While not all of my colleagues understood why SAP focused on the “Clear New World” messaging at SAPPHIRE ’09, I did. Of course, I had the advantage of getting a sneak preview from Marty Homlish after SAP’s Business Suite 7 launch last February. Marty is president and CEO, SAP Global Marketing.
To me, clear conjures up transparency, visibility, and insight. This is a perfect metaphor for the Business Objects product line and the soon-to-be-revived SAP Business ByDesign. Both product sets could easily be renamed as the “Clear Suite,” an unsolicited market idea that I offered to several SAP executives.
I spent close to an hour with Marty at SAPPHIRE discussing the marketing plans. He explained that the timing of “Clear New World” was meant to coincide with SAPPHIRE and the ascension of Leo Apotheker from co-CEO to sole CEO.
SAP plans to launch a major marketing campaign around Clear. Phase one begins in five countries in May/June. Targeted countries include China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, and the United States. You may have noticed the two-page, four-color spread in yesterday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal. The plans are to go global soon after.
While SAP will continue to support the ubiquitous “The Best-Run Businesses Run SAP, albeit in an updated form, the company plans to roll out the clear message in print, online, and in airport ads throughout the world. When I asked Marty about his budget, he declined to be specific, saying only that it’s “a lot.”
Clear will be an important internal message, too. Marty told me that on Friday, June 5, Leo will host an “all-employee meeting where he will apply the clear messaging to the purposes and values of the company.”
Marty also disclosed that SAP was “taking SAPPHIRE to the customer” via telepresence and virtual worlds. He described how sales teams armed with video conferencing equipment were visiting key accounts. They would watch the keynotes together, “tour” the exhibit floor for product demonstrations, and have live chats with key executives and product experts via the video link. Marty described it as providing “the complete SAPPHIRE experience without leaving your office.” His current plans are to repeat the program on a wider scale next year.
The only downside to the virtual SAPPHIRE is that you would have missed the incredible thunderstorm yesterday afternoon. I could have done without the heat and humidity on Monday, though. All clear today.
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