In order to gain a better position in the new media realm, Tippingpoint Labs sought to increase their mind share and establish themselves as thought leaders.
Challenge:
Position Tippingpoint Labs as a thought leader in the new media space
Positioning required three steps:
- Follow current industry trends and conversations.
- Craft thoughtful, smart, and engaging content.
- Distribute and promote the content strategically.
Solution:
Write a controversial post about competing sites with growing popularity
After listening to the market and watching reactions to content they had previously created, Tippingpoint Labs decided to target Twitter. Andrew Davis, the Tippingpoint Labs Chief Strategy Officer, composed an assertive and forward-looking blog post, Twitter is Done. Tumblr is Next.
Twitter was being discussed very frequently on many marketing and advertising blogs and forums. At the time, most of the content focused on helping people understand how to use Twitter to better market or advertise their products. In order to stand out, it was necessary to offer a new view of Twitter, something that would be perceived as controversial and against the tide of the current content.
Were there no challengers to Twitter, no micro-blogging services offering more context to the content being created? Tumblr provided the opportunity to propose that Twitter is not the ultimate micro-blogging service.
The controversial article was promoted in two areas, chiefly – on Twitter and Tumblr – but not primarily by Tippingpoint Labs. It was the loyal community members of both Twitter and Tumblr that caused the content to be widely propagated.
Benefit:
Widespread coverage, increased visibility, and great positioning
On both platforms, the emphatic headline generated buzz and stirred up comments and debate. The conversation extended to paidContent.org, WashingtonPost.com, (the New York) observer.com, TechCrunch.com, and more than a hundred other blogs.
The topic and controversy proved so timely that both the New York Times and CNN reached out to interview Davis.
In addition to the mass media attention, Tippingpoint Labs got some of the world’s largest agencies looking to them for insight into the new media space. Some of the blogs who referenced “Twitter is Done. Tumblr is Next.” included agencies such as MWW, BBH, and Razorfish, initiating a dialogue between Tippingpoint Labs and these other new media thought leaders.
Google Analytics show that the article continues to draw mention and to attract readers, accounting for one-quarter of the site’s pageviews in the past 7 weeks. (The blue line shows the post pageviews; the gray line shows the entire site.)
Most significantly, the visits arrived via 155 different entrance sources (outside referrers linking to it), 3 times the sources for any other single page. Further indicators that the gamble was a strategic win.
Some fruits require that you go out on a limb.
