PMA March 2010 : Page 27 give up the limelight after the wedding,” Spiess notes. Ninebird is help- ing photo retailers tap into what she calls the “wedding aftermarket.” “There are a million photo stories in a single wedding,” she says. “Let the bride talk about her dress – just the dress, forget everything else – and she will go on and on about it. After the wedding, she’d love to send a photo card to all her friends just about the dress. They may be sick of it, but she isn’t – and it’s her wallet.” Launching soon, Ninebird 3D ThinAir products are a high-tech approach to photo products bound to impress any consumer. “Video game makers are incorporating 3D technology into their products. When users hold up a code to a web cam, they can actually see little characters from the game around them in the air. They are literally playing in 3D,” Spiess says. Ninebird used that technology to embed codes into the artwork on a photo card. “One example of the usage is an engagement. A guy gives his girlfriend a card for Valentine’s Day. Then he takes her to the computer, goes to a website, holds the card up to the web cam, and suddenly this 3D experience comes at her,” she says. “It could be an image of a ring or a photo of them together with the text, ‘Will you marry me?’ Of course, she faints – and then says yes.” As cool as that is, it’s only the beginning. “When they get to the website, we market contextually. We have the opportunity to ask them, ‘Just got engaged? Great. Need save-the-date cards?’” Spiess says. “I guarantee that woman is going to send everybody she has ever met in her life to the website to have that same experience, just to show them how he proposed.” Spiess says the Ninebird goal is to engage the imagination of consumers – something most marketing efforts utterly fail to do. “That’s what’s so sad about marketing: there’s a lack of imagination. There are so many arrogant brands and marketers who just talk at people. From the very beginning, we realized if we spoke with people, we could have a very different conversation.” Conversation is at the heart of reaching communities and affinity groups, also known as subcultures or tribes – those people who, like the dachshunds-in-pink-sweaters folks, have a passion about some- thing. “These individuals are fiercely dedicated to whatever it is they tribe around, whether they’re quilters, snowboarders, or whatever. Once they begin to learn from the communities, retailers can become an authentic part of the discussions,” Spiess explains. “The people who put these communities together – whether it’s through an old- fashioned newsletter, a Facebook group, a blog, or whatever – do it \UE \UE \UE \UE \UE \UE because they love it. Empower that feeling and ride that momentum.” Companies that can join subcultures and offer photo products specific to their passions can find a lot of success. To do that, though, they must first carefully listen and observe, Spiess says. “It’s that simple rule our moms taught us a long time ago – to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. Be observant. Photo retailers can do this, because they are creative souls.” Ninebird products are designed to help members of subcultures creatively express their devotion to whatever inspires them. “Ninebird products are so different and interesting and, admittedly, sometimes a little weird; but that’s the beauty of humanity. It’s dark and it’s light,” Spiess says. “We’re not all the same.” If retailers are doing products for teens, she says, “we have to realize not every teen is blond and blue-eyed with pom-poms. Some are dark and Goth and kind of creepy.” Those ‘creepy’ kids want to do creative things with their pictures, too – and they will, if given an opportunity and a product that appeals to them. Authenticity is crucial to tapping these subculture markets, Spiess says, so choose them carefully. “It starts with understanding an audience so well that we are part of the community and we can speak their language,” she explains. “Or, retailers can start with what they love; because if they love it, their own passions will come through, and people will be drawn to it.” The second step, of course, is helping the people in that community create products around their areas of interest. “Sometimes retailers don’t know how to make their products emotive,” Spiess says. “That’s where Ninebird comes in: These communities are looking for ways to create emotive products around their passions. There are huge communities of people who just want to create.” Perfectly suited to targeting online subcultures is the Ninebird Photo Nest, a little store that can be placed within a blog. “It’s a combination of an interactive ad and content that goes on a blog site, replacing Google AdSense. It opens a page of content relevant to the blog subject matter, such as: ‘How to take a picture of a dachshund in flight’; or, ‘Oprah loves our Dachshund cards. Check out her favorites.’ Then it offers these amazing little Ninebird products,” Spiess says. “I’ve been trying to get my retailers to offer maybe 10 products in the Nest, and change them often. The nest will upload products every month, or more frequently if needed. It’s a very intuitive experience. The products are priced to be extremely competitive, and the quality is very good.” ■ Publication List |
