Monday
Colgate’s Jack Haber
This VP, e-Business explains how the Internet was used as part of an integrated product launch campaign, and tells us why he believes the Net is a powerful marketing tool.
Interviewed by Dawn Anfuso
As Vice President, e-Business for Colgate Palmolive, Jack Haber is responsible for leading all of the company’s Internet activities globally, including all company Websites around the world, Internet marketing, e-commerce and e-business applications. Haber has overseen the launch of an impressive array of innovative new products, supported by more and better advertising. This includes the successful launches of products like Colgate Total, Colgate Baking Soda & Peroxide toothpaste, Colgate Whitening toothpastes, and others. We talked with Haber recently to find out more about what goes into these launches, as well as about his views of the Internet as a marketing tool in general.
Meet Jack at the iMedia Brand Summit, September 21 – 24, in Tamaya, New Mexico.
iMedia Connection: What’s one of the most successful campaigns your company has executed recently, and what made it successful?
Haber: We ran a program for Colgate Simply White which was successful because it was completely integrated with the brand’s marketing program -- the online advertising tied in with the brand’s advertisements on TV, for example, as well as with the Brand’s promotions. We used TV and other media to give people short, simple messaging about the product and get them interested, and then to send them to the Website where we could show them the product, give them a demonstration, engage them more and provide them with more information. The real trick is in integrating, and in using the Net to its strengths, one of which is its ability to give a greater depth of information.
iMedia Connection: Did you use the Internet for any sort of sampling or couponing?
Haber: Yes, we ran the same offers as in other media, which were high value coupons for $5.00 off and $3.00. We also used the Net to collect names of prospective customers. In fact, we managed to collect information from many thousands of consumers who gave information about themselves, their thoughts on the product, their past product usage, etc.
So looking at it this way, the Web activity included a media element, a promotional element and a research element, fulfilling many roles.
iMedia Connection: What lessons have you learned from your online efforts?
Haber: The greatest lesson overall is that if you use the Internet for its strengths, and integrate it properly with your other efforts, it will work and you should do more of it.
iMedia Connection: What does your company have planned in order to approach the interactive space in different and unique ways?
Haber: I can’t really talk about future plans, but I can say that everything we do now I still consider to be experimental. As an industry we’re still learning how to use the Internet as a marketing tool, discovering how to use it for various products. For example, how you use the Net to support a new high-priced toothpaste is going to be different than how you use it to market Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid. So we have to do a lot of different things to get the most out of the medium.
Several years ago, someone said that the Internet was only 10% invented. I would say online marketing is still only 10% invented. We have a lot more to figure out. It’s not a mature medium.
iMedia Connection: Realizing that it’s not yet a mature medium, what are the vexing issues still facing your company and online advertising/marketing in general?
Haber: We’re sitting on top of an incredibly powerful marketing tool and the challenge is – I would say challenge not vexing issue -- how do you tap the potential of this? You have all the opportunity to reach people one at a time. Whereas this business was built on reaching millions broadly, quickly, now you can reach millions and address them individually, to know who they are as well as things about them, and to have them speak back to us. That’s an incredible opportunity for marketers. We can be more responsive to consumers.
iMedia Connection: How have your goals in the online world changed from last year to this year?
Haber: Our goals haven’t changed; we just see more opportunity and we want to learn more.
iMedia Connection: How did online advertising contribute to your company's overall sales goals last year?
Haber: I really couldn’t say because our marketing efforts are so integrated, it’s difficult to break those numbers out.
iMedia Connection: Does your company plan on increasing its spending on interactive media, and when do you expect interactive to take a larger share of the total marketing budget?
Haber: Definitely. It will continue to increase as we learn more, as we continue to develop and run successful programs.
iMedia Connection: How do you perceive rich media? Have you used it in campaigns? Do you think the benefits make up for the cost?
Haber: Yes, we use rich media of different types. The more you can engage the consumer in a way that works to communicate your message, the better. The extra cost is well worth it. But the trick is to use it properly.
iMedia Connection: How do you evaluate different sites for media placement?
Haber: We work closely with the Digital Edge who helps us select sites that provide the audience we’re interested in, and which can give us the opportunity to run proper creative units, and which can provide contextual relevance for our products.
iMedia Connection: How can online marketing mature to overcome corporate reluctance?
Haber: By establishing a track record of success. People like us who are doing this have to prove that it works and that it’s a real business tool. We have to show successes. So far we have been successful in doing that.
iMedia Connection: What knowledge can you impart to other traditional advertisers that may be hesitant to enter into the online space?
Haber: So far we’ve seen that it works. We really do see a promise. Not only is it a more efficient medium, in many ways it can be more effective in reaching and educating your audience. We see opportunities for even greater effectiveness as a marketing tool.
This VP, e-Business explains how the Internet was used as part of an integrated product launch campaign, and tells us why he believes the Net is a powerful marketing tool.
Interviewed by Dawn Anfuso
As Vice President, e-Business for Colgate Palmolive, Jack Haber is responsible for leading all of the company’s Internet activities globally, including all company Websites around the world, Internet marketing, e-commerce and e-business applications. Haber has overseen the launch of an impressive array of innovative new products, supported by more and better advertising. This includes the successful launches of products like Colgate Total, Colgate Baking Soda & Peroxide toothpaste, Colgate Whitening toothpastes, and others. We talked with Haber recently to find out more about what goes into these launches, as well as about his views of the Internet as a marketing tool in general.
Meet Jack at the iMedia Brand Summit, September 21 – 24, in Tamaya, New Mexico.
iMedia Connection: What’s one of the most successful campaigns your company has executed recently, and what made it successful?
Haber: We ran a program for Colgate Simply White which was successful because it was completely integrated with the brand’s marketing program -- the online advertising tied in with the brand’s advertisements on TV, for example, as well as with the Brand’s promotions. We used TV and other media to give people short, simple messaging about the product and get them interested, and then to send them to the Website where we could show them the product, give them a demonstration, engage them more and provide them with more information. The real trick is in integrating, and in using the Net to its strengths, one of which is its ability to give a greater depth of information.
iMedia Connection: Did you use the Internet for any sort of sampling or couponing?
Haber: Yes, we ran the same offers as in other media, which were high value coupons for $5.00 off and $3.00. We also used the Net to collect names of prospective customers. In fact, we managed to collect information from many thousands of consumers who gave information about themselves, their thoughts on the product, their past product usage, etc.
So looking at it this way, the Web activity included a media element, a promotional element and a research element, fulfilling many roles.
iMedia Connection: What lessons have you learned from your online efforts?
Haber: The greatest lesson overall is that if you use the Internet for its strengths, and integrate it properly with your other efforts, it will work and you should do more of it.
iMedia Connection: What does your company have planned in order to approach the interactive space in different and unique ways?
Haber: I can’t really talk about future plans, but I can say that everything we do now I still consider to be experimental. As an industry we’re still learning how to use the Internet as a marketing tool, discovering how to use it for various products. For example, how you use the Net to support a new high-priced toothpaste is going to be different than how you use it to market Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid. So we have to do a lot of different things to get the most out of the medium.
Several years ago, someone said that the Internet was only 10% invented. I would say online marketing is still only 10% invented. We have a lot more to figure out. It’s not a mature medium.
iMedia Connection: Realizing that it’s not yet a mature medium, what are the vexing issues still facing your company and online advertising/marketing in general?
Haber: We’re sitting on top of an incredibly powerful marketing tool and the challenge is – I would say challenge not vexing issue -- how do you tap the potential of this? You have all the opportunity to reach people one at a time. Whereas this business was built on reaching millions broadly, quickly, now you can reach millions and address them individually, to know who they are as well as things about them, and to have them speak back to us. That’s an incredible opportunity for marketers. We can be more responsive to consumers.
iMedia Connection: How have your goals in the online world changed from last year to this year?
Haber: Our goals haven’t changed; we just see more opportunity and we want to learn more.
iMedia Connection: How did online advertising contribute to your company's overall sales goals last year?
Haber: I really couldn’t say because our marketing efforts are so integrated, it’s difficult to break those numbers out.
iMedia Connection: Does your company plan on increasing its spending on interactive media, and when do you expect interactive to take a larger share of the total marketing budget?
Haber: Definitely. It will continue to increase as we learn more, as we continue to develop and run successful programs.
iMedia Connection: How do you perceive rich media? Have you used it in campaigns? Do you think the benefits make up for the cost?
Haber: Yes, we use rich media of different types. The more you can engage the consumer in a way that works to communicate your message, the better. The extra cost is well worth it. But the trick is to use it properly.
iMedia Connection: How do you evaluate different sites for media placement?
Haber: We work closely with the Digital Edge who helps us select sites that provide the audience we’re interested in, and which can give us the opportunity to run proper creative units, and which can provide contextual relevance for our products.
iMedia Connection: How can online marketing mature to overcome corporate reluctance?
Haber: By establishing a track record of success. People like us who are doing this have to prove that it works and that it’s a real business tool. We have to show successes. So far we have been successful in doing that.
iMedia Connection: What knowledge can you impart to other traditional advertisers that may be hesitant to enter into the online space?
Haber: So far we’ve seen that it works. We really do see a promise. Not only is it a more efficient medium, in many ways it can be more effective in reaching and educating your audience. We see opportunities for even greater effectiveness as a marketing tool.
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