The subject is kind of boring and complicated
As creative director and copywritier I created this direct mail campaign promoting Data Center Optimization (DCO) to a "sleeper" audience--which means contacts who have not responded to a BMC offer in over a year. The challenge was to explain a technically complex topic to an audience that seems relatively unreceptive to marketing efforts. BMC wanted to try an "out of the box" concept that would "humanize" the message, break though the clutter, and create an "a-ha!" reaction.

The main benefit of DCO is that it makes the massive arrays of servers found in data centers operate more efficiently. If individual servers are more efficient, the data center requires fewer servers. And this means customers can use less electricity for running the equipment and for air conditioning the facility.

A touch of whimsey lightens the mood
The creative solution was to make it more fun by using Lego-like blocks to conceptually represent servers, and describe the benefit in terms of "doing more with fewer blocks," and "data center optimization provides an intelligent path to adding efficiency—not servers." The blocks were used to represent technical concepts, with a rack of servers using red blocks accompanying a description of the heat they generate. A seesaw of blocks represented the "balance" DCO brings to the data center.

This was a departure from brand—and the first time 3D renderings were used in BMC marketing. It did break through the clutter and worked to wake a sleeper audience with a compelling message and unique design.