, challenges, updates, and upgrades, all while making sure it runs efficiently, all the time. This is the mission control that allows content distribution to take place every day. Without technology integration, marketers can drown in opportunity, cannot effectively leverage assets, and will constantly wait on IT to help them out.

Blitz

• Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
• Number of Employees: 50
• Notable Clients: ESPN, Google, NBC
• URL: www.blitzagency.com

Founded in 1997, BLITZ is a privately owned digital marketing agency focused on interactive solutions that enable brands to connect with their target audience.  The company helps its clients establish unique brand identities through rich Internet applications and user interfaces that engage their customers across all major platforms and devices. Dedicated to delivering personalized consumer experiences, BLITZ’s innovative approach to digital advertising allows brands to realize their true potential while enjoying the maximum return on their investment.

Contel Bradford of DMB recently spoke with Ivan Todorov, co-founder and CEO of BLITZ, to learn more about this award winning agency and get his thoughts on the fast moving digital marketing segment.

You guys stand out from other ad agencies on first glance. What makes BLITZ different?
A few years back we spent a ton of time talking about how BLITZ is different, only to find another agency using the same 5 keywords to describe themselves. Instead, we focused on being really, really good at what we do and showing our clients the value we create for them.

Today, we pride ourselves in having evolved beyond a “digital shop,” and into an integrated agency with digital DNA. We believe digital should be in the center - leading, connecting and measuring all other channels, be it print, TV, on-line or mobile. We invest in great creative, R&D and polished execution. I believe this is why our work stands out.

We are also very resourceful. Not only do we get more done within a budget, but because our staff is multi-disciplinary, we also have more effective and practical solutions to both business and creative problems.

Can you provide insight into some of the unique challenges your clients are facing today and how BLITZ is helping resolve them?
Some reoccurring questions from our clients center on how they can actively participate in social media and harness its full potential. We help our clients by guiding them through why they should be there and what they can accomplish, in the most appropriate or disruptive manner. There isn’t a magic bullet for all clients — every brand has its own voice and appropriate conversation threshold that needs to be part of the strategy when planning its participation to become “social.”

For example, we’ve seen evidence that consumers crave and rely on peer reviews, input, opinions, more than solely brand destinations. As a result, BLITZ has developed digital platforms that connect consumers to relevant social conversations - from Twitter, Digg, Facebook, YouTube — directly into the brand’s homepage and individual product pages. We have seen phenomenal results with this type of implementation with gamers on GuitarHero.com.

After all the awards and triumphs, what are some of the most important things you’ve taken from the business?
We learned how to hug our clients. Over the past 2 years, we really focused on providing our clients with the best possible service with a deeper view into the client’s strategic plans. What we’ve received in return has been invaluable. Healthy relationships that are true partnerships, loyalty during uncertain economic times and trust which allows for engagement to be completed smoother and on strategy. Thus our commitment and investment in quality and service has resulted in more long-term accounts. It has truly been a win-win.

2009 was an interesting year for the digital marketing industry. What do you think 2010 has in store?
We will see more digital agencies taking the lead with bigger brands. I believe this because social media is playing a larger role. We’ll also see mobile marketing pick up significant momentum, and augmented reality is still exciting for brands to adopt. These 3 big digital channels, along with the need for an integrated multi-channel campaigns, will push digital agencies to the front; not only because we have the creative and strategy, but also the much needed technology know-how.

Looking at your impressive portfolio, it’s clear to see that you guys stay pretty busy. Any interesting projects we should keep an eye on?
We are incredibly busy this first quarter of 2010, many of our new work will launch March/April. Our site and blog are constantly updated with our work, successes, events and news so stay-tuned to www.blitzagency.com for updates.

WebMetro

• Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
• Number of employees: 45
• Notable Clients: American Management Association, Great Expectations, Merrick Group, Murad, Tourism Authority of Thailand, University of Redlands
• URL: www.webmetro.com

Based in Los Angeles, Calif., WebMetro is an interactive marketing firm committed to helping online advertisers maximize their ROI and expand their reach. A leader in the industry, the company specializes exclusively in Internet marketing, showcasing a suite of solutions that cover everything from e-commerce integration to video advertising. Covered extensively by traditional media outlets such as BusinessWeek and Los Angeles Times, WebMetro is widely recognized as one of the premiere providers of search engine marketing services.

Contel Bradford of DMB recently chatted with Michael Behrens, WebMetro vice president of eMarketing, to learn more about this dynamic marketing firm and get some expert insight on the state of the industry.

Can you share some of the success WebMetro has enjoyed in the area of SEM and Internet marketing in general?
Most recently, MarketingSherpa published a case study about how we helped a client drive branded conversions from non-branded keywords and tail terms. By properly assigning credit instead of using last click attribution, our client in this case was able to reduce its cost-per-acquisition over 25% while increasing sales by over 15%.

It really comes down to proper attribution and understanding which elements in any campaign or marketing mix assist or contribute to a sale or lead. This enables a brand to gain insight into what drives conversions and appreciate what weight should be allocated to various media.

Another area where we’ve helped our clients enjoy success is from contextual advertising in the content networks. For some time, advertisers treated and managed contextual campaigns just like search. In addition, many advertisers feel they’ve been burned by the content networks in years past. However, the content networks have made dramatic improvements over the last couple of years providing significant transparency and control and contextual campaigns should be managed and optimized differently than search campaigns.

As you’ve probably guessed, DMB is a firm believer in social media. What makes social media marketing such a powerful tool for businesses looking to increase their bottom line?
There are a couple ways we divide social media marketing. One arena is social media advertising, such as advertising in Facebook. Despite reports of this type of activity being largely ineffective, we have been able to make it work successfully as a form of direct response for some of our clients. A key factor in this revolves around understanding a brand’s audience, where the audience is, what the audience is doing at those online locations, and the strengths/limitations of the advertising platform.

Another aspect of social marketing is social interaction via the networks or platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Once again, depending on a brand’s audience, the level of engagement varies. It is important to recognize these are, as you said, in fact tools. They are mechanisms that can be leveraged to support a brand’s overarching marketing strategy. The reach provided by social marketing can be exponential, as demonstrated by Twitter and user retweets.

Standardization, or the lack thereof, is one of the most hotly debated topics in the world of online video advertising. What, if any, impact has this had on your online video marketing solutions?
The focus of our online video marketing is content used to increase conversions. It’s not the viral or guerilla tactics we stress. We concentrate on how video on a website can turn the visitor into a customer while improving ROI. That may mean using video to condense the learning curve of a product that has a higher perceived risk or a brand that is not as well-known. It can mean using video to engage a visitor, drawing the visitor to complete a call-to-action.

It’s all about online video for the direct marketer. It’s about using video to lower CPA, increase conversions, and ultimately improve ROI.

The importance of a sound marketing strategy is clearer than ever today. Please explain how you have emphasized this importance in your offerings such as website design and ecommerce development.
When developing a website a company needs to fully appreciate the obligations the website has to the marketing strategy. Those obligations have grown tremendously over the past few years. A website is not only here to support your online marketing efforts, but to support all of your marketing efforts, including traditional advertising, promotions and CRM.  Appreciating the multi channel engagements we have with our customers, and the role digital plays in the mix, is a critical and essential step, before ever embarking on a Web design project.

In your opinion, what digital marketing trends should we keep an eye on in 2010?
For years, we have all been hearing that brands need to take mobile more seriously, to be prepared for the mobile revolution. I think it is safe to say that it is here, and mobile needs to be integrated more diligently into the mix. So being abreast of the key mobile trends, from usage to purchase behavior, to search volume, will be crucial for marketers in 2010. Budgets will need to shift, and in this economy shifting too early or too late can be devastating.

Autonomy Interwoven

• Location: San Francisco, CA & Cambridge, England
• Number of Employees: 1,800
• Clients: Avis, Delta, Ford
• URL: www.interwoven.com

Headquartered in San Francisco and Cambridge, England, Autonomy Interwoven is a global leading provider of infrastructure software.  The company has a diverse portfolio with offerings that range from content management and website optimization to social media analysis and search engine marketing.  Its innovative approach to IT has changed the way a strong global base of clients and partners interact with their information systems.   Across the healthcare field to the government sector, entities in various industries are currently benefiting from Autonomy Interwoven’s cutting edge solutions.

Contel Bradford of DMB recently caught up with Annie Weinberger, VP of Marketing at Autonomy Interwoven, to find out more about one of the world’s most successful software companies.

Can you give us a brief glimpse of Autonomy Interwoven’s journey in the infrastructure software business?
Since its founding, Interwoven has provided application software solutions that help marketing professionals manage their Web sites.  Last year, Autonomy acquired Interwoven and merged its IDOL (Intelligent Data Operating Layer) Platform into Interwoven’s offerings. IDOL provides the unique ability to understand unstructured or human friendly content and makes intelligent decisions about what to do with that information.  Now that Interwoven’s applications are powered by IDOL we give marketers the ability to better understand their customers and optimize their marketing materials accordingly.

Please fill in our readers on “Meaning Based Marketing” and some of the solutions that fall under this umbrella.
IDOL is the platform that powers all of our Meaning Based Computing offerings, including Meaning Based Marketing (MBM). Using advanced mathematical techniques and statistical analysis, MBM extracts meaning from all forms of customer interactions, including unstructured information such as social media content, videos, phone call recordings, emails and Web interactions. Marketers can use this information to better understand their customers and strategies for marketing to them.

What are some of the most pressing challenges your clients are facing and how do you go about helping resolve them?
One of the biggest challenges a marketer faces is trying to understand who their customer is with very limited and dated data, such as purchase history, their zip code or what information they fill out on a customer form. We know that this information doesn’t give marketers a complete view of who their customer is or what they want. Marketers no longer own the data about their customers — instead it’s in their behavior, social networks and their interactions. Marketers need a system that watches and reacts automatically to what how their customer behaves and the trends that exist in the real world.

Autonomy Interwoven takes a different approach to solve this problem and builds a bigger, more complete view of the customer through their interactions with the Web site, conversations and trends in social media, and the sentiment of interactions in the contact center. Our solution helps marketers merge insights and understand the meaning of customers across all these different areas so a more complete customer profile can be drawn.

What makes content management with Autonomy Interwoven different from other enterprise CMS solutions on the market?
Unlike other companies, we understand the meaning behind all interactions and act automatically on it. We recognize patterns and uncover trends and automatically act.

How does Autonomy Interwoven plan to maintain an edge in the increasingly competitive software industry?  What should we expect in the future?
While others are focused on building applications or different ways to gather information, we’re focused on being able to access, leverage and understand information so we can keep up with the agile Web.

Evolution Bureau

Evolution Bureau is a pioneer in digital advertising and one of the industry’s leading companies. The agency specializes in both traditional and digital advertising solutions as well as advanced video production services through EVB Productions, its new business unit. By leveraging a consumer-centric approach that integrates strategy with entertainment and interactivity, it is able to deliver innovative advertising campaigns that create brand awareness, enhance customer relationships and encourage long-term brand loyalty. Throughout the years, EVB has directed ad campaigns for many recognizable brands, including Adidas, Levi’s, Sephora and The Golf Channel.

Contel Bradford of DMB recently spoke with Daniel Stein, CEO and founder of Evolution Bureau, to learn more about the agency’s roots and get some expert insight on the digital advertising atmosphere.

Please give us a brief glimpse at Evolution Bureau’s journey into the world of digital media? How did you get started in this fast-growing field?
It really started back in 1994.  My first job out of college was at Time Warner Interactive.  I had a front-row seat to the changes that were happening with content delivery.  Back then, “interactive” meant CD-ROM and interactive television.  Throughout the ’90s, I worked in media [Time Warner], advertising [Saatchi & Saatchi and Anderson & Lembke] and entertainment [American Zoetrope].  This experience culminated with the launch of Evolution Bureau in 2000. At the time, we didn’t realize we were building a Web 2.0 agency — a term that didn’t exist. We were just doing what we knew was right and aligned with the changes and growth in digital media.

The market for digital advertising solutions is growing rapidly. What makes EVB different from all the other agencies currently on the scene?
At this point, it’s no secret that digital marketing is the future. Every agency is trying to transform itself into a shop that can deliver great digital work. Everyone knows the right things to say but accomplishing a successful digital initiative is another story. It’s going to take some time before many of the larger traditional agencies can really claim to understand digital.

That is what sets apart agencies like EVB that were “born digital.” We aren’t challenged with the task of unlearning processes from the past. Rather, we have a fluid process in place and can allocate all of our resources to creativity and innovation. Plus, we live and breath digital in our professional and daily lives and understand how web-centric consumers interact, navigate, share and more in a digital world, which enables us to create meaningful content for this audience.

Your list of clients is very impressive. Can you fill our readers in on a few of your most successful projects completed for notable national brands?
Obviously, the holiday campaign — Elf Yourself — that we created for OfficeMax in 2006 and 2007 is our claim to fame and global success story.  It isn’t very often than you create a cultural icon that becomes a viral success worldwide through a simple digital marketing campaign. However, we are also very proud of the work that we have created for clients including adidas, LeapFrog, Levi’s, Kodak, and more.  We are also doing some great work right now for Wrigley, Land’s End, PayPal and VSP. You can check out some of our work.

What is your outlook on the progression and future of the digital marketing segment?
At EVB, we are strong believers in “socialized marketing,” which is the philosophy that all consumers are now connected and conversations about brands are happening at each consumer touch point. We have the ability to use ideas and technology to weave our clients into the lives of consumers in a meaningful, relevant way that will add to the consumer experience.

Can you give our readers a sneak peak at some projects EVB has in the pipeline?  What should we be looking out for this holiday season?
Some of EVB’s best work is yet to launch this year.  Keep your eyes open for some exciting initiatives for brands like Wrigley and PayPal. We keep our agency blog updated with new campaign launches, where readers are first to know.

Next Page »