Integrated Marketing Communications

Tom Daly, principal of Relevant Ventures, has demonstrable experience moving large, complex companies to adopt and implement innovative marketing solutions. Ones that ultimately proved successful.

In one case, UPS needed to prove its tech prowess to, and support of, small companies. Archrival FedEx was being lauded as the “Airline of the Internet” by some media outlets and UPS needed to stake its rightful claim of technical superiority. As Director of Interactive Communications, Tom addressed the challenge with a groundbreaking idea he brought to TechTV, which, at the time, was the hot upstart cable property and funded by Vulcan (Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s venture firm). Tom challenged them to create a brand new program specifically designed to meet UPS’ challenge. The result was “Working the Web” - part TV show, part web site - an ideal brand platform for technology messages, as well as a perfect opportunity to build a pertinent and substantial database for the sales force. For the small businesses targeted, the program offered unique ways to learn about how to integrate the web into their business while at the same time compete for recognition as the “UPS Merchant of the Week” to win free advertising and carrier services.

In the case at ING, where Tom was the U.S. Head of eBusiness, the global financial institution (with nearly $500 billion in assets) did extensive research that showed consumers would place great value on content that was relevant, informative and “entertaining without being entertainment”. Sounds simple until you understand that people place “learning about finances” one notch above “dental surgery”. But the opportunity to define the brand was too great to step away from the challenge and Tom’s experience with UPS made all the difference.

As co-lead on the team, Tom helped define an exclusive, worldwide deal with Time Warner that allowed all assets - its movie, TV and comic book characters - to be featured in a cutting edge interactive money management tool. As a program that’s still thriving today, the end result can be found at http://www.ingmoneymentor.com.

Despite the fact that UPS and ING are different companies in different markets with very different challenges, Tom proved that with the right combination of creative spark, entrepreneurial zeal, business acumen and attention to detail, even big companies can bring innovative, fast moving programs to market just like the little guys.