Client Results: Noblis
Clean Technology & Digital Services Practice case study
Overview
In April 2009, Noblis, a non-profit organization with a unique mission to use the best of science, technology and strategy to serve the public good, was ready to announce an innovative carbon footprint evaluation tool for businesses and government agencies seeking to indentify inefficiencies and achieve greater sustainability.
The Software as a Service tool, called TEAL, came as a result of Noblis’ own efforts to adopt “green” business practices. The organization initially looked outward when seeking a tool that could help them measure various elements of their own carbon and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but found few tools in the marketplace that fit their needs. So instead, they developed one in-house, and, earlier this year, planned to offer the tool to other commercial organizations and government agencies that fit a similar profile as Noblis.
Challenge
Noblis wanted to achieve market awareness for TEAL through both traditional and digital media channels. However, this was the company’s first real “green tech” solution aimed at the commercial market, as the company’s “Energy and Environmental Sustainability” practice had focused its efforts in support of government organizations. The key challenge was to familiarize private enterprise-focused “green tech” reporters with Noblis, while at the same time illustrating the value of TEAL.
Strategy and Campaign
Merritt Group crafted a launch strategy that infused creative digital media tactics with traditional media outreach. We recommended a three step approach. As the private sector was an emerging and new audience for Noblis, Merritt Group engaged in a “buyer persona” exercise with key executives and subject matter experts to identify the right target audiences for both the digital and traditional media efforts.
Second, Merritt Group advised the client on adjustments to the look, feel and structure of its existing green tech portal green.noblis.org. The idea was to transform green.noblis.org into a content hub for senior executives seeking information and commentary on environmental issues and regulations. We helped establish three new Noblis social media properties – a Twitter page, a YouTube channel and a blog – as the host platforms for content that fed into the green.noblis.org homepage, driving search engine optimization (SEO) benefits for that Noblis content in the process.
And third, in reaching out to key “green tech” reporters at business press, relevant trades and the blogger community, we highlighted the TEAL as a home-grown solution, as well as its unique features and the non-profit nature of Noblis’ efforts.
The key was to execute this broad strategy in concert, so that news articles and blog posts would help create buzz, while the YouTube and Twitter social channels would drive engagement and continued conversation with potential customers.
Results
At launch, the traditional campaign connected Noblis with key environmental sustainability-focused reporters and bloggers from publications such as TreeHugger, GreenTech Media, Environmental Leader, ZDNet Green Tech Pastures, GigaOm and the Washington Business Journal, as well as opening the door for future coverage in media outlets such as Los Angeles Times and CNN Money’s “Business of Green” broadcast program.
On the digital media front, Merritt Group was able to get Noblis immediately engaged in the large “green minded” community on Twitter. Within 2 months of launch, the Noblis Twitter channel had more than 500 followers, which included reporters and bloggers, executives at Fortune 1000 companies, related green tech-focused organizations and other key influencers. The YouTube channel, which features short video interviews with Noblis subject matter experts on key topics related to energy and sustainability, has achieved nearly 400 views to date. Both have helped drive traffic to green.noblis.org.
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