Friday, August 9, 2013

Speed Dating with Startups??

If We Speed Dated With Start-Ups?

What If We Speed Dated With Start-Ups?





One of the most fabled relationships in the history of TBWA\ is that of our long-term client, Apple computers. Even though we service this megabrand through a worldwide hub, at the heart of the Apple story is the meeting of two men: Steve Jobs, and Lee Clow, our Worldwide Creative Director. As stated in the Walter Isaacson biography of Jobs, Lee “forged a bond with Jobs that would last three decades.” Beginning with the 1984 spot, and continuing on today, Apple is one of our emblematic clients. Yet, in 1983, when Lee and Steve first met, Apple was a plucky computer company among many.

Fast forward to today, where we are living in an unprecedented age of startups. One thing that startup founders have is an incredible drive, as Lee notes in the below video: “Startup founders…most of them are really smart and they understand that to create a culture for (their) new brands…is incredibly important for the success of their future enterprise. They need to start creating the voice and the culture of the company at the same time. That sounds easier than it is.” Indeed, one concern for startup founders is how to turn their business into a brand—how to effectively communicate and package the service they’re offering.

Unlike a typical client-agency relationship, where an agency team meets with a team from the marketing department client-side, startups require one-to-one relationships due to the scale, budget, and the particularities of the business model. Although the relationship, if fruitful can expand to something bigger, it needs to be based on a basic person-to-person bond.
It was with this in mind that Ulrich Proeschel, VP of Business Development at TBWA\Europe and Preethi Mariappan (the brains behind the Red Tomato Pizza VIP fridge magnet) launched CoCreator, the application that brings start-up founders together with communications specialists. Done through LinkedIn, CoCreator operates on a “business speed dating model” startup heads create a brief profile and describe their business in an “elevator pitch” 250 characters. They can then browse the various profiles of communications specialists from the TBWA\ network and connect with someone who has similar areas of interests. The two can have a conversation on a subject pertaining to branding and communications; business and products; or marketing and partnerships.

As Preethi explains: “We have created a transparent and simple experience that directs the focus on the basics of our industry: people, ideas, and trust. Technology might have changed the way we connect, but the human bond remains key.”
I absolutely love the simplicity of CoCreator. I think connecting with startups through an app is extremely intelligent, and I think that a simple conversation has the potential to begin a beautiful partnership. I have the honor of being one of the Specialists on CoCreator, so we may end up talking soon!
Check out CoCreator here. The CoCreator app is available today in beta phase at the Apple iOS app store. Android service will follow soon!



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