Case studies
A selection of in depth examples of how Creators was used to enhance the creation and implementation of marketing collateral
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For a typical marketing document, from originator to completion, we’ve saved up to 80% of total time and 30% off cost!
Because we operate in 78 countries, communication and consistency comes up over and over again throughout our marketing activities. Our graphic guidelines are very strict, yet that didn’t seem to stop brand inconsistency across a wide number of publications.
When an enterprising alternative was presented to us we were obviously very interested. It was immediately apparent what savings in time and money were there for the taking, not to mention the control over our brand. The decision to trial Abstract Creators didn’t take long, although putting more responsibility in the hands of our own people was a bit daunting.
We use case histories extensively to showcase our major projects. The average time for case history production was 3 months. Without fail it would become a triangular dance between the originators at Areva, the marketing department and an outside design agency. It’s probably not that uncommon - the to and fro of drafts, proofs and corrections. I have even known it take as long as 6 months in the extreme. As you can imagine, this was unbelievably wasteful of our time, our colleagues time, let alone the cost of design agency reworks and Authors Corrections. Since the day Abstract Creators was launched our work methods have been revolutionised. Yes, there still needs to be dialogue about content and approval between us, our customers and our partners. But the beauty is that you can opt to include them in your process right from the start. With remote but security controlled access, collaboration is made simple, and only for the projects where you think this is appropriate.
Our marketing team really took to it across Europe. Right from the outset Abstract Creators guided each user to produce a first-class piece of artwork and was so much more satisfying for them than typing a Word™ document.
Historically we had a disparate collection of photographs and technical images and tables. Abstract Creators has brought these under one umbrella, together with design capabilities, to considerably improve the value we are getting out of them. It has been a big step forward. These digital assets are now readily available to a wide range of personnel across many countries.
Distribution of knowledge is one of the great benefits of the internet and now I feel we are truly delivering that from the marketing function.
In the future we plan for designated engineers and project leaders to connect to Abstract Creators, perhaps when originating a document. These people work all over the world. Given that the internet infrastructure in isolated locations may be weak, it’s important to know that Abstract Creators is fast and stable across poor connections. In addition, the whole user interface experience has been superb to date. For mechanical engineers it is a fast, visual and enjoyable experience. The ergonomic presentation is a real plus when it comes to buy in and very few ‘problem’ calls have occurred during rollout
Our company has been reshaping itself for several years as we have had to adapt to a changing global picture. But with Abstract Creators, when a new set of design guidelines need to be followed, we can have templates uploaded and available to our marketing employees - worldwide- in a matter of hours. And with the brand approvals facility of Abstract Creators, we now have complete brand control, worldwide.
That is very powerful in narrowing the communication gaps that are inherent in a company the size of Areva. We are new users of Abstract Creators. As expected we’ve had immediate tangible benefits but we are discovering new ways in which we might now exploit this resource everyday.
Toni Lepone, Communications Director -
for Areva SA Paris
We’ve improved both marketing content and process at dealer level, we simply get more results by working smarter!
We were stuck in a cycle. Each time we met our resellers and dealers we’d be challenged. ‘Well, what are you going to do for me this year? This quarter?’ It was hardly a collaborative, win-win relationship, sometimes it bordered on the adversarial. I’ve seen it many times, where a central function is viewed with suspicion: “you’re simply not in tune with what local operators and provincial sites need.
It highlighted that if we could soften this perception, by providing high quality support (meaning leads and sales!), they would become predisposed to push our products above our competitors’.
We came across Abstract Creators through ABSTRACT, a company I had known for a number of years. They had been pushing the envelope with variable data printing and were switched on technically. When they began experimenting with a web-based service to promote brand control and marketing support at the local level I knew we could use that at Samsung.
It showed us there was a way to close the big communication and empathy gap between us and our dealers. In large organisations, getting people to do anything new or different is difficult. But the rewards are beginning to come through, having let the ideas behind Abstract Creators germinate for a couple of months. Abstract Creators is a conceive once, use many philosophy. Our dealers simply wouldn’t pay for this level of origination and campaign innovation out of their own pocket. We’re happy because we know Samsung products are being marketed to the right specifications and that the direct marketing pieces keep to brand guidelines.
Using this innovative marketing toolkit means I can now confidently say to my dealers:
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1these direct marketing campaigns are proven to work (we drop those that struggle)
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you benefit from nationally sponsored design and volume purchase arrangements with suppliers
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speed to market from decision to implementation can be a couple of days
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local collateral, dovetailing national campaigns, is always available at the right time
And the dealers love it! They can also upload any of their own success stories and insert them into the campaigns available. It’s remarkable how they get used to owning this process where previously they did nothing!
ROI? Once the trial and orientation period is complete we’ve charted an unbelievable return on investment of between 2-3 months.
Training has been minimal. On-screen text editing, picture sizing and manipulation are so easy to grasp with this software. But if some extra help is needed, ABSTRACT can quickly provide an on-screen wizard to guide users through any process.
And importantly, you can control what and when things happen. The software has a simple, two-step order workflow which is enough for dealers and ourselves to have checks on what is being produced. We are now beginning our roll-out across Europe, starting with Ireland, The Netherlands and Sweden, as Abstract Creators copes with each new country comfortably.
Also, because Abstract Creators generates print ready PDF files, even for variable data applications, we can be confident of working with appointed suppliers in each country.
In summary, Samsung is producing better, more quantifiable and more frequent marketing campaigns across our sales dealer network. Without tying our head office resources in knots!
Abstract Creators is affordable because there are no hefty module purchase or installation charges, training or consultancy fees. You simply roll-it out at your own speed - one dealer, one employee at a time. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
Phil Watts, Marketing Manager
We had a marketing process problem and Abstract Creators has solved it. We are now building an exciting range of possibilities!
Abstract Creators had been proposed to us a year or so beforehand but our business model was unsuited at that time. However, as we migrated our membership details to a centralised database we began looking at better ways to manage the whole mailing process. A major issue which quickly emerged for us was a large artwork bottle-neck. We wanted our people to be analysing data and coaching good practice.
But their normal hours were being consumed artworking and liaising with up to 40 club managers in their region. A high turnover in personnel was the result.
From our previous dealings with ABSTRACT we knew if they proposed a solution it was going to be capable of helping us. Obviously we were wary. Local club managers are ready to criticise anything emerging from central departments. But it also dawned on us that we could use Abstract Creators to part bridge the communications gap between managers and central marketing.
The acceptance of the principles behind the Abstract Creators way of working was rapid:
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our managers saw they could regain control of their marketing at the local level
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the central team were happy to be relieved of the wrong type of work. We are now much closer to our long term goal of improved direct marketing analysis supported by high standards of communication. And for the first time, we can truly see that our brand is being maintained throughout our local mailing programmes.
Data selection is made using our Epiphany software. But there were no complications linking Abstract Creators with this complex CRM tool.
What Training?In the beginning we ran one workshop for 10 managers from across the country. But frankly the ease with which they grasped the browser interface offered a cheaper alternative. With ABSTRACT’s help we introduced an on-screen wizard which guides our new users through the process of building the mail piece. In the early stages it was invaluable. There was also a hidden benefit. The wizard prompted useful phrases, calls to action and generally better ways to communicate with our customers. So overall the quality of our direct mail content has improved.
Job Control
Lead times are critical for us. Mailing is planned to the exact day, with 2 or 3 people needing to touch the documents beforehand. Abstract Creators allows us to plan this right at the start of each job, whilst allowing flexible collaboration thereafter. Password controlled access is at the heart of the workflow process we wanted. It gives our master users a birds-eye view of their whole region. At all times there is total transparency of production lead times, deadlines and costs.
Reliability
Abstract Creators has been incredibly stable. I don’t think any downtime has been reported since its rollout. And it’s coping with 1000 orders a month! In future we are planning to add a wide range of direct marketing products to the Abstract Creators portfolio. It helps that we can drop items that are unsuccessful and try out new ones almost instantly. Our managers have come to respect Abstract Creators and are aching to add more and more functionality. However, we will always need to strike a balance between controlling the brand and encouraging their ingenuity.
Abstract Creators is affordable because there are no hefty module purchase or installation charges, training or consultancy fees. We rolled it out region by region and accelerated the programme because we met so few obstacles.
Dave Bryan,
Direct Marketing Manager
Rank Group Gaming
Abstract Creators offers a consistency in our advertising, stationery and event materials that simply didn’t exist before.
I have been one of the driving forces behind the evolution of brand management at Baker Tilly, but my challenge is not unusual.
We had been aware for some time that our marketing was in need of a common thread. We had many talented people in our offices contributing good ideas and initiatives but, through no fault of their own, were not always consistent with the Baker Tilly brand.
We were already conducting an ongoing review of our whole brand profile because so much was happening. The accountancy sector was changing fast as the Big Six became Five and now Four. We wanted to exploit any emerging gaps in the marketplace and a strong, consistent brand was going to be paramount.
As a creation tool Abstract Creators simplifies the whole process and saves considerable time. The base templates are close to the finished requirement and, of course, true to our brand guidelines. We also have the added benefit of ensuring our regulatory legal-disclaimers are ever present and up to date on our collateral.
At first I was concerned that a tool such as this would be putting too much emphasis on guideline layout and design skill for our marketing staff. But I was soon to learn otherwise. Infact, the opposite happened. Our staff began to produce more collateral, more accurately and more efficiently. And they enjoyed it!!
But there are other little design features tailored exactly to the way we want our work presented. Quite literally, you can jump from an idea to finished artwork in less than five minutes. So the usual artwork merry go round has virtually been eliminated.
Brand Manager control was also an important issue for us. We wanted a heavyweight central role to ensure every effort was being made to lift our message above our competitors.
Although this is an extra step in the process we deemed it to be very important. Interestingly, it presented the opportunity to train our staff in better marketing techniques - we were able to advise them on different creative approaches to their pieces as part of the everyday process for approving work. That was far better than going for heavy training initiatives. A big plus for everybody has been the integration of an image asset library with a search facility. We had not had one before, so to go from nothing to a fully functional site, available to all staff around the UK was wonderful. And to have it link in with a ready-to-use design tool was beyond our expectations.
The latest version of Abstract Creators has delivered even more helpful, time-saving tools. Bespoke advert sizing is extremely useful since we are active in all sorts of local publications and magazine business sections. Picture resizing and rotation has also helped us create adverts and still retain visual impact.
Abstract Creators has become an integral part of the daily lives of our marketing personnel. We have registered one user licence for each provincial office but it makes sense for the larger metropolitan offices to have multiple users. Abstract Creators reminds me of the time when marketing first had email. We can’t remember what it was like beforehand but we certainly wouldn’t want to go back.
Miranda Best
National Marketing Manager
Baker Tilly
Creators gave us the solution to allow dealers to produce bespoke marketing material for their business with just a few clicks of the mouse. Simple to use, it’s rolled out across to over thirty markets in eleven languages giving users access to email, print and digital collateral. Abstract are one of my favourite partners to work with; they understand our complicated business set up and are quick and flexible to turn around difficult projects. They make our life much easier!
Jennifer Reid - AGCO
In my experience, the capabilities offered by Abstract have not been bettered on price, quality and service. Indeed, their customer focused attitude is second to none. Their look is innovative and always of the highest quality. Using Abstract’s Creators software has also transported us into the 21st Century and saved us money, time and effort.
Elaine West, Communications Manager - Alstom
Abstract’s Creators system has helped us move from a collection of offices pushing different interpretations of our brand – into a co-ordinated marketing network of professionals on the same page.
Phil Watts, Marketing Manager – Aggreko