CATEGORY 9: Best product launch campaign
WINNER: Rackspace
AGENCY: Base One CAMPAIGN: ’Intelligent messaging’
uring 2006 Rackspace became
D
aware that companies were
increasingly outsourcing IT
applications,i.e.running applications such
as email on a remote server,rather than
having the administrative,financial and
technical burden of managing such
applications in-house.
As a provider of managed hosting with an
unparalleled reputation for reliability and
customer support,Rackspace had cultivated
an image based on technical excellence and the
high dedication of its staff to customer needs.
The company was aware its reputation would
make an ideal springboard for extending its
services into the new marketplace of managed
email services.Rackspace knew the sector was
growing and wanted to secure its share.
Standing out from the crowd
Rackspace has an excellent relationship with
Microsoft.It holds the highest level of
accreditation as a ‘gold’hosting partner,and
invests heavily in training to ensure that
chemical ingredients of chocolate.Each The bottom line
customer-facing staff are also Microsoft
customer was sent a pharmacy-style blister From a budget of £15,500 and with each
certified.The close relationship meant that
pack containing small egg-shaped chocolates. mailbox generating revenue of £30 per month,
Rackspace was ideally placed to offer
The foil backing was labelled with the the campaign is already responsible for an
Microsoft Managed Exchange as part of a
chemical compounds phenylethylamine and estimated annual revenue of almost £600,000.
wider solution.As a result,Rackspace created
theobromine,which are naturally present in The return on investment is a staggering 38:1.
‘Intelligent messaging’.
chocolate and have been associated with brain Fabio Torlini,marketing director of
The solution was a combination of
stimulation.Conventional medicines contain a Rackspace,is understandably happy with the
established,industry-recognised software
list of ingredients,instructions and results.“I was delighted with the launch of the
backed up by Rackspace’s unquestioned
information.So did the Rackspace ‘Intelligent messaging’solution.It vindicated
ability to support the customer.Already
‘treatment’.The document accompanying the our belief that our customers would choose us
trusted to host websites for thousands of
blister pack explained how chocolate helps for their managed email solution because
companies in the UK,the challenge in spring
people communicate more intelligently and they knew and trusted our ability to manage
2007 was to explain to existing customers
made the parallel with Rackspace’s new their websites.
that they should buy into Rackspace’s new
intelligent messaging solution. “The launch was perfectly managed,both
managed email product as well.
in terms of timing and the enormous buzz
With customer communications known to Short and sweet
created by the mailing itself.‘Intelligent
be quirky and idiosyncratic and a brand With their appetites whetted,prospects were
messaging’is now an important and lucrative
promise like no other,Rackspace continually invited to a new microsite,which explained the
part of Rackspace’s business.”
produces advertising and other customer benefits of taking up the offer.Since all
communications,which stand out from the recipients were existing customers,they were
crowd.The three-month period preceding also invited to call their account manager.As
Easter 2007 saw Rackspace and Base One an additional incentive,customers were also
develop a direct mail campaign aimed at the offered one month’s free trial.
decision-makers within its existing UK The campaign was short,but successful.
customer base. Within the first month 1643 mailboxes had
Recipients were already familiar with been sold to individual users amongst
Rackspace’s disregard for convention and customer companies.Word-of-mouth
well aware of its personality.It was therefore recommendations brought in 49 mailboxes
in-keeping with their expectations to receive from new customers – even though the
an unusual mailing in late March. campaign was only aimed at existing ones.
In total,3000 existing customers drawn Rackspace confidently expects that more
from Rackspace’s database were targeted. customers will come in during the course of
Rackspace decided to turn the ‘edible gifts at the year once their existing contracts with
Easter’theme on its head by focusing on the other organisations expire.
For more information on the winners, go to www.b2bm.biz/awards
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