TeleVox Software sought to generate interest in a product for orthodontists during the introduction of a national tradeshow and drive attendees to the tradeshow booth. Software products have a tendency to be perceived as dry and technical, even eliciting yawns from prospective buyers. A crowded competitive field made the challenge of getting noticed even more of a problem. To ensure success, TeleVox combined advance planning, repetition, and creativity.

For 10 weeks, TeleVox Software conducted a direct mail campaign inviting recipients to the company's booth at an industry tradeshow. Arriving at two-week intervals, five direct mail pieces promoted T.LINK, a TeleVox online software product. The mail pieces also introduced the product's mascot, a caped dachshund, and promised the trade-show appearance of four six-foot versions of the T.LINK dog. The fifth and final mailing included detailed tradeshow information, the location of the TeleVox booth and a final reminder to come see the giant stuffed dogs! The dogs would be given away, one per day during the four days of the tradeshow. During the event, booth visitors who participated in a free demonstration of the software received a small version of the T.LINK dog. TeleVox maintained interest in the promotion beyond the tradeshow by publishing pictures of the winners with their dogs in the company newsletter. Reaction to the campaign was unanimously positive. Even other vendors at the tradeshow wanted to know who had won the giant dogs.

Results: exceeding the company goals, T.LINK sales for the year were up 115 percent from the previous year, a figure the company directly attributes to the “Super-Flying-Weenie-Dog” campaign.

How excited? Nearly three-quarters of a million (700,000) people visited the promotional Web site for the Kicks like a Mule effort. Almost a third of a million (328,500) signed up to win the sweepstakes. Making these results even more impressive is the fact that 58,000 people opted in to receive future information about special offers and contests.

That's very high, especially for a laundry booster, says Bachman. This was a great vehicle for the brand.

As in the case of Borax, a well-selected, creative logoed premium can be quite a prize. It can aid in brand building, consumer engagement and all of those other wonderful marketing buzzwords.