Working as a Multinational Start-up
One of the great things about working at Exaget is the wide variety of backgrounds of my colleagues. We have nationalities from all over the world: English, Russian, Indian, Italian, Finnish, Singaporean and South African (me!). A benefit of this is that everyone has a different opinion and perspective (and no one shies away from saying so!)
Exaget has two teams, one in the UK, specifically Stratford in London, and the other is in Helsinki, Finland. The London based team is the business team where the CEO (Shankar Meembat) and the business development team reside. The Finnish office comprises the development team.
When you’re a start-up and moving quickly, it’s important to have excellent communication and that can sometimes be difficult, particular when your offices are in two different countries. Fortunately, 2014 presents us with a range of methods of communication including, but not limited to: email, video conferencing (Skype), texting and even ‘snail’ mail.
Whilst having all these different communication methods can be useful, sometimes it can also be a hindrance, meaning that if we have to find a message, sometimes we have to look through four different software products to find it. To combat this, Exaget employs a few different techniques and one of which is a constant Skype feed. This allows both teams to see what everyone else is doing and if we ever need to ask someone something, we just shout at the Skype microphone.
In addition to the organisation problems that can arise from having multiple methods of communication, another problem can be personal. Even with the invention of Skype and video conferencing, there’s a lot that doesn’t get communicated. For example, we don’t see facial expressions well or body language nor is tone or inflection always presented perfectly.
On top of that the business cultures of both countries are different and combined with with mainly communicating via the internet can result in issues. This isn’t great in fast paced, information heavy startups such as Exaget.
However, the world of startups is becoming ever more international and multinational. It’s not something that we can avoid. So instead of sticking your head in the sand it’s important to constantly have your eyes open for new technology that can make worldwide communication more efficient, more effective and most importantly; more natural.
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December 8, 2014
It’s been a hell of a day at work. Best not to mention the tube. And it looks like someone gave the kids too much sugar. Slouched on the sofa, G&T in hand, there’s just one thing you want to do. Chillax with your favourite artist, Nicki Minaj. You love the song, but you haven’t yet seen her ‘Anaconda’. You wonder what it looks like. YouTube is about to show you.
But oh….the bitter disappointment. It’s the dreaded YouTube pre-roll.
Frankly, you couldn’t care less about some new dragon warfare game. You start to search frantically for those two holy words – ‘Skip Ad’. Panic sets in. You can’t find them. You may not be particularly religious, but you’re praying now. You must endure 30 excruciating, agonising seconds of what feels like medieval torture. Never has time gone by so slowly.
The YouTube pre-roll is a negative experience for the viewer. If the viewer – essentially, to an advertiser, a potential customer – feels like they are being harassed or forced to endure a piece of advertising content, then someone in the advertising and marketing world is not doing their job properly. The net result is that the potential customer is left with a negative association with the advertising brand.
Our association with the YouTube pre-roll is a negative one. However, the opposite is true with a well-produced, well-deployed audio pre-roll. Here at Exaget, we entwine broadcaster and advertiser brands into a product that really works. We leverage the emotional connection the listener has with the radio station. By downloading the radio station’s app on to their mobile, they have invited the radio station onto a device as personal as a toothbrush.
We’re currently running a brilliant example of the sensitively branded pre-roll with one of our premium broadcasters, French Radio London. When a listener opens the French Radio London app on their mobile phone or device they are greeted by the following pre-roll, which interweaves the radio station’s brand with that of their luxury advertising partner, Relais & Châteaux.
This turns the audio pre-roll into an incredibly valuable piece of advertising real estate. At this point the listener is most probably still looking at their mobile device. Not only will they engage with the accompanying visuals – in this case the understated sophistication of Relais & Châteaux’s gourmet gift boxes – they are also presented with an opportunity to interact with the brand with just a simple tap of the map icon.
The benefits are obvious to the advertiser, the broadcaster and the listener. The advertiser gets to leverage the emotional connection that the listener has with the broadcaster’s brand and output – resulting in a deeper engagement with their own brand and product. This in turn helps to establish a relationship with the consumer, increasing the likelihood of consumer-to-brand interaction, and ultimately improving the advertiser’s chances of increased sales. In this case the exclusive and opulent nature of the advertiser’s brand adds value to the broadcaster’s already premium brand. The listener is presented with a seamless, consistent, and relevant listening experience.
Your relationship with your phone is personal. Emotional. As is your relationship with the radio station you chose to listen to. Mobile in hand, radio on, headphones plugged in, you cocoon yourself in your own little world. It’s personal. Intimate even.
The new possibilities offered by interactive radio advertising allow advertisers to turn these personal, intimate moments into opportunities for engagement.
But woe betide the advertiser who abuses them.
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