Data Therapy Dog Park

What makes an experience memorable? That’s a question we hear a lot. Every company wants their event experiences to be truly engaging for the customers, partners and prospects they’re courting. However, attend enough tech industry events and you quickly realize that many brands (and their events) blur together because their engagements are: not unique; exactly what they did last year (with  perhaps a slight refresh); a mishmash of unrelated ideas; or worst of all - all of the above.

That’s why our client Commvault’s Data Therapy Dog Park at VMWorld in San Francisco was a howling success. It was an unexpected oasis of fuzzy, lovable puppies in a sea of high tech messages and data overload.

Commvault’s strategy relies upon breaking through the clutter to create a personalized experience. Meaningful personalization is key to successful event marketing and anchors Commvault’s new approach to engaging with customers. Their VMWorld activation was an authentic expression of their message that delighted those who visited, including customers, prospects, several San Francisco police officers, and a few competitors who just couldn’t help themselves.

It is the power of the unexpected that created this heartfelt engagement. Working together, we were able to create powerful, personal connections with visitors who left with big smiles on their faces and a warm connection to the Commvault brand. The strength of that connection along with the qualified leads captured and buzz generated during the event are the true measure of this event’s success for Commvault.

Our team has seen and done a lot in our 11+ years but this one really was one-of-a-kind, including sourcing four-legged talent along with shade, green grass and a fire hydrant to meet their contract requirements. Commvault’s Data Therapy Dog Park was the highlight of the event for many and created a brand buzz that spread quickly throughout VMWorld and far beyond, generating incredible social media presence for Commvault’s new branding and approachable engagement strategy. Attendees that weren’t able to visit either walked by or heard about it from another attendee sharing a smile-filled photo of their puppy encounter. Puppy photos were everywhere.

Not only was Commvault ecstatic about the results of their investment (see what their CMO had to say) but 6 puppies also found new homes.

The objective for our client was to create a stand out meaningful engagement that was a memorable expression of their brand. The question is, what is yours?

- Gordon Stake, ETM USA