VT2 Media Design & Communications

Ford Motor Company

FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Oklahoma State Fair Launch

The Challenge: The team from Xperience Communications in Detroit, who work with the Ford Motor Company account, hired VT2 to manage the installation of the Ford exhibit at the Oklahoma State Fair. The goal was to achieve a high-impact impression in a venue that would be crowded with competitive automobile manufacturer’s products.

The Solution: Our solution was to create an environment that provided for lighting on each individual automobile and truck being displayed, and to provide messaging about the key attributes of the Ford line of products. To solve the problem of making the environment stand out among the competition, we suggested creating a panorama screen video that would serve as a backdrop to Ford’s booth. The screen measured twelve feet high and was one hundred feet long, flanked on either side with gobo projections of the Ford logo and background color changes to modify the overall look of the booth every five minutes.

The Results: Ford Demo Drivers (the sales reps who work the trade show floor) increased the number of appointments for local dealerships to provide demonstration drives by a factor of five. In addition, the local news media gave tremendous coverage to Ford’s presence at the Oklahoma State Fair, including feature stories in newspaper and television newscasts.

SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US
"Ride The Momentum" Conversion Project

The Challenge: The goal of the "Ride the Momentum" initiative was to persuade targeted Texaco operators to re-brand as Shell stations. The merger of Chevron and Texaco made this a particularly time
sensitive and high priority challenge for Shell. The communication to the Texaco dealers had to educate and motivate the dealers to switch to the Shell brand.

The Solution: A "conversion kit" was developed using creative packaging that tied the “Ride the Momentum” theme into a visual allegoru, "comparing the Power of the Sea to the Power of Shell." This kit provided Shell sales consultants with tools to approach dealers that outlined the advantages of converting to Shell and provided an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process for accomplishing the conversion. The conversion kit included:

A sales brochure providing highlights about Shell's heritage andits current strength in the global marketplace.
A motivational video that celebrates the Shell heritage and introduces the new branding creative with original music and imagery.
An instructional video that includes testimonial endorsements from early adopters of the conversion process and provides details about the programs available to Shell retailers.
A customizable PowerPoint presentation.
A step-by-step conversion notebook that includes application forms, resource materials and contact information.
An interactive CD-ROM that embodies all of the elements of the conversion.
An Intranet site that includes a downloadable version of the conversion notebook.

The Results: According to Shell, the initial results of "Ride the Momentum" have exceeded expectations. Specific numbers are proprietary; however, Shell will disclose the following:

The entire program was delivered within an incredible timeframe of two months from inception to rollout.
Within the first month of rollout, 60% of the first-line targeted conversion prospects had been contacted, with presentations made to of these.
Agreements to convert have been reached with the top five targeted conversion prospects.
Current planned conversions are now ahead of schedule.
Project creative has been honored by Telly Awards and American Marketing Association.

CYBERONICS
"Power To Renew A Life" Marketing Campaign Launch

The Challenge: Cyberonics has a unique sales force that is motivated more by the service it provides than by the money it earns. The product is an electronic implant device that prevents people who
suffer with epilepsy from having uncontrollable seizures. When this procedure is successful, it literally changes the patient’s life, many of whom had endured as many as 200 seizures a day. Needless to say, the product helps these people renew their lives. In order to better position the product and integrate a new sales process to the sales force, Cyberonics asked our help in developing a plan to launch the process at their National Sales Meeting.

The Solution: A set of selling aids was created for use in the field by the sales force. The National Sales Meeting, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, was organized around the “Power To Renew a Life” theme, and incorporated a pan screen opening video module that was an allegory of images evoking the idea of "power". The power theme was designed to show the sales staff how they have the power to help a person renew his or her life through the product. The meeting
included intensive training sessions to demonstrate how to use the selling aids. In addition, doctors and patients were part of the plenary sessions to provide the sales force with one-on-one contact with several individuals whose lives have been changed.

The Results: In the six months after the National Sales Meeting, sales goals were exceeded and Cyberonics enjoyed their best year to date. As a result of a post-event meeting where we delved into lessons learned from this experience, the client agreed with our analysis that internal education needed to be as big a priority as patient education regarding the benefits of the product. VT2 is now in the process of developing a comprehensive education campaign that will launch during the second quarter of 2003.

CYBERONICS
Cultural Transformation

The Challenge: Although Cyberonics was experiencing record-breaking revenue growth, the Company was losing many key performers. The launch of new marketing programs to advance adoption of their patented VNS therapy was not enough. They faced negative feedback from new hire prospects and financial analysts. The company endured a 40% turnover rate in their US sales organization despite a higher than industry standard compensation. In order to retain and grow their market share, Cyberonics must make the VNS Therapy Consultant position a coveted opportunity among sales professionals and align the sales organization with the rest of this high-performing company.

The Solution: Cyberonics conducted intensive research that demonstrated some of the systems and processes that were de-motivating to the sales representatives. The Cyberonics' leadership team embraced the data and made sweeping organizational changes to address the issues. The VT2 team was asked to assist with the cultural transformation and introduction of new core values. A National Training and Development Conference was planned to launch the new Cyberonics' culture. The objectives of the Conference were to have the managers of the sales organization own the cultural transformation, and drive the training content of the meeting. An interim Manager's meeting was organized and planned where VT2 developed and facilitated custom modules that engaged the managers with the new core values and introduced them to the cultural transformation exercises they would be leading at the National Training and Development conference in Orlando.

The Conference was themed "The Power to Change" and focused on the commitment of the company to become a world class organization. The new Cyberonics' vision and values were introduced, and the process changes were reinforced to the organization. Skills-building break-out sessions were manager led, and developed with field input. The cultural transformation workshop was led by VT2 facilitators and managers. The workshop emphasized key behaviors that the organization agreed would support the new values and vision.

The Results: Ultimately, the ROI of the meetings will be determined by the reduction in US sales force turnover. While it is too soon to determine the long term effects, the initial reaction has been extremely positive. Participants have remarked on a renewed sense of hope and excitement for the organization's future, and have committed to be a "Champion of Positive Change."

"THE MANY FACES OF METHODIST" VIDEO

The Challenge: VT2 Media Design & Communications produced a marketing video for The International Services Program of Methodist Hospital, which was translated into four languages for worldwide distribution. The Methodist Hospital is a nonprofit health care organization based in Houston , Texas with world-renowned clinical and service excellence through a network of community based hospitals and an acclaimed home health care agency. The video was produced in co-operation with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

The Solution: The Methodist Hospital is committed to providing high-quality, personalized medical care to patients from around the world. At the center of this commitment, is the International Services Program, which was created exclusively to meet the unique needs of international patients and their families. The international physician referral network -- with information centers in Guatemala City and Mexico City and affiliations with hospitals spanning four continents -- has extended The Methodist Hospital reach into the world community as well.

The Results: The video was designed as an international marketing tool to highlight the hospital's legacy of medical milestones, which has attracted patients from around the world for more than 80 years. New footage was shot throughout Methodist Hospital to showcase their various services and specialties including the world renowned DeBakey Heart Center and the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy. The "Many Faces of Methodist" title and concept was selected to portray the global reach Methodist Hospital has with patients from around the world.