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EcommerceBytes-NewsFlash, Number 2098 - August 10, 2009 - ISSN 1539-5065  4 of 5 
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Alibaba.com is kicking off a new marketing campaign that includes TV, print and online media as it targets small business owners and entrepreneurs. The site also launched a new version of its U.S. microsite at success.alibaba.com. Three video "mocumentaries" greet visitors to the site with entertaining stories of how entrepreneurs used Alibaba.com to find suppliers and manufacturers to help them launch their businesses. Thirty-second television ads are running on CNBC and during ABC's new show, Shark Tank, and print ads are running in magazines including Inc., Fast Company, Women's Wear Daily and Purchasing.com.
Kelly Sang, General Manager of Alibaba.com Americas, said the new version of the microsite is designed to deliver an approachable, fun and engaging brand character by featuring more rich media contents with a focus on three key stories, each one telling the story of a character who uses Alibaba.com to "Find It, Make It or Sell It." Alibaba.com is a B2B matchmaking site, bringing small businesses and entrepreneurs together with suppliers and manufacturers from around the globe. We asked Ms. Sang how Alibaba.com came up with the campaign to bring the company's message to a broader audience: We conducted primary research with small business owners and entrepreneurs nationwide to really get a sense for what they are facing in today�s marketplace and how Alibaba.com can help them compete. One of our key takeaways was that they were looking for new resources to help them achieve their goals. They were energized by the idea that they could "be like the big guys" on a global scale via Alibaba.com. We then set out to create a campaign that would be visually refreshing for the B2B space and better explain who Alibaba.com is and how it can help their business. To do that, we created fictional characters that were indicative of the type of success businesses have created after finding the right partner on Alibaba.com - for pieces and parts, full scale production, or simply buying products directly from manufacturers to resell. Our central theme is just that - find the right partner for your business. We feel that this U.S. Brand expression of Alibaba.com also fits that theme - it's the right fit to meet the needs of modern entrepreneurs and small business owners. The Alibaba.com U.S. branding campaign specifically targets small business owners and entrepreneurs. These audiences have always been very important to us, and we're now taking our commitment to them to the next level with the launch of this campaign. A lot the campaign ideas are inspired by the amazing successes our own members have achieved. The message to entrepreneurs, Sang said, is "draw up your business plan. Lock down your prototype. And get on Alibaba.com to make it happen." In addition to the character stories, the U.S. microsite features expanded training content, including live instructor-led webinars, quick-learn videos, quick tips and links to additional learning resources. An events and partnership page focuses on upcoming Alibaba.com events of interest to U.S. entrepreneurs and partnership deals for site users. |
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About the author:
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. |
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