"Lotus weiß": Lotus Knows in Germany

February 23 2010

Earlier this week, we kicked off the second major market presence for the "Lotus Knows" campaign -- "Lotus weiß", here in Germany.  The website is up at ibm.com/lotusknows/de.

In Germany specifically, this effort incorporates advertising -- online, print, and "out of home" (e.g. Frankfurt Airport), but there is much more.  The IBM presence at CeBIT, a major trade fair in March, will have a strong "Lotus Knows" message.  After that, there are additional events and activities -- including a Lotus Knows bus/blogger tour and a JamCamp.  All of this should crescendo toward the Deutsche (German) Notes User Group meeting in June in Berlin.

Image:"Lotus weiß": Lotus Knows in Germany

Now, beyond Germany, there is plenty of "Lotus Knows" activity.  We've translated all the "Lotus Knows" assets and materials into nine languages, and more are coming every day.  Social media activities continue in many markets -- for example the Lotusphere Comes to You events in Spain in two weeks have a heavy "Lotus sabe" element and are up on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  In Finland, "Lotus tietää" comes to Helsinki next month.  You get the idea.  Lotus partners, too, have access to all this creative material and the ability to use/reuse it -- we have approved quotes for partners such as RIM and Group to use in their own efforts.

I've also heard there's some Lotus Knows stuff planned around the World Cup later this year in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the early work in the US has had a real impact.  Market research has shown that "Lotus Knows" in the New York, Boston, Chicago markets has improved Lotus's mindshare, along with the activities such as in-flight and other awareness.

I know the comments on this post will include people asking for more "Lotus Knows" in your own markets -- I get it.  This needs to continue to expand.  In many markets, the raw material is there already for partners and social media usage.  The traditional stuff still has to come along, but it either has to be done right (e.g. not just one ad in a newspaper) or not at all.  The right people in IBM marketing are working those efforts.  Meanwhile, of course, you can help by continuing to expand awareness of the "Lotus Knows" messages in your organization, your customers, and your partners.

Link: Lotus Knows >
(Updated) Link: Stefan Pfeiffer (Lotus marketing Deutschland): Lotus weiß, die 360 Grad Marketingkampagne startet heute >

Ed Brill | Hamburg, Deutschland Category:  Lotus Knows  Add/View Comments [9]

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  1. 1  Thorsten  | 2/24/2010 11:02:13 AM

    Ed,

    Thank´s for a good presentation and informations today in Hamburg.

    Thorsten

  1. 2  Mary Hall http://www-2000.ibm.com/partnerworld/pwhome.nsf/weblook/pat_sw_lt_lotusknows_tools.html | 2/24/2010 11:49:40 AM

    Great post Ed. A couple of things to add:

    New Lotus Knows Demand Gen materials have been translated into German and are available on IBM PartnerWorld at:

    { Link }

    Also, there will be a special Lotus Knows day at CeBIT 2010 on March 6. If your readers are attending CeBIT they are invited to join us!

  1. 3  Mike Kinder http://www.acadiasolutions.com | 2/24/2010 7:25:55 PM

    I just think it is awesome that there is marketing around the Lotus platform at all. The fact that it is essentially heading to "worldwide" advertising is Awesome!!

    Thanks to all the IBMers involved - keep it up.

  1. 4  Lars Olufsen http://www.olufsphere.com | 2/25/2010 2:17:48 AM

    Is there any chance som of the advertising material become available to _customers_ for use in _internal_ marketing?

  1. 5  Christian Tillmanns http://www.informica.ch | 2/25/2010 2:21:46 AM

    ... oh, how we laughed. Ok, that a campaing is coming is good. I am more then happy. I personally think, that "Lotus weiss" is a unfortunate choice. In german it does not mean anything. Lotus white? No, yellow (the "ß" BTW is not used everywhere). If you know it, you can make a whole lot of jokes around it and have the desired marketing effect. If the marketing company just used bubble fish to translate it, then they made a mistake.

    I would at least have written "Lotus weiss ..." Then you know now, that something else is coming.

    But since most europeans think Lotus is a car company, you probably do more damage to Lotus cars (www.grouplotus.com) then to IBM.

    People tend to be proud about their language and don't like silly translations and the pun with "Lotus Notes" is lost anyway. I would be carefull.

  1. 6  Graham Dodge  | 2/25/2010 3:46:45 AM

    Ed, I know Lotus Knows is coming to Australia real soon now. Can I ask that IBM organizes a briefing for local Business Partners *before* the launch so that we can tell our customers what to expect.

    Also,

    In another blog post some brave soul asked what we BP can do to assist IBM/Lotus gain mind and market share. You said that you would take a few days and then blog about it. Is that idea still churning away? I think we BP could individually and collectively do a lot more for Lotus but as always this kind of energy needs direction.

  1. 7  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 2/25/2010 5:19:33 AM

    @6 yes, I'm still thinking about it. Seems like the kind of topic for a good long flight, battery permitting. Saturday this or Sunday next.

    @4 I will ask.

  1. 8  David - Notes guy in Seattle  | 2/25/2010 1:58:18 PM

    @6 That brave soul was asking as a Lotus professional, not a BP. But then, we are all partners in this business, aren't we? Isn't our success as Lotus professionals tied directly to IBM's?

  1. 9  Ulrich Krause http://www.eknori.de | 2/27/2010 7:24:29 AM

    Thanks for the great presentations in Düsseldorf and Cologne.