Launching a new initiative in a noisy world is a daunting task. With limited real estate available in peoples’ minds, how do you earn attention when starting at zero? How do you avoid a failed launch? This talk covers both long-standing principles as well as new techniques that modernize how we introduce ideas to an attention-starved world. www.nativedigital.com

1. Launching in an attention starved world
LAUNCH

2. Jake Jacobson
VP, Growth & Partnerships
Justin Watkins
Founder & CEO

3. @jakesjournal @jwatkins

4. B R A N D & M A R K E T I N G F I R M
P R O U D L Y B A S E D I N K A N S A S C I T Y

5. PEOPLE BE
LAUNCHING
Today we’ll talk
launches because

6. Startup Quiz
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Roughly how many startups launch
each month in the U.S. market?
700 7,000 77,000/mo /mo /mo
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

7. 775,000
startups launch in the U.S.
*and it’s up +28% from 15 years ago.
Startup Quiz
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O MSource: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
/mo

8. Established Organizations
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O MPast 3 Years - N=211 - Source: American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) and Product Development Institute (PDI) study,
2011
The most successful companies
earn 36% of their revenue from new offerings.
REVENUE FROM NEW PRODUCTS
Most successful - Top 25%
Average
Least successful - Bottom 25%
36%
REVENUE
10%
REVENUE
27%
REVENUE

9. Non-Profits
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O MPast 3 Years - N=211 - Source: American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) and Product Development Institute (PDI) study,
2011
New 501(c) Public Charities in the U.S.
are up 45.9% in the past 15 years.
# OF PUBLIC CHARITIES IN THE U.S.
1,570,000
1,088,500
979,900
2020
2010
2015
848,000 2005

10. There’s more and more
brands competing for our attention.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

11. 70-95 FAILto exist or meet goals within 5-10 years
%
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

12. WHY?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

13. BRANDS DON’T DIE
FROM STARVATION
They die from indigestion
@ N A T I V E D I G I T A L _

14. Let’s have a moment of silence
for all those brands dying for attention.
🙏
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

15. BEING AWESOME
AT 100 THINGS IS REALLY HARD
successfully communicating
100 things is even harder
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

16. WHEN ATTENTION IS LOW
YOU GOTTA BE
SHARP AS A KNIFE
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
(read: always)

17. SO LET’S GET
TO OUR POINTS
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

18. NAMING
Launching in an attention starved world
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

19. Naming - there’s usually two camps
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
It’s hard.
“It should convey our value prop,
pack a punch and/or be ownable.”
It’s easy.
“It can be anything.
I mean look at Google.”

20. Naming - okay, let’s look at Google
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
It’s hard.
“It should convey our value prop,
pack a punch and/or be ownable.”
It’s easy.
“It can be anything.
I mean look at Google.”
1996 Today

21. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Descriptive Metaphor Abstract Founder Acronym

22. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Which communicates quickly?
Which grabs attention?

23. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Descriptive
Quickly explains the product or value prop.
Metaphor
Grabs attention. Evokes the brand experience.

24. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Other approaches are an empty vessel.
It can represent anything you want.
It’s not wrong. Just not instantly clear.
It requires an initial spend and careful messaging.

25. MESSAGING
Launching in an attention starved world
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

26. SLOW
THEIR SCROLL
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Make every
second count.
You only have a few.

27. OPEN STRONG
what’s the headline?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

28. OPEN STRONG
what’s the headline?
CLOSE STRONG
what’s the tagline / mantra / rally cry?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

29. Develop your playbook
Situations, Audiences,
Headlines, Supporting Points
Exercise it
Teach, Apply, Pressure-test,
Make it a game
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

30. Once you establish the rules
BEND THEM
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

31. Standing out
ain’t easy

32. Make it
10% RON
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

33. Make it
10% RO
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

34. Make it
10% R
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

35. Make it
10% W
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

36. Make it
10% WRO
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

37. Make it
10% WRONG
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

38. Make it
10% WRONG
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

39. Make it
10% WRONG
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

40. We can smell
a mile away
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
ADVERTISING
TM

41. It steals our attention.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
WRONG IS REAL

42. DESIGN
Launching in an attention starved world
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

43. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
When launching a new effort
should design & aesthetics be:
CRITICAL NICE-TO-HAVE

44. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Design quickly communicates
level of taste & attention to detail.
“I pay attention b/c you paid attention.”

45. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
It usually comes
down to the b-word:
BUDGET

46. So let’s quantify it.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

47. A 2015 study identified
16 “design-centric” publicly traded firms.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

48. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Apple
Coca-Cola
Ford
Herman Miller
IBM
Intuit
Nike
P&G
SAP
Starbucks
Starwood
Black & Decker
Steelcase
Target
Walt Disney
Whirlpool

49. Then compared their combined stock value
from 2005-2015 against the S&P 500.
They called it the Design Value Index (DVI)
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

50. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
211%

51. AWESOME
But is it too good to be true?
The study had not been revisited in 5 years.
Very suspicious. We dug deeper.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

52. 601%
173%
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Design Value Index
S&P 500

53. STRONG DESIGN
PAYS OFF.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

54. While we’re talking $$$
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

55. PRICE
Launching in an attention starved world
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

56. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost

57. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost
“What’s price have to
do with a launch?”

58. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost
Price quickly
communicates value

59. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost
You might be
down here.

60. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost
You might want
to get up here.

61. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Perceived value
Price
Cost
Without getting
in this spot.

62. Here’s an example.
Let’s take a trip.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

63. Option A Option B
vs.

64. Which would you choose?
What’s your perceived value?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

65. It’s another trick.
It’s the same place.
It’s $750/night.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

66. They priced correctly,
but design & messaging
didn’t match the price.

67. Hi, we’re___________
We offer___________
Looks good doesn’t it?!
It costs less than you think.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
name
message
design
price

68. Still have your attention?!

69. Let’s shift to
keeping their attention.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

70. PARTICIPATION
Launching in an attention starved world
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

71. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
INFLUENTIAL
15%
MAINSTREAM
85%

72. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
INFLUENTIAL
Ahead of the curve
SEEK
Access + Relationship
MESSAGE
New + Innovative
BUY
Potential
MAINSTREAM
Practical
SEEK
Convenience + Proof
MESSAGE
Easy + Effective
BUY
Endorsed Leader

73. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
Who are your
biggest fans?
Who has interest in your mission?
Who has a voice in your community?

74. N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
How can we give them
exclusive access?
Are we willing to cede some control to them?
Are we invested for long-term relationships?

75. How about an example.
We’ll start in Silicon Valley.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

77. Erik Katz
Camille Fontanilla
Matt Mahood
Justin Triano
Connie Martinez
Brendan Rawson
Barry Shiller
Valerie Merklin
Brad Mountz
Sieglinde Van Damme
Danny Harris
Mark Haney
Adam Mayberry
Erin Salazar
Demone Carter
Sal Pizarro
Scott Knies
Daniel Garcia
Jonathan Nelson
Laura Tegtmeyer
Rob Katcher
Mike Bangs
Jeff Ruster
Vicki Day
Kim Becker
Scott Hunter
Kailesh Karavadra
Zach Lewis
Norman Kline
Chris Burton
Holly Campbell
Monika Bickert
Tamara Alvarado
Laura Chmielewski
Elisabeth Handler
Reena Brilliot
Michelle Thong
Tina Kapoor
Sal Alvarez
Kim Walesh
40COMMUNITY LEADERS
TASTEMAKERS
ARTISTS
& ACTIVISTS

78. Activation
GRASSROOTS FORMAL COMMS
Social Video Ads
Event Promotion
Bike Party Participation
Apparel
Magazine Shoot
Mural Signage
Visual Series / Partner Kickoff Kits
Retail Art Projects
Partnerships
Weather Social Stunt
OED / TSJ Identity Refresh
Email Nurture Refinements
Airport Identity Refresh
Social & Content Creation
Convention & Airport Signage
Online Media Buys
Activation / Campaign
Trade Publication Ads Optimize Organic Search

90. Mayor Sam Liccardo will get tattoo of San
Jose's logo if he gets 1 million retweets
San Jose mayor will get tattoo of
city's logo — under one condition
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo will get a
SJ tattoo for a million retweets
San Jose’s new logo is so cool, one guy
tattooed it on his leg
Mayor Sam Liccardo may get
a “San Jose” tattoo!

91. IT’S NOT A
MOVEMENT
@ N A T I V E D I G I T A L _
until it moves
without you
moving it.

93. #BRANDING #PARTNERSHIPS #ACTIVATION

95. Hotel Indigo: 12
Crossroads Hotel: 477
The Raphael Hotel: 24The Fontaine: 90
Hotel Phillips: 43
Ambassador Hotel: 51
21c Museum Hotel: 57
Hilton President: 3
Crossroads Hotel
The Fontaine
21c Museum Hotel
Ambassador Hotel
Hotel Phillips
The Raphael Hotel
Hotel Indigo
Hilton President
Proof:
Monthly Instagram
Location Tags

96. Warning:
PARTICIPATION REQUIRES PATIENCE
and everyone is in short supply
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

97. PATIENCE
Build a foundation
Lean experiments, then go big
Paid + Earned + Shared
Commit to the right things
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
HURRY
Flash in the pan
Go big or go home
Paid everything
Try everything

98. Want to see some non-profit
real world examples?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

99. We’ll focus on design & message.
And start locally.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

100. Differentiate non-profit initiatives.
Ramp up marketing efforts.

101. Understand
the audiences

102. Differentiate
by design

103. Sharpen
the messaging

106. One more?
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

107. Refresh visual identity and brand
messaging to improve recruitment.

108. Before

109. After

114. Let’s close strong.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

115. When you’re launching something new,
communicate quickly & sharply with:
NAME, DESIGN, MESSAGING
AND EVEN PRICE
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

116. When you need to hold that attention,
lay the groundwork for:
PARTICIPATION
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M

117. Have fun with it.
Thanks for your attention.
N A T I V E D I G I T A L . C O M
STAY LOOSE
STAY LIGHT

118. @ N A T I V E D I G I T A L _