THEY GOTTA WEAR SHADES
TO PERSUADE INFORMATION technology executives to tune into a virtual seminar on its latest Unix-based computer network software system, Sun Microsystems reverted to dated, almost hokey, technology: 3-D glasses. You know, the kind teenagers used to wear in the 1950s to watch horror movies at drive-ins.
“We were looking for a way to show multi-dimensionality,” explains Barry Silverstein, president of Directech, Sun’s Lexington, MA-based direct response shop.
Specifically, Sun wanted to get Internet service and IT executives from firms ranging from Fortune 1000s down to medium-sized outfits to log onto its Web site (www.sun. com/solaris/seminar). Once there, they could hear recordings of Sun engineers discussing in techno-speak how the new Solaris 7 software could help companies improve their networking abilities on Unix operating platforms, says Sun senior direct marketing manager Belinda Suntop.
Earlier this year, Sun sent small mailings to five different groups of technical executives in the target companies for five different seminar tracks that they could access at any time, thanks to the Web site’s Java capabilities.
Maybe it can be attributed to the current retro craze in America, but the gimmick worked: Out of a total 167,000 pieces sent out, roughly 4% responded-about twice as many as Sun expected. And it was done on a total budget of $221,000-$60,000 for the virtual seminar development and $161,000 for the mail effort, according to Directech.
No information was available at press time about when respondents actually attended the seminars or what effect the open attendance times had on response.
The 3-D glasses made parts of the 8-1/2-by-15-inch lead-generation brochure appear as if the words were literally jumping off the pages. For example, headlines on the outside of the self-mailer read: “…YOU’RE GONNA NEED THESE! LOOK BEYOND TODAY: TO LOOK INTO YOUR BUSINESS FUTURE…”-with a warning to use the glasses and call a toll-free 800 number if one needed a spare pair.
Inside the brochure, a headline at the very top invites participants to “ATTEND A 3-D WEB SEMINAR FROM SUN AND SEE THE NEW DIMENSION THAT SOLARIS 7 BRINGS TO YOU BUSINESS FUTURE.”
After explaining the program agenda and throwing in a testimonial from Internet search engine Excite Inc., the brochure urged recipients to furnish such information as their job functions and where they learned of the Sun seminar, in addition to name, address and some technical info. Sun was careful to note this information would not be shared with third parties.
At press time, Suntop was noncommittal on whether the 3-D concept would be rolled out into future mailings-or simply fade into the cultural sunset like drive-in movies.
