News RSS Feed Why This is Relevant: It demonstrates how to launch a new product in a multichannel B2B environment. Challenge: Kodak wanted to launch its groundbreaking i4000 Series Scanner to a B2B audience of document/content management, IT and purchasing professionals in paper-intensive industries. Their goals: Create a disruption in the marketplace Generate excitement and awareness pre-launch Present the value proposition and engage prospects Competitively differentiate the product Present compelling offers to drive response Identify near-term sales opportunities and distribute to the channel immediately Nurture prospects without immediate needs through the sales cycle Insight: Buyers want to improve efficiency and save money ... but what emotionally drives their buying decision is the need to be a "hero" and look good to their boss. Solution: Integrated multichannel program focusing on business benefits and plug-and-play ease of use … branded as innovative and “smart” -- the shape of things to come: Teaser pre-launch and launch emails with PURLs Full color mail Content-rich microsite with third party industry news, educational material, product offers, video, and a free, downloadable independent report from Forrester Research, Inc. Mobile -friendly microsite and opt-in for mobile updates Share links to social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Online banners Reseller “campaign in a box” with email and mail templates and website bug Customer-centric lead nurturing program: Monthly e-based and mail-based communications to prospects not currently in the market; drive back to microsite. Unique versions based on type and level of engagement Continuous fresh, relevant microsite content, including third-party research … every visit is new. Goal: become a wise counselor and establish credibility Streamlined, database-driven process to push leads along sales pipeline Lead scoring                Results: 23% lead rate Extremely high site engagement: 1 in 2 mail direct mail respondents who visited the site filled out a form 1 in 3 email respondents who visited the site filled out a form Average page views 5.7 out of 6 Average time on site over 3 minutes Under 1% bounce rate http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/kodak-i4000-case-study.aspxCatalyst, a Rochester, NY-based direct and digital marketing agency, has hired web marketing analyst David Schuette. He joins Catalyst from Land’s End, based in Dodgeville, WI. Catalyst has also hired Warren Mapes as a senior art director/mixed media. Mapes, an award-winning interactive and online specialist, has designed numerous web sites, digital marketing programs and print communications for Xerox, MasterCard, Paychex, and Kodak, among others.http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/david-shuette.aspxCatalyst was selected from five competing Rochester agencies to develop a robust new web site for Hillside Family of Agencies.  The site, which launched April 12, allows Hillside Family of Agencies to better connect with the community, which includes parents, youth, donors, and strategic partners. In addition to updated graphics, the new site significantly improves the user experience through customizable search options, informative podcasts, rich content, and interactive elements. According to Jennifer Bacci, director of marketing for Hillside Family of Agencies, agencies considered for the project were required to meet 18 distinct criteria. "The top two were the ability to measure results and the ability to provide in-depth tracking. When we applied those criteria, and considered extensive web experience, Catalyst clearly came out on top," she said. The Hillside.com site utilizes the industry-leading platform developed by Ektron, Inc., a Catalyst partner and the recipient of numerous industry accolades including the 2009 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Web Content Management, the 2009 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Social Software and EContent Magazine's Top 100 Companies that Matter Most. Ektron's content management system allows Hillside Family of Agencies to easily update and add content without further help or incurring costs from an outside vendor. The site is supported with a multi-channel, integrated marketing campaign that includes radio, print, and display advertising.  Visitors to the site are encouraged to register with an offer for a free CD containing interviews from popular Hillside Family Forum radio broadcasts. Bacci recommends partnering with an outside agency before embarking on a project of this scope.  "When you don't have the internal resources, hire an expert who does this every day," she said. She said they have had a wonderful partnership with Catalyst Direct. "I continue to be impressed by their ability to connect with all of our internal clients and navigate through different areas such as IT and marketing," Bacci said. "They are open-minded - they take our ideas and put great solutions behind them."http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/hillside-release.aspxFor the third time Catalyst has been named one of BtoB Magazine's top agencies, acknowledging the agency's prowess in B2B cross-channel marketing and analytics.  Catalyst is the only agency in Rochester named to the prestigious list and shares the accolade with some of the largest B2B shops across the nation.  Factors in determining BtoB Magazine's top agency list include percentage revenue of B2B business, client relationships, creativity, cross-channel programs, and their resulting success metrics. To qualify for the award, Catalyst submitted winning campaigns for Carestream Health and Eastman Kodak Company. "These campaigns epitomized the way we go about things at Catalyst," said Jeff Cleary, managing director.  "We understand specific audiences, how they gather information and make purchase decisions.  We know how to target them online and offline, wherever they want to start a conversation.  We continuously test, revise, react, and improve to optimize business outcomes across all channels. "This holistic thinking is part of the Catalyst DNA," he said.  "It's what delivers game-changing results." Carestream Health, a global provider of dental and medical imaging systems and healthcare IT solutions, engaged Catalyst to streamline brand awareness, develop a consistent identity, identify and establish relationships with key decision makers, and engage and educate prospects for further dialogue.  Catalyst developed a multi-touch integrated lead generation campaign that included email with personalized landing pages, direct mail and telemarketing to reach key decision makers in community hospitals. The campaign exceeded the client's expectations-generating an overall response rate that was significantly higher than industry standard, while promoting recall and receptivity to a next-level sales conversation. Kodak, a Catalyst client for 20 years, asked Catalyst to develop a prospect nurturing campaign to grow market share for its D2L workflow solution, an automated controlled process that powers workflow, collaboration, and color across the global enterprise.  Catalyst developed a multitouch integrated campaign designed to position Kodak as a leading resource for marketing automation.  The campaign built a community of Fortune 1000 prospects and current customers utilizing outreach direct mail, nonresponder email, and a personalized URL.  A content-rich microsite offered Webinars, case studies, white papers, demos, brochures, blogs, a message board, and third-party contributions to educate and foster open communications. In addition to Eastman Kodak Company and Carestream Health, Catalyst's business-to-business clients include Valvoline Instant Oil Change, ITT Corp., and Standard Register.http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-named-a-2010-top-agency-by-btob-magazine.aspxTake the mobile marketing challenge: Do you have a mobile-friendly site? How about mobile-friendly landing pages and email? Is it easy for mobile customers to interact with you? Are you losing sales because frustrated mobile customers just “give up?” Many are saying 2010 is (finally) the “Year of Mobile.” More and more, your target audience is interacting with your brand on-the-go.  According to a recent Gartner report, by 2012 Smartphone sales will surpass laptop sales and comprise 37% of all global handset sales (up from 14% in 2009). That puts enormous pressure on marketers to think about the way customers interact with you on their phones.  Unfortunately, too many marketers focus their mobile strategy on apps and SMS. What gets lost in the shuffle are the other online touch points – particularly email and landing pages. A recent report from the Radicati Group projected that, by 2013, more than one billion consumers will access e-mail on their mobile phones.  That has huge implications for your email marketing strategy. Let me give you an example of a less-than-satisfying mobile experience I recently had while stuck in the airport. I had just enough time to catch up on some email, not enough to pull out the laptop. So I pulled out my iPhone®.  I was what you would call a “captive audience. “ I had several emails from retailers that interested me. But only a few provided a mobile version. Most forced me to scroll more than I--even with time on my hands--had the patience for, resulting in a subpar experience. My friends at the office tell me it’s even worse on a BlackBerry®. When I clicked the link to “learn more,” I was taken to the retailer’s main web site--which was not optimized for mobile, and which didn’t have a mobile viewing option, forcing me to scroll down through all the page names, image names and code until I lost all hope of finding the products I was looking for. Thus I abandoned my search. And the retailer lost a sale. Perhaps more important…I had a negative brand experience, bad enough to keep me off that retailer’s site indefinitely. Some retailers have, indeed, been prescient enough to develop mobile sites–but they often forget about optimizing the rest of their customer communications for mobile. We recently developed an integrated communications program for a new product launch that included mobile versions of emails, landing pages, a mobile-optimized microsite, and the option to receive product updates via text message/SMS. Anyone who opted in for SMS was automatically directed to the mobile-optimized sites. With so many customers using their phones for email and to surf the web, you simply can’t afford to overlook developing an integrated mobile strategy. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, and experience your brand from a variety of mobile devices and communications channels. How does your experience measure up?http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/mobile-marketing-strategy-damir.aspxConfused by social media marketing? Watch this webinar. Chief Digital Officer Peter Platt leads you through the specific steps to take to build a social media program that works. Learn the winning strategies that smart brands use to engage with consumers across multiple social media channels and find out how you can apply these strategies to your business. Sponsored by Alterian, makers of SM2, a leading social media monitoring solution. Watch it here: http://socialmedia.alterian.com/learn-more/presentations/corp-marketing-1/http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/peter-platt-alterian-webinar.aspxMcKissock LP, a leading online provider of pre-licensing and continuing education for licensed professionals in the appraisal, real estate, home inspection, mortgage, engineering, and behavioral health fields, has selected Rochester, NY-based digital and direct marketing agency Catalyst to expand its digital presence.   Matthew McKissock, president and CEO, said “We wanted an agency partner who could help lead us toward a digitally-based business model.  We chose Catalyst because they’ve shown proven ability to move companies like ours into a market leadership position through smart digital strategy.”     McKissock employed search agency Barnard Consulting to help narrow the agency field. President Charlene Barnard said the client was looking for a mid-sized agency partner with strong direct marketing and analytics capability who could apply those capabilities to the digital arena.  She said McKissock briefly considered a digital-only agency, but became convinced it was necessary to integrate digital strategy across all media, including print. “They needed someone who knew how to market offline as well as online,” she said. “Catalyst was the right fit.”http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/mckissock-release.aspxChallenge Bausch & Lomb’s PreserVision vitamins have been clinically proven to slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). But AMD sufferers only knew about them through their doctors. Bausch & Lomb attempted to educate AMD sufferers with a small quarterly newsletter. Problem was, there wasn’t much relevant content and not many of them read it. The small amount of information they did receive usually came from their eye care practitioner … whom they didn’t visit very often. Insight AMD sufferers not only wanted more information about their disease -- new research, new treatments -- they wanted to share their experiences about what it was like living with AMD.  Solution Develop more relevant communications that allow AMD sufferers to interact with each other. Encourage AMD sufferers to visit their physician, join the Joy of Sight program (a community created by Bausch & Lomb for AMD sufferers) and use coupons to drive product purchase Enhance the quarterly newsletters to include relevant content: healthy living tips, product suggestions, coupons, and more Institute a yearly survey to give AMD sufferers a chance to share their experiences with others—in return they receive a calendar, coupons and a referral vehicle Develop welcome kits for new Joy of Sight members, package inserts and literature to be handed out by physicians to patients Results Bausch & Lomb realized the importance of communicating directly with consumers vs. relying exclusively on channel partners or general advertising. The program was rolled out internationally. Acquisition campaign doubled the number of at-risk sufferers in Bausch & Lomb’s database 33% of database responded to survey 90% of new members redeemed product coupons http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/discover-how-bausch--lomb-increased-compliance-and-sales-for-preservision.aspx Catalyst (formerly Catalyst Direct) today announced three new hires to meet increased demand for the agency's services, particularly in digital marketing. Mark D'Amico,  a 20-year veteran in direct marketing, database marketing, interactive marketing, and loyalty marketing was hired as a new account director. D'Amico's account experience includes Xerox, New York Life, Comcast, Time Warner, Pfizer, and Hallmark, among others. He holds a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Roberts Wesleyan College. Jordan Bate  joins Catalyst as a data analyst on the analytics team. Bate is a former project analyst at the University of Rochester, where he developed website benchmarking initiatives. He holds an MBA in brand management and marketing as well as an MS in marketing from the Simon School at the University of Rochester. MaryAnn Collins  is a new project manager responsible for implementing strategic plans and managing workflow. Collins, most recently with IBM, brings more than 20 years of experience in direct and digital marketing, telemarketing and sales to Catalyst. She is currently completing certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a bachelor's degree from Adrian College. Catalyst is currently recruiting for several more positions, including an account planner, an executive creative director and a senior digital account executive. The agency said it is also looking to add another project manager and quality assurance analyst. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/new-hires-710.aspx There are a lot of good reasons to participate in social media conversations. It's a great way to keep tabs on what customers and prospects think of your brand. It gives your audience a two-way communications channel -- another way to talk to you, and another way for you to listen to them -- all in real-time. However, I'd like to take the opportunity to caution that Twitter, Facebook, blogs, LinkedIn, etc. should be used as a complement to market research, not as a replacement for it. Although these communities certainly can be influential -- and they must be engaged -- they should not be used as a stand-alone source for market research data. No question that social media can augment or even enhance traditional qualitative research -- much like focus groups can. When funds are tight, social media can even replace focus groups as a qualitative tool.  It keeps dialogue open both ways, and can help to develop survey questions for future research.  But as the most effective market research practice, social media can neither compete with nor replace the sound methodology of a well-designed quantitative survey. Why? Consider data quality, data reliability and the fact that a survey can give you a representative sample with statistical weighting.  Social media cannot yet provide any of these. Analyzing tweets, for example, as positive/negative/neutral can provide valuable directional or anecdotal information -- but like focus groups, this type of analysis shouldn't be used in isolation as the basis for making critical decisions. Certainly there will be continued advancement in social media tools in the future, and they are likely to align even more effectively with market research. We're already starting to see some of these tools being developed. But, for now, view social media as a welcome addition to your arsenal of marketing tools -- but not as a replacement for core market research. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/social-media-vs-market-research-(1).aspx Catalyst's work with the Kodak i4000 Scanner Series was featured in two major industry publications today. DMNews interviewed Frank Magnera, Catalyst account director, and Kodak client Mark Neff, director of marketing for document imaging for the US and Canada, for an article in their online edition. In addition, BtoB Magazine announced our selection by Kodak to launch the product with supporting marketing programs, including on- and offline, as well as lead nurturing. Read the articles at: DMNews BtoB http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-featured-in-btob-and-dmnews.aspx Eastman Kodak Company chose Catalyst, a Rochester, NY-based direct and digital marketing agency, to launch their acclaimed KODAK i4000 Series Scanners. According to Kodak, the groundbreaking scanner is faster and more durable than competitively-priced models and can potentially lower total cost of ownership by up to 59%. "This product is big news," said Catalyst account director Frank Magnera. "It promises to reshape the scanning industry in a big way. We needed a big idea, something that could cause a disruption in the marketplace. 'The Shape of Things to Come' spoke to the product's potential to redefine the scanning industry. "Because it was a major introduction, we wanted to get people talking about it, online and offline, before the product was launched," Magnera continued.  "We started with an email teaser campaign to create excitement and engagement. The email drove prospects to landing page where they could sign up to get relevant industry content, third-party educational materials, Webinars, and regular product offers. They could also share this content on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. We then launched the product with an integrated direct, digital and mobile marketing campaign that linked to a content-rich microsite. The microsite offered video, flash, high-octane imagery, a contest, and a downloadable independent report from Forrester Research, Inc." He also said the product launch is also supported by an ongoing sales lead nurturing program. "We developed an ongoing series of communications to keep prospects who weren't ready to buy interested," he said. "We continually offer new information to further educate them, move them along the pipeline, and keep the Kodak brand top of mind." Magnera believes Catalyst's extensive knowledge of the digital imaging industry coupled with strategic expertise were key reasons for winning the business.  "We have a 20-year track record of successfully marketing imaging products," he said. "We're pleased Kodak has put their trust in us." http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/kodak-i4000-scanner.aspx Hungry for a hamburger?  Based purely on market share, you're more likely to choose McDonald's than Wendy's.  However, most people don't make their lunch choices that way.  If you want a $1 double cheeseburger, you'll probably choose McDonalds.  But if you want chili with a Caesar salad, you're more likely to end up at Wendy's.  It all depends what you're looking for. Too often, we approach search engine marketing strategy as though market share is the only thing that matters. It's true that Google has a 70% market share, and if your customer wants to find a company's web site, odds are they'd use Google.  But let's say they want up-to-date flight information. They might choose Bing instead, because it's integrated with Farecast, which gives real-time access to flight schedules.  It all depends what they're looking for. When it comes to SEM strategy, Google and Bing are more like McDonald's and Wendy's than Coke and Pepsi.  When a customer chooses Wendy's, they're likely to use a different ordering strategy than at McDonalds, because they're visiting for different reasons. Similarly, assuming your Google strategy will work the same way in Bing is not the best approach.  What's more effective is to think about how and why your customers might use different search engines to find what you're marketing, and align your search strategies with those behaviors.  Individual search engines require individual search engine strategies. To optimize your SEM programs, spend as much time developing your strategies as you do deciding what to eat for lunch. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/tony-lang-seo-blog.aspx Catalyst has been honored by the Ad Council of Rochester with the 2010 W.B. Potter Founder's Award for its recent One City Connection Campaign. The campaign, a partnership between the City of Rochester and United Way of Greater Rochester, promotes volunteerism through print advertising, billboards, radio, and online banner advertising.  Prospective volunteers are encouraged to visit www.onecityconnection.org to learn more about different volunteer opportunities. "Most people understand the benefits of volunteering - they know it is good for the community and the right thing to do - but it's often difficult to get them to take that first step," said Karen Menachof, Catalyst's chief client officer, and a director-at-large for the Ad Council of Rochester. "So we focused on getting people to think about the unexpected benefits of volunteering, such as the joy they experience from the personal relationships they develop.  In each ad we not only feature a specific volunteer opportunity, we reinforce the idea that it is one of just many ways to make a difference in our community. This strategy makes it easy to add additional volunteer opportunities over time, and it gives the campaign a life beyond its original execution." Photography for the ads was donated by John Myers. Menachof said Catalyst had supported the work of the Ad Council and the United Way for over 20 years. "We have a long history of encouraging volunteerism among our employees," she said. "When they take on important causes, we back them up 100 percent. We consider it a right and a responsibility for successful organizations like ours not only to give back to our community, but to encourage our employees to do the same." http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/one-city-connection.aspx The biggest challenge for insurance marketers is retaining their subscribers. One reason why: lack of relevant brand communications. In a typical insurance company, the marketing process for employer based programs works something like this: Agent/Broker representing Mutual of Catalyst sells the Jones Company (Plan Sponsor) an insurance program. A year goes by and the Jones Company has heard nothing from Mutual of Catalyst. Now it's time to renew and The Jones Company gets a call from an Agent/Broker representing United Direct and offering him a better rate. So why wouldn't The Jones Company switch? But what if The Jones Company had been receiving ongoing, relevant communications from Mutual of Catalyst all year? What if the insurer had a coordinated program to collaborate with its brokers and agents and get them invested in CRM?  Aligning agents and brokers is no different than aligning marketing and sales.  Do it right, and retention rates soar. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/insurance-blog.aspx Catalyst Direct has rebranded their 20-year old agency and built a new marketing agency model seamlessly linking digital with direct, analytics with data and deep customer insight with actionable strategy. The agency has been rebranded as Catalyst (sans Direct) and is paired with the tagline, Science + Soul, reflecting their emphasis on the synergy achieved through analytical thinking coupled with insight. The agency has undergone a massive restructuring to embed digital strategy and data-driven analytics across the organization, enabling everyone in the organization to focus on optimizing strategy. The benefit to clients is: a more effective framework to generate better strategy; eliminating silos that inhibit idea generation; and improved outcomes. The creative department now reports to Peter Platt, recently hired Chief Digital Officer, resulting in digital strategy integrated in all services. The agency has restructured to free account leads from time-consuming process by adding client project managers tasked with centralized orchestration of activities. The account teams can now focus more exclusively on insight gathering and strategy development vs. managing process. Lastly, data analysts will now infuse customer knowledge, behavior and insight into communications strategies, campaign analysis, web analytics, and client forward-planning. The end result for clients is optimized results across all channels: the agency of the future. In addition to Peter Platt, a key new hire rounding out the new agency structure is Steve Khederian as Analytics Director, partnering and sharing the same title with veteran analytics guru Kevin Seaman. Khederian joins from Modern Marketing Concepts and is a 15-year veteran in the analytics space. Damir Saracevic was promoted to Director, Digital Marketing, from Director, Interactive Marketing. A robust new web site, www.catalystinc.com, has also been launched in support of the new brand.  "We had always been primarily a direct marketing agency," Mike Osborn, founding partner, said. "But a few years ago, we looked out and saw the future.  A big piece of it was going to be digital, no question. But it was bigger than that. The agency of the future would need to be more than a digital agency, or a direct agency or an interactive agency. They would need to be able to optimize across all channels, online and offline, wherever the customer engaged.  They'd need to be able to marry customer insight with analytics, to think in 3-D. And so we became that agency. Seemed the right time to drop the Direct, and the association with traditional direct marketing, from our brand." To cement their rebranding, Catalyst brought in the best minds in the business, including global strategic consultants The Winterberry Group (www.winterberrygroup.com) and Robert Fronk, a Catalyst board member and leading strategy advisor.  Catalyst also spoke with many of their clients, who embraced the idea of building an agency partner poised for their future growth. "I've worked with Catalyst for almost 15 years," said Ann Lindsey, Senior Marketing Leader at GE Money. "They consistently provide a level of strategic thinking that's really hard to come by. I particularly appreciate their commitment to growing our business.  It's not just that they have great ideas and new ways to talk to our customers… it's something about how their people think that makes them really different." Jeffrey Hayzlett, chief marketing officer for Eastman Kodak and author of The Mirror Test, concurred. "People are the difference in what makes a brand or business good to outstanding," he said. "The people at Catalyst know how to connect the dots. They have great analytic thinking and they constantly look for innovative ways to move our business forward."    Today's CMOs face a myriad of challenges, and Catalyst is well positioned to approach each opportunity as their ally. "The marketplace today is increasingly complex, and the CMO has to be able to justify performance across every channel," said Jeff Cleary, Catalyst's other founding partner. " Trying to put all the pieces together, being able to genuinely evaluate the impact of one channel strategy on the next and then adjust on the fly, that's not a job for the faint of heart.  You can hire five agencies with specialized expertise, and spend half your day just trying to manage them all-but at the end of the day, somebody has to put the big picture together. "Shouldn't your agency be able to do that?" he said. "That's really what our clients want. They want more than expertise in multiple channels, they want more than the ability to tell them where they are now. They want their agency to show them where to lead their brands tomorrow. They want to take the guesswork out of their marketing decisions. That's the agency of the future, and at Catalyst, they get it today." http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-direct-rebrands-as-catalyst.aspx Mobile marketing is on the rise and Catalyst helped Valvoline Instant Oil Change get in on the ground floor. Catalyst helped launch a mobile coupon campaign to first determine whether its customers were receptive to engaging in mobile marketing, and to gauge interest. We included mobile calls to action on current interactive marketing initiatives, such as email, SEM, landing pages and on the vioc.com home page. Unique keywords and coupon codes were assigned to each initiative to track usage and redemption. Catalyst found that customers were receptive to mobile calls to action. A significant percent of customers exposed to mobile calls to action were willing to text to receive an offer. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/never-misplace-a-coupon-again-have-one-texted-to-your-phone.aspx Pet owners don't believe their money woes matter to their pets, and that's beneficial to the owner, according to a new study of 400 Americans fielded by independent digital direct agency, Catalyst Direct. Of respondents polled, a majority stated that their pet's emotional support and nonjudgmental attitude are key to helping them survive these challenging times. Other surveys have documented the many benefits of the relationship between the owner and their pet(s).  What makes Catalyst's study unique is, the company looked specifically at the benefits dogs and cats provide in helping owners deal with personal pressures brought on by a tough economy. Pet owners are experiencing all kinds of stress due to the uncertain economy: 73% are more worried about finances; 64% are more anxious; 59% are less confident, and 32% believe it has impacted their sense of identity. Conversely, pet owners credit their dogs and cats with helping them cope in a number of ways: 89% say their pets help them deal with the stresses of life; 83% value the steady presence their pets provide in an uncertain economy and 86% value their pets' appreciation, despite their own concerns about finances and job security. When asked about spending cuts, pet owners stated that they would be willing to compromise on personal purchases before cutting back on purchases for their dogs and cats: 79% would reduce spending on vacations; 77% on clothing; 49% on certain personal/family food items; 41% Internet/cable and 41% on gas. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/money-woes-and-tough-economic-times-don’t-matter-to-your-pet.aspx To support its eye vitamin product lines, Bausch + Lomb developed the Joy of Site program for those suffering from or at risk for developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Catalyst was tasked with improving communication vehicles to increase compliance and trial among members. Catalyst redesigned and improved communications to current members, focusing on accurately segmenting the audiences in order to provide more relevant content and offers. We further segmented coupon offers based on previous redemption behavior and established a referral element. After only two mailings of a new format, coupon redemptions and trials increased. The first product recommended in a newly designed newsletter sold out and calls to a reference hotline increased. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/accurate-audience-segmentation-increases-eye-vitamin-compliance.aspxI consumed a lot of cookies today and didn't even realize it. They just magically appeared on my computer as I traversed from web site to web site.  Rightfully so, there's a lot of concern about how this cookie data is being used by advertisers, but there's an upside to consumers that's often overlooked. Imagine surfing the web and only seeing ads for products that are relevant to you and your interests. No longer would I come across ads for diapers (my youngest is seven) or yogurt (I've never developed a taste for it). Instead I'd see ads for the latest Android Apps for my HTC phone as well as home improvement offerings (I'm a big DIYer). So not only would advertisers be getting to the right audience, but I'd also respond at higher levels and learn about new things that should be of interest to me. I might even appreciate the ads! It's a win for both sides. In addition to a better experience, I also enjoy the fact that the bulk of the content I read online is free. Sure I have to pay for access, but there's tons of rich content out there available and somehow that needs to be paid for. The model has worked well in TV, Radio, Magazines, etc. So why do we perceive the Internet to be any different? As an industry, it's up to us to recognize and respect the importance of consumer privacy (after all it's consumers who do all the purchasing). We can't afford to destroy that trust. I'm thrilled to see the efforts by our industry (safecount.net, narcpartners.org, etc.) to be proactive in addressing consumer concerns. I'm also glad to see federal government interest in making sure consumers are protected. The reality is however, that the responsibility lies on all of us marketers to maintain that level of trust with consumers. Thankfully, for the most part we're on board. So as consumers you can sit back, enjoy your cookies, and reap the benefits for us all.http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/are-cookies-really-that-bad-for-you.aspxAccording to a recent study, 66 percent of Americans do not want marketers to tailor advertisements to their interests. Reading this statement made me wonder: Is that a true feeling, or perhaps was the question worded in the wrong manner? For years, studies have shown that when asked, consumers adamantly believe that advertising doesn’t affect their purchase decisions, but clearly we know that this isn’t true.  So rather than focusing on the negative perception of targeted ads, I wanted to point out some key benefits targeting provides to consumers. 1 – Less advertisingIn the ideal world, advertisers truly only want to reach prospects who have interest in their products and services. Any other spending is wasted. Advertisers don’t want to be everywhere; they want to be where their prospects are. So if we can reach better prospects in fewer places, the amount of advertising consumers are exposed to is going to decline. 2 – More relevant advertisingGiven my age and gender, I often fall into the “sports loving” demographic profile and, thus, frequently see ads related to sports. But to be honest, I don’t follow sports at all. When I see these types of ads, I usually ignore them, but if I see ads related to things I do like, I pay more attention. While it may be subtle, my consumer experience is better when appropriate ads are immersed in relevant content. 3 – Lower pricesThis point may not seem so obvious, but if it’s true that “half of the money spent on advertising is wasted” (J. Wanamaker), more efficient advertising lowers a marketer’s overall costs, which in turn, down the line would result in shifts in pricing strategy. An interesting related side note about this consumer benefit can be found in the the same study, less than 50 percent of respondents were opposed to receiving discounts tailored to their interests. For those of you who are counting—that’s a 34 percent shift in attitude compared with tailored advertising. Given these three points, how do you think consumers would respond to this question: Would you like to see fewer, more relevant ads for products that cost less? I believe you’d see a much different result. There are some very real concerns about consumer privacy that need to be addressed and will be critical to successful behavioral targeting … but there are also significant consumer benefits. So let’s make sure we’re not throwing out the baby with the bath water.http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/consumer-benefits-of-behavioral-targeting.aspx It's interesting to watch how social media continues to evolve and takes new paths. I'm pretty sure that when Facebook was created they never thought that people would be creating pages for their pets. This morning on Facebook, I created a DogBook page for my cocker spaniel, Belle. So yes, my dog now has a wall, can post status updates and has friends on Facebook ... now if I could only get her to clean up the backyard! Just for fun, I thought I'd search for dog friends for Belle. I didn't put any limits on distance and found that there are 1.7 million dogs Belle can friend within DogBook. This process got me thinking more about pets and social media, so I decided to do a quick search of the blogospshere and was shocked at how many dog blogs there were and, of particular interest, how many of them were written in the first person. We are truly a nation that loves its pets, thinks of them as family and now are able to share their lives with others on a much larger scale. Of course, this got my marketing mind going as well; with so many pets (and their owners) engaging online, what a great opportunity for related companies to engage with active, passionate audiences. Some have started already and I'm sure others will follow. But the real success will come from those who take the time to understand the audience and the social media space and learn how to engage in conversations without being invasive. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/social-media-is-going-to-the-dogs.aspx In the quick-lube industry, the ability to increase oil changes per day translates into substantial revenue growth. In order to develop the relationships Valvoline Instant Oil Change had with their customers as well as make a substantive, measurable and profitable impact on number of oil changes per day, Catalyst created a logistic regression model ("Reactivation Model") to predict the likelihood of a lapsed customer returning to VIOC for service. Our ability to organize and compile customer data, then leverage and refine it in order to drive the message and the timing of direct mail proved effective. With the ability to target those customers who are more likely to respond, we had better control over driving incremental oil changes. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/building-predictive-customer-behavior-models-to-drive-traffic.aspx The New Marketing Reality Consumers are in the driver's seat. The Web has put them there. Today's savvy consumers engage with brands on their terms-when they want and how they want. They connect with brands through multiple channels--researching, comparing, and buying as they choose-on the Web, through the mail, over the phone, and in brick and mortar stores. The most successful marketers are the ones who recognize and adapt to this new reality … relationships with today's consumers occur at the consumer's discretion. The brand no longer calls the shots. As marketers, we must be relevant, credible and accessible in all channels-wherever the consumer wants to engage. As more and more consumers are engaging with brands across channels, our marketing efforts must be integrated. A New Kind of Agency The new realities of marketing require a new kind of agency. Not a traditional media agency, not a direct marketing agency, and not an interactive agency, but an agency that can seamlessly link marketing in the offline world to marketing in the online world. And it can deliver consistent, branded experiences and messages across all channels. Catalyst is that new kind of agency. We've been preparing for the new realities in marketing for more than a decade, combining the scientific targeting of traditional direct marketing with the engagement and interactivity of the Web. A robust database environment supports a portfolio of Web, email, search, mobile and display capabilities. And because analytics is part of our traditional direct marketing DNA, we're leveraging intelligence derived from data to drive our online marketing work. We've developed a powerful Web analytics capability that allows us to optimize our online marketing efforts in real time. We understand when media and channels complement each other and when they compete. In the coming years, as more consumers engage with brands online, the number of customer data points that can be tracked and measured will increase dramatically. Each search, each visit, each click, and each registration will provide us with even more marketing-actionable customer information. And as we link customer data in the offline world to marketing in the online world, such data will need to be gathered, analyzed, and leveraged across channels. The marketing and analytics teams at Catalyst have already begun working with clients to develop databases, systems and tools that can provide a holistic view of customer behavior and relationships across all media and in all channels. The days of delivering segmented messages in a single channel are fading as the Catalyst team develops capabilities that can predict behavior and deliver thousands of customized marketing messages to individual consumers consistently across multiple channels. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/the-integrated-marketing-challenge.aspxWhile reading the recent stories about Captain Morgan's guerrilla marketing effort with the NFL, I realized that we're often tasked with similar objectives for developing social media campaigns. There are huge audiences out there actively communicating and brands want to be part of the conversation, but is inserting our message really the right approach? A quick background for those of you who missed the news…recently, Captain Morgan created a promotion to provide donations to charity for NFL players who struck the Captain Morgan pose after completing a touchdown. Quite honestly, this was a brilliant concept, in perfect alignment with the brand, provided support to a good organization and was intended to make a significant brand impact in front of a lot of people. But the problem with this was that the NFL does not allow players to do any promoting on the field during a game. Why is this territory protected? The NFL thrives on advertising and sponsorships; there are plenty of great places to put your messaging surrounding games-tv commercials, on the scoreboard, throughout the stadium, even flying overhead, so why not in the game? It's pretty simple. http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/strike-captain-morgan.aspx When Valvoline's Engine Guarantee program first launched, the customer had to go through many steps to enroll--visit a Website, input a lot of detailed information (such as VIN #), and click through multiple pages. In the interest of increasing enrollment, Catalyst sought to simplify the process by leveraging customer data. Customers were sent an email with a simple option: click a button and be enrolled. We actually embedded the customer data directly into the email so no further steps were required. This Click-to-Enroll email significantly increased enrollment. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/one-click-email-enrollments-improve-loyalty-program-sign-ups,-drive-traffic.aspx Kodak asked Catalyst to launch a global campaign that delivers the value proposition of its solutions-based approach for Unified Workflow. We leveraged high-impact direct marketing to generate demand and highly qualified leads and establish Kodak as the workflow and software leader in the printing industry. This intensely targeted multitouch campaign included online, offline and a strong telemarketing effort. Variable data printing was used to version the dimensional marketing package, based on audience segment, as well as a personalized URL page. The campaign achieved a 13.3% overall lead rate. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/targeting-prospects-with-laser-sharp-accuracy.aspxEver since the first banner ad appeared and asked the question “Have you ever clicked your mouse right here?” (AT&T ad on HotWired in 1994), agencies and marketers have tracked and talked about the click … but is that really a valuable measurement? Now, before I raise too many hackles, I do believe that clicks are an important metric, but it’s a relative measurement and doesn’t necessarily equate to business success. I recognize as an agency, we really only have one goal—helping our clients’ businesses be more successful. If you lose sight of that, you might as well get into a new line of work. So what should we be measuring? Business impact, of course. As digital marketers, we need to expand our range of metrics. We can’t just stay in our safety zone by focusing on impressions, clicks and engagement (try to tie that to a business goal). Spend a little more time with your analytics team and you’d be surprised at how much more you can learn by taking your metrics to the next step. Changing your mindset from clicks to conversions is the first step, but don’t stop there; there are lots of other things you can track.http://www.catalystinc.com/articles/just-what-are-you-measuring-anyway.aspxCatalyst won one of BtoB Magazine’s best creative awards of 2009 in the Nontraditional category for our “Catalyst Bat Phone.”  Our goal in this mailing, targeted to editors of advertising industry publications, was to either write articles for these publications, be written about, and/or be contacted and sourced as industry experts. We scheduled meetings with editors of leading industry-based trade magazines in NYC. Realizing that they are constantly approached by agencies for story and PR opportunities, we knew we had to differentiate ourselves. We also wanted to make it easy for these editors to contact us when they needed a resource or industry expert. The best way to accomplish these tasks was to do what we do best — make an impact with a unique, relevant and useful door-breaker. We succeeded.http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-named-to-btob-magazine’s-best-of-2009.aspxDigital pioneer Peter Platt joins Catalyst Direct in the newly created role of Chief Digital Officer, leading all digital marketing initiatives for the agency. Platt will report directly to Catalyst Direct Founding Partners Mike Osborn and Jeff Cleary. His responsibilities include building the Catalyst Direct digital marketing services offering, developing new business and growing existing accounts. Platt is a 20-year veteran of the agency business and has been involved in digital marketing since the early 1990’s. He comes to us from Butler/Till Media in Rochester, NY, where he was Vice President, Online Media, since 2002. Platt built Butler/Till’s online media capability from a department of one, to a 15-person planning, buying and operations team serving a wide range of B2B and B2C clients, including Bausch & Lomb, State Farm Insurance, Eastman Kodak Company and UltraLife Batteries, among others. Osborn stated, “Peter’s experience brings together a unique combination of business development, account management, technology and strategic planning skills. I don’t know anyone who’s been involved in all things digital, from the creation of websites to the social media revolution, longer or more intimately than Peter. We acquired Auragen Communications in late 2007 to provide a full-service digital arm for our clients. Over the past two years, we’ve integrated and embedded our digital and direct offerings. With Peter at the helm, we have the leadership to take our digital direct capabilities and expertise to the next level.” Prior to joining Butler/Till, Platt held positions at dockside.net, ICE Communications, Saatchi & Saatchi and Rumrill-Hoyt. He was a founding member of Saatchi & Saatchi’s original Worldwide Internet Marketing Team and was the project manager for the launch of the first www.dupont.com website in 1993. He was also one of the first 100 people certified in the Google AdWords program. Platt has been a contributing author and expert spokesperson for iMediaConnection, eBusiness Association and The Ad Council. Platt commented, “I’m thrilled to be joining Catalyst Direct. It’s a very exciting time in our business as the hybrid combination of digital, direct and social continues to evolve. Catalyst Direct has deep roots in direct marketing, combined with hi-level digital and analytics expertise. We’re well poised to meet the needs of today’s marketers and deliver solid business results. It’s going to be an exciting ride!”http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-direct-hires-20-year-digital-veteran-peter-platt.aspx Weyerhaeuser had never implemented a direct marketing strategy in their Business-to-Business efforts. They selected Catalyst to develop a comprehensive direct marketing program to promote the Retail Experience Network, generate buzz in the market, create demand and deliver leads for the sales force. We developed an engaging, multitouch, integrated online and offline campaign, including a strong telemarketing effort. The campaign educated key decision makers in targeted companies on the Retail Experience Network. Catalyst generated a 17% lead rate, well above the industry standard of 8% to 12%. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/an-eye-popping-way-to-generate-demand-in-the-b-to-b-arena.aspx United Way of Greater Rochester and the City of Rochester created the OneCity Connection initiative to improve the number of volunteers, volunteer hours and retention rate. The program had to move people from intention to action by promoting volunteerism as fun and personally rewarding. Our campaign focused on volunteers enjoying the unexpected personal benefits of volunteering and included a website, radio, magazine, newspaper and billboard advertising. Immediately after the campaign launched, site traffic improved significantly, with about 10 percent of the traffic continuing to explore even more volunteer opportunities. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/increasing-volunteerism-through-billboards,-radio,-print-ads-and-online-.aspx Thermo Fisher Scientific's Nalgene Nunc division needed an easy way to create contracts and process rebates from its distributors. Each constituent in sales, product management, marketing and finance had a set of requirements and business rules that needed to work seamlessly. Catalyst developed a website utilizing ASP.NET and SQL Server technology that was roles-driven, meeting the business needs of each user group. The solution connected to the SAP on the back end for updates to the product and pricing information and for rebates processing. After our system went into production, the time for processing rebates decreased over 50%. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/monthly-rebates-processing-once-took-two-finance-resources-now-requires-only-one.aspx Even though M&T Bank's products were Web-based, it didn't have a demo feature, so its sales force was unable to showcase its web-based tools/solutions for commercial customers. Catalyst worked with M&T sales and product management teams to create a solution that would accurately represent all features and functions of the products in order to differentiate M&T from competitors and help close deals. We developed demo websites for each product. The acceptance and feedback from the sales force was tremendous; they were able to sit down and walk the client or prospect through the product's features/functions and show that M&T understands what's important in their business. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/showcasing-products-for-commercial-banking-customers-with-web-based-tools.aspx Kodak wanted to launch and promote its new ScanMate desktop scanner in the already highly saturated SOHO market. They turned to Catalyst for a plan to communicate with the audience on a regular basis-not just a one-time mailing. We would do this by educating prospects on key concepts and products and engaging them on their terms, keeping the Kodak name top of mind. We used a combination of PURLs, oversized postcards, microsites, emails and follow-up mailings that created buzz and excitement and incited response. In fact, our multitouch approach of integrating http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/nurturing-campaign-achieves-tremendous-response-rate-through-use-of-multiple-channels-of-engagement.aspx Kodak created a new family of revolutionary digital flexo printing plates for the package printing market. Catalyst developed a two-phased, multitouch demand generation campaign that showcased the new technology's capabilities. We mailed a candy-filled pouch highlighting the advantages of the new system through its packaging design and print quality. This campaign launched years before the technology was widely available, positioning Kodak as the leader in the market. Prospects were impressed with the quality of the showcase creative-it was memorable, paved the way for our outbound telemarketing and garnered impressive results. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/product-announcement-showcases-the-technology-in-action-increases-results.aspx Small newspapers are the largest segment in the newspaper category and typically the last to convert to computer-to-plate (CTP) printing. Kodak's competition was selling plates below cost, creating a perception that Kodak was too expensive. Extensive up-front survey verification calling to prospects was conducted, resulting in a solid list of high-value targets. An eye-catching, highly personalized direct mail piece and email were sent out to educate the target on the innovative solutions and bundled packaging from Kodak that would bring them to the next level. A strong Web presence and a great offer rounded out the program. Catalyst garnered a 15% lead rate and a 3% campaign response rate from the campaign. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/creating-a-shift-in-attitude-increases-sales-leads.aspx Kodak understands unique printing environments and wanted to reach out beyond the commercial print space to deliver that message to in-plant operations and digital service bureaus. An eye-catching dimensional package was produced using a combination of traditional offset and variable data printing technology. Since we believe everyone is a consumer at heart, an ice cream scoop was included in every package mailed and every responder received a fun offer of free ice cream. Catalyst knew Kodak needed to make a splash with this audience-not only with exciting offers and creative, but with personalized online and offline messaging. Nine percent responded with completed surveys online and follow-up telemarketing generated a 13% lead rate-over $6 million in the pipeline! http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/sweet-offer-leads-to-even-sweeter-response.aspx Kodak developed software specifically to help ad agencies and creatives streamline the job creation process. This was a new audience, with virtually no existing market share. Catalyst targeted key prospects through a mix of existing prospect databases and purchased lists. Data on this segment's pain points was also collected through up-front telemarketing. The campaign needed to create awareness, educate prospects and promote recall among an audience who is more critical of the creative aspect of the campaign. The creative had to work especially hard to get their attention. A versioned "boom box" mailing drove prospects to a PURL that captured information and garnered a 5.1% response rate and generated a 10x ROI. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/making-noise-in-the-creative-marketplace-gains-attention-with-target-audience.aspx As the authority on print, Kodak wanted to leverage a brand strategy that would provide a value-add across a multitude of industries. Kodak would provide those who rely on print every day—essentially everyone—with an online resource destination that included information to support the power of print. Oh, and by the way, it’d actually be a fun read with a real personality. In the first month, the Print Ambassador Web site that Catalyst created for Kodak had more than 5,000 site visits and generated more than 100 leads.http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/behold-the-power-of-print.aspx ITT Oil & Gas products and services are scattered across three management companies with multiple Value Centers. Catalyst was asked to develop a print and interactive campaign to promote the ITT Oil & Gas solution, help drive sales leads, and learn what prospects want and where they are in the consideration cycle. Catalyst created a microsite that continues to educate the audience on the myriad of products and services offered under the ITT brand; also included were customer emails and internal sales emails for tracking purposes. The campaign saw a prospect response rate of 1.7%, exceeding the industry average of 0.75% - 1.5%. Pageviews averaged 6.74 per visit, with a low abandon rate. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/generating-qualified-leads-and-enhancing-them-for-cross-sell-opportunities.aspx GE Money embarked on a joint venture with a major retail client to promote its credit card programs. They needed to create a web experience that was consistent with their brand, yet included easy-to-understand transactional pages. Catalyst bridged the gap between brand consistency and a more unified experience by providing a clear comparison between cards and a straightforward explanation of features, revising the information architecture and design, revamping the consumer and business credit center, creating a new credit card informational page for each product, integrating online account management sign-up and log-in, and developing an interactive card selector tool. The relaunched pages significantly increased the application completion rate. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/improving-online-user-experience-increases-application-completion-rate.aspx The Center needed a new website that would help parents bridge the gap between the anxiety following their child's developmental delay diagnosis and the sense of relief after learning there is help. The site also needed to increase awareness, permit online donations, and recruit employees. Catalyst conducted a workshop and in-depth research with the Mary Cariola team to ensure that the site met their objectives, rather than delivering a site based on what's perceived as unnecessarily flashy. We then created a visually appealing site that is feature-rich, content-deep and easy to use. It provides hope and education to parents, informs the community, allows donors to donate online, and attracts quality teachers and staff. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/a-visually-appealing-website-that-is-feature-rich,-content-deep-and-easy-to-use-.aspx Catalyst developed a Web site that helped Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchisees manage and control virtually all of their direct marketing needs. It allowed them to access, create, edit, and revise on the fly in order to successfully manage their direct marketing programs--and saved them time and money in the process. The site contained tools that allowed users to manage and update artwork, correct invalid addresses, customize store Web pages and more. It also included an ROI calculator and the ability to run, receive and analyze up-to-date direct mail reporting for their individual businesses. These tools resulted in dramatic increases in program participation among franchisees. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/catalyst-develops-customized-tools-for-franchisees,-allowing-them-to-better-manage-their-business.aspx It's no surprise that the maker of the world's first engine oil offered the world's first engine guarantee. Drivers could register to participate in the Valvoline Engine Guarantee program via a simple three-step process at valvoline.com, then use Valvoline motor oil regularly, and their engine can be guaranteed up to 300,000 miles. To help maintain compliance in the program, Catalyst developed cross-channel initiatives: mail reminders were sent out, as well as the option to choose email or mobile reminders-all continually improved across multiple channels. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/loyalty-program-keeps-customers-coming-back.aspx Violet plates represent a significant revenue opportunity in the small to medium commercial print market. Kodak product ranges from comparable to superior in relation to the competition. But Kodak was late to the game and awareness and market share were all but nonexistent. Catalyst had to effectively "relaunch" the product into the marketplace. 1,000 high-potential prospects with a competitive product were mailed and called to create some excitement in the marketplace. A free box of plates was offered to educate and drive trial usage. Qualified leads were passed through to the Kodak Certified Dealer Network for follow-up, offer fulfillment and a product demo. The highly successful campaign achieved 233 qualified leads. http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/channel-sales-feeding-the-pipeline-for-kodak’s-certified-dealer-network.aspx Catalyst and Valvoline Instant Oil Change launched a highly successful SEM coupon redemption campaign to improve location traffic. In just over a year, there was a significant increase in coupon redemption and in the number of new customers.    Through these SEM campaigns, and by testing different offers, we also found that online search was an effective and less expensive way of acquiring customers, compared to reaching them by mail.   http://www.catalystinc.com/releases/coupon-redemptions-speak-louder-than-words,-thanks-to-search-engine-marketing.aspx