Follow up on the Lotus Awards 2006
by Volker Weber
Michael Loria commented on my posting regarding the flawed communications around the Lotus Awards:
As you know the winners are subsequently published in a press release
While this is a good thing, it completely missed my point. Therefore I want to explain again what went wrong:
- IBM publishes winners and finalist of the Lotus Awards.
- There is no follow-up information, no contacts, no links.
- There is no indication of the product and solutions awarded.
Why is this so bad? This communication is by now last week's news. And there is simply no chance to write a story about it. Therefore IBM cannot leverage the press as a multiplier. Plus, this news is presented shortly before Christmas. This is the time of the year perfectly suited to let out information that you hope nobody will notice.
When IBM follows up with subsequent news releases next year, I cannot even be bothered, because it is officially very old news by then. Yes, there will be journalists that do not know this is old news, but I would not count on it. So, the partners will have to resort to these measures, again quoting Michael:
and this year they receive additional marketing benefits to enable them to create in-market demand for their offerings.
I recall that the Lotus Beacon Awards used to be presented at an Award Dinner on Lotusphere Tuesday. It was always big news the next day. Lotus even bought a page in the Wallstreet Journal, and the paper was in front of every door at the Lotusphere hotels.
I am sure there are other benefits of releasing this information so early. But by releasing it incompletely, it is lost.
Comments
I think it was more exciting for the contestants to not know if they had won until the Lotusphere show, but knowing in December does make things much easier from a partner point of view for planning activites at Lotusphere around winning. For me personally I like the excitement of finding out on the night. We'd be at Lotusphere anyway, for others winning the Beacon can be the encouragement they need to get a Lotusphere booth.
I think this year the judges were a little rushed, the deadlines were extended by the furthest I have ever seen which I think had a knock on effect for the other efforts. This year for example was the first year I saw that the accompanying video to my entry wasn't watched.
The Lotus Awards are a great program, and it's great to be recognized as either a finalist or winner, and all winners and finalists love those extra visits that can come to the website because of them. Pretty much anything on the web that talks about something else, should be pointing to the other page, so I would hope at a minimum those companies listed get a link to their site added.
I wont ding the Lotus Awards though, as I'd be afraid IBM would kill them. Lotus Awards are great!
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