Dell: DELL BUSINESS HEROES TELL THEIR STORIES

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Branded Content

Advertiser: DELL

Product/Service: COMPUTING

Date of First Appearance: May 11 2010

Entrant Company: MEDIACOM, New York, USA

Entry URL: http://content.dell.com/us/en/business/take-your-own-path.aspx

Global Media Director: Adam Potashnick (MediaCom)

Global Media Supervisor: Richard Jameson (MediaCom)

Global Assistant Media Planner: Lindsay Silverstein (MediaCom)

Regional Lead: Donna Raidt (MediaCom)

Media Planner: Denysha Davis (MediaCom)

Regional Lead: Scott Kimberley (MediaCom)

Regional Lead: Caroline McWhirter (MediaCom)

Regional Lead: Alison Gibbs (MediaCom)

Regional Lead: Raffael Mastrocola (MediaCom)

Media placement: Online – US, UK, FR, DE, BR, CN, ANZ, IN, JP - Rich Media, Video, Standard Banners - 11th May 2010

Media placement: Mobile – US, UK, FR, DE - Standard, Rich Media, Video - 11th May 2010

Media placement: Print – UK, FR, DE, BR, CN, ANZ, IN, JP - Newspaper, Magazine - 11th May 2010

Media placement: OOH – US, UK, FR, DE, BR, CN, ANZ, JP - Airports, Billboards, WSJ/Captivate In-Office Networks, Golf Courses, Business Parks, Bus/Train Stat - 11th May 2010



Insights, Strategy & the Idea

Dell was losing share in the small business sector. Our objective was to increase consideration.



We discovered a common truth about those who run SMBs: they share a common desire to absorb any tips to help grow their business. By leveraging our campaign on this universal insight, we would guarantee attention.



We knew that current Dell SMB customers were very loyal and had built long-term and very profitable relationships with the brand. Our customers were the best advocates for Dell.



Our strategy was to leverage Dell’s happy customers by getting them to actively talk about how Dell had played a pivotal role in their success.



Under the platform of “Take Your Own Path” we highlighted how successful businessmen and women were bold and brave in their entrepreneurial journeys, and how Dell had helped them.



We would insert these case histories in editorially respected environments to create all-but independent content.



Creative Execution

We recruited a dream team of Dell Heroes – including Tony Wheeler from Lonely Planet, and Reid Hoffman from LinkedIn – and put their stories at the heart of our campaign. Our content told their stories across the digital landscape, in traditional media and via events.



Three key platforms ensured SMBs heard our message:



We developed new rich media formats that enabled SMBs to hear direct from our Heroes, distributing them via IDG and Associated Press’s mobile platforms.



We created a community for our SMBs on LinkedIn that encouraged entrepreneurs to share their stories, as well as hear from our heroes.



Finally in partnership with Bloomberg, we brought the leaders of the most innovative companies in key markets to the World Expo in Shanghai to learn more from Dell and each other.



Throughout, we layered PR in key business titles to provide additional third-party endorsement of our message.



Results and Effectiveness

We recruited 39 Dell Heroes, generating more than 2,000+ separate pieces of coverage across print, TV, radio and online. Total reach: 5bn media impressions in the nine markets.



To date more than half a billion consumers have clicked-through. Digital executions performed three times more effectively than industry benchmarks.



Communication awareness is up 7% Quarter-on-Quarter and is now ahead of all Dell’s major competitors in Heroes markets.



Consideration of Dell SMB products has lifted an average +6 points in just three months!



Dell has regained #2 ranking from Acer in total client worldwide, with 12.1% market segment share, up 0.2% yoy.