ZERO TO 5IVE
Problem
Progressive Information Technologies is a company with more than 50 years of experience in the information management and publishing industry. The Company’s core service offerings focused on print, CD-ROM, Web and e-Book solutions. However, during 1992, WB Saunders engaged Progressive Information Technologies to develop a technology application that would enable it to better create and manage the content for its Dorland’s Medical Dictionary.
Progressive Information Technologies further developed this specific software application into a content management system, called TARGET 2000, which could manage and repurpose any type of content. The Company launched TARGET 2000 and began selling it in 1997. Although Progressive Information Technologies was developing an impressive list of TARGET 2000 clients, the Company was not actively promoting or marketing the product.
During the late 1990s and early 2000, the content management market exploded and numerous vendors began to aggressively promote products in this industry segment. Progressive Information Technologies was searching for a way to gain visibility for TARGET 2000 and differentiate it from its competitors’ products.
Solution
Progressive Information Technologies engaged Zer0 to 5ive to conduct a Roadmap for its TARGET 2000 product. The insight gained from the Roadmap identified key areas of differentiation, a unique brand strategy, targeted key messages, a complete re-launch plan, and recommended name changes and supporting taglines.
Through analysis of the competitive landscape, Zer0 to 5ive found that TARGET 2000’s key differentiator was creating and managing content for publishing to electronic and print media, not just the Web. Zer0 to 5ive recommended that Progressive Information Technologies position TARGET 2000 as a cross-media publishing system for content management.
Progressive Information Technologies decided on Vasont as the new name for TARGET 2000, and adopted Zer0 to 5ive’s recommended tagline, “Master your content’s destiny,” which supported the product’s key differentiators of making content available in multiple media formats and adaptable to current technology schemas and those yet to be developed.
After completing the Roadmap process and implementing the recommended brand identity, Progressive Information Technologies engaged Zer0 to 5ive to implement Vasont’s marketing communications plan developed during the Roadmap.
Benefit
Zer0 to 5ive implemented Vasont’s go-to-market strategy that was recommended in the marketing communications plan. The initial tactic Zer0 to 5ive executed to support the overall strategy was the development of a graphic identity and usage guidelines for Vasont, including the development of a logo, cohesive marketing collateral and a media kit. As part of the strategy, Progressive Information Technologies unveiled Vasont at the XML Conference, a key venue penetrated by Vasont’s target audiences. The Company also issued a press release announcing the product and its key features and enhancements. Zer0 to 5ive secured media and analyst briefings at the event and around the news announcement.
Vasont’s awareness has increased through numerous analyst and media briefings that Zer0 to 5ive secured pre- and post-launch of the cross-media publishing system. This has lead to the following analyst and media successes:
Analyst briefings
Aberdeen, Forrester, Giga, IDC, Ovum, Yankee, Gartner, Doculabs, Delphi, ZapThink and Patricia Seybold
Analyst references
Patricia Seybold, Ovum, ZapThink, and Yankee
Media coverage in trade publications
eContent, Gilbane Report, Electronic Publishing, Seybold Report, Print Magazine, Network World, ContentWorld, Content News Digest, American Printer, Digital Output, Application Development Trends, and others
Coverage in analyst reports
ZapThink and IDC
Since Progressive Information Technologies launched Vasont in February 2002, it has secured clients such as Merck, Detroit Diesel, McGraw-Hill and Hewlett-Packard. In addition to ongoing media and analyst relations, Zer0 to 5ive has been engaged to write byline articles and case studies to support Vasont’s marketing initiatives. Zer0 to 5ive is also developing a channel partner program plan to help Vasont’s expand its sales channels and meet increased revenue goals.
