Tourist Traps

Mobile marketing was one of the first tactics that software maker SAP considered after deciding to overhaul its marketing strategy from stodgy branding programs in the trades to campaigns with more “consumer-focused flair,” says director of global sponsorship marketing Chris Burton.

And thus was born The New Economy, a 53-foot tractor-trailer that transforms into a multipurpose exhibit. The display can strut SAP’s stuff through satellite links, product demonstrations, technology briefings, and a 23-screen theater in visits to end-user meetings, headquarters of major clients, government events, and investor pow-wows. Some 10,000 potential customers were reached by the vehicle’s 2001 tour, including 6,200 qualified sales leads. The tour launched for 2002 last month.

Burton knew the program’s success would depend largely on getting the right people to man the truck — high-tech software, after all, is a little more difficult to explain than a new flavor of ice cream. So he combed through the pile of resumes compiled and screened by Montclair, NJ-based DSL Global Event Marketing, then personally interviewed prospects. Bright and eager people were chosen and shipped off for four months of training about New York City-based SAP and its products.

The biggest potential pitfall in attaching a face to your brand is selecting the wrong face. A warm interaction with a friendly, knowledgeable brand ambassador can win over a customer. But even a lifetime of warm and fuzzy TV spots won’t remedy a few unpleasant moments with an ill-prepared rep. Road-tested marketers know that a mobile campaign is only as good as the people running it. That’s why, like Burton, so many of them are getting involved in the hiring process. Brand managers are being choosy, taking their time, and making sure staffers get a solid lesson in the brand before shifting mobile tours into drive.

Most mobile campaigns operate with a core staff traveling with the vehicle that is supported with local field reps whenever necessary. That means as few as two people can have a lot of marketing responsibility.

It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your brand is?

Road Testing

Enfield, CT-based Lego last year staged a tour for its Bionicle toy line that stopped at skate parks and other alternative sporting events. (Chicago-based agency Marketing Werks handled.) In selecting staffers to accompany the tour’s six Nissan Frontiers, there were two main criteria: age and hobbies. “We wanted someone who was old enough to be responsible, but young enough to be hip,” says brand manager Colin Gillespie. “And we wanted [people] who knew how to skateboard.”

You can’t teach youth and coolness. But once Lego found those natural qualities, it brought staffers to corporate headquarters for three days to “teach them about what we do and immerse them in the brand,” says Gillespie. “We also set up event role-play scenarios.”

The amount of training time required varies by the intricacies of the tour and the complexities of the product. Riverwoods, IL-based Discover Card’s ESPN GameDay tour was relatively light in both areas, so staffers needed only a half-day HQ briefing about the company and the program. John Birmingham, Discover’s marketing manager of advertising and communications, mainly wanted to make sure the chosen crew was bright and enthusiastic. (Marketing Werks handled.)

Elmsford, NY-based FujiFilm, on the other hand, flew in the 10 people it hired for its Picture of America tour for two full weeks of training on the products they would be demonstrating. (Port Chester, NY-based Advanced Marketing Services handles.)

Of course, you can always save some training time by tapping into the payroll. Orlando, FL-based Red Lobster, for instance, drives its 27.5-ton “mobile kitchen” into town, then staffs it with employees culled from local restaurants. “They handle the prep work and then come out to the event,” says associate marketing manager Jill Ramsier. (Kansas City, MO-based Three Wide handles.)

The staffing process should be timed so that the crew is ready to hit the highway as soon as the vehicle is ready. Scheduling constraints sometimes mean that trucks will head straight from the manufacturing facility to the first scheduled event. But it is highly advisable to leave room for a soft launch — either in the form of a “dress rehearsal” in the corporate parking lot or an unscheduled (and unpublicized) run-through.

Fuji quietly pulled into Boston’s Faneuil Hall shopping center one sunny spring day to test out Picture of America and verify that “the staff was comfortable, there were no wrinkles in the plan, and make sure everything was all set,” says Eric Thorng, senior marketing manager-digital products. (Fuji launches Picture’s 2002 tour next month.)

Bridgton, ME-based Cameo Marketing brings staffers to the manufacturing facility for run-throughs that include equipment set-ups and breakdowns. New Berlin, WI-based GMR Marketing usually holds a launch event at client headquarters. “This way, the brand can make sure the selling technique is solid and tweak if they want,” says chief operating officer Bryan Buske.

GMR erected the two 18-wheelers and inflatable dome that comprise Microsoft Corp.’s current Xbox Odyssey tour in its own New Berlin, WI, parking lot for two weeks of practice. “We watched the crew train every day,” says Buske.

Destination Known

All dressed up with no place to go? Don’t be. Selecting suitable events to attend depends largely on two factors: objectives and geography.

If the objective is to distribute samples, any venue with lots of guaranteed warm bodies should suffice. But if the goal is more targeted — and these days, folks, it had better be — choose more relevant locations.

Red Lobster, for instance, takes the mobile kitchen to food and wine events, culinary fairs, and arts festivals. (The restaurant chain is “sampling” three-ounce portions of coconut shrimp and portabello Mahi with wild rice in a bid to move its clientele upscale.)

“Once you know the consumer you’re looking for, go find out where they play,” says Bob Tierman, president of Cameo Marketing, which is currently steering the Skoal Experience for Greenwich, CT-based U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.

PepsiCo’s South Beach Beverage Co., Norwalk, CT, tries to fly somewhat under-the-radar and, accordingly, sends its fleet of Love Buses to non-traditional events such as dirtbike races and snowboard competitions. St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, one of the most mainstream brands on earth, takes Bud World to well-known events like The Super Bowl and The Olympics. (And since it’s also one of the largest brands on earth, it never gets turned away.)

Geography can be a curse or a blessing. When three important events on the schedule take place within a week and are only 500 miles apart, great. But what about when that distance is 3,000 miles? Either trade the truck in for a jet or prioritize your wish list. “Start six months in advance and map out the best route,” advises Ramsier. “But be prepared to miss some events.”

Make the schedule busy enough to achieve the objectives (and justify the expense) but still manageable for the staff. “Drivers can only go 10 hours per day legally,” says Tierman. “You don’t want to push the crew too hard.” “You have to give the staff time to rest so they can be enthusiastic for the next event,” says Christa Tanner, DSL’s senior vp. (“Don’t call the crew the day after the Super Bowl and ask for anything,” adds Buske.)

Remember, too, that you’re going to be paying for the rights to attend most scheduled events. Site fees can range anywhere from $200 for a local fair to $50,000 for the Daytona 500 or the Super Bowl.

In addition to crowd size and attendee demographics, find out what other sponsors will be there and what kind of real estate is available. Special note for 18-wheelers: Make sure the rig will actually fit through the front gate.

Full-service tour management packages, which generally include site selection, hotel reservations, scheduling, p.r. activity, and driver costs, range from $300,000 to $700,000 per year, according to Mobility Resource Associates, St. Clair Shores, MN. (Staff salaries, per-diems, and hotel fares vary widely depending on whether the crew will be traveling in high-style or sleeping in the trunk and eating the samples.)

Check it Out

Lastly, marketers need to track the program and examine results as often as possible (at least by city, if not by event). The crew should be recording attendance figures for the event overall and tour activities in particular, the number of samples and/or premiums distributed, and the number of leads/names collected. It should also offer anecdotal information (“they love the prize wheel”) and identify any problems immediately. It’s not too much to ask for detailed, daily logs.

Fuji’s Thorng only receives an official report monthly but gets informal updates every 48 hours. “I want to hear it all,” says SAP’s Burton. “I want the good, the bad, and the ugly from each day.”

Many agencies are now posting reports on secure online sites so clients can check in as often as they’d like. And it won’t be too long before Webcams and wireless technology will let them pop in on the tour, wherever it may be.

Talk about mobile marketing.

With Reservations

Pulling into the Daytona 500 with an 18-wheel Pringles can is hard — but just try pulling it into the Daytona, FL, Holiday Inn.

There are so many variables that can affect a tour’s schedule — weather, traffic, vehicle maintenance — that it’s impossible to completely map out where and when the staff will need to pull over for the night. Thus, reservations booked months in advance are often cancelled.

In many cases, the field team is permitted to make changes if the need arises. Staffers may rather skip a night in Philadelphia and cruise straight into Manhattan, say. Or crews given budget incentives may seek out less-expensive accommodations. “You want to give these guys a little freedom — but not too much,” advises Bryan Buske of GMR Marketing.