The Challenge
Wacom’s Consumer Business Unit needed to attain +40% YOY growth and it certainly wasn’t likely to come from our existing portfolio of mobile accessories, capacitive and smart stylus. We needed a transformative technology to broaden our customer base, drive channel diversification and deliver on our growth targets. So creative minds got to work…
The Approach | The Results
The cross-functional team initiated a two tier process to:
- refine the development of our emergent technology and
- dive in deep with customers to understand their pain points, desires and frustrations in the space of note taking, visualizing and sketching.
In partnership with Human Spark, an experience innovation agency, we leveraged ethnographic research to unearth deep insights into the minds of creative thinkers and doers. Our in-depth understanding of the customer and the tangible insights fueled our project work; proving invaluable to the development of products, value propositions, visualizations, and strategic marketing plans.
With this knowledge, the team set forth to develop a first-of-its-kind product that bridged the analog to digital divide. Several months of development mixed with consumers insights, engineering and marketing expertise, Wacom’s proprietary EMR technology, a smart pen, analog paper, and a cloud app platform delivered an internet of things (IOT) device: Bamboo Smartpad.
Bamboo Smartpads allow students, knowledge workers, and creative types to write freely with a pen and (any) paper, then with a touch of a button convert their notes, ideas and sketches into flexible digital files for storing, sharing and editing in the cloud. Hence, the next generation of notepads that streamline your workflows, save you time and fuel idea collaboration is here…
Important Fact: Research proves that handwriting helps us process and remember lectures, meetings, classes at a heightened level, so handwriting is not dead. Many of us still do it and appreciate what it ‘unlocks’ in our work and personal life…
Digital Marketing – Optimizing the Consumer Journey.
How to lift a totally NEW category on a shoestring budget? First, collaborate with the BEST cross-functional team of innovative marketers and content creators to develop a comprehensive digital marketing program that drives engagement, builds consumer trust, rapidly increases purchase intent and builds retail momentum. (Note: I’ve got a great team.)
Second, fast-track efforts to invigorate the business through authentic content marketing and fully integrated programs from earned, to owned, to paid media. With all facets of the plan in alignment, we began to connect with our target audience (Networked Students and Knowledge Workers), gain traction in market and accelerate the consumer business.
- Activating insights to optimize value propositions, user experiences, and marketing
- Launching leading-edge content marketing program to significantly increase organic site traffic, customer engagement and D2C conversion rates
- Revitalizing POS messaging to establish category leadership: packaging, shelf and freestanding displays, A+ content at Amazon, wacom.com content, etc.
- Deploying omni-channel marketing program to achieve 20% growth D2C business
- Achievement: 2x growth in Smartpad sellout over 9-month period
Collaboration and persistence pay off FTW in lifestyle media: Today Show
Establishing an online portal for Bamboo’s authentic voice and value-add content:
Sharing value-add content with product seamlessly embedded in the storytelling…
Just a quick peek into some the leading edge content being developed by the team that’s beginning to take hold and help consumers see what’s possible with Bamboo Smartpads. (Note: Looking for a kickass production/video crew? Seek out Always Outdoors.)
OK, enough of the consideration.
***
Sonicare had been playing in the power toothbrush category for over 12 years, with limited or, let’s be honest, no true innovation. OK, maybe some feature improvements and UV brush head cleaning lights and such, but nothing major. I was asked to lead a Six Sigma Black Belt process improvement project in innovation management as part of a high potential program within Philips Domestic Appliances division.
