Oracle Open World 2004 Theme and Tagline Exploration

Oracle Open. World 2004 Theme and Tagline Exploration March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb

Background • Writing and creative leadership positions at agencies in New York and San Francisco, including Studio Archetype, Digitas, Pearson Branded, and Frankfurt Balkind Background and Approach • Emphasis on corporate messaging and strategy for clients including HP, Autodesk, Master. Card, and many others Approach • Look at the messaging • Look at the audience • Brainstorm creative directions • Choose a direction, and develop theme and taglines based on that March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 2

What Are the Goals for the Creative Exploration? Working together, we should be able to discover a creative direction that Goals March 16, 2004 • Works with Oracle’s overall messaging • Speaks to both of the attendee groups for Oracle Open. World • Helps signal that this is a new event • Is compelling enough to help drive attendance • Has a strong visual component • Is “ownable” • Helps drive the messaging framework for the event content Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 3

Research • Briefing documents • Site Research --Charles Phillips at Apps. World --Larry Ellison at Oracle. World • Phone interview --Peter Heller • Competitive research This work is still preliminary. Would be ideal to talk to past customers and other attendees. Is there an Oracle Messaging document or framework? March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 4

KNOW Creative Direction: Know March 16, 2004 • Speaks to the end result of what Oracle does. The company helps customers really “know” because its products and services provide a coherent view of their data. • You have to know before you can act in a meaningful way. Implies that Oracle gets you past “paralysis by analysis, ” and helps you make your information actionable. • Refers directly to the purpose of the event: you’re there to know more (and know better) • It’s ownable. What companies come to mind when you think of “know? ” Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 5

Exploration Creative Exploration: Know March 16, 2004 • • • Know No “Know” Limits Know it and Do it Know Means Yes See, Know, Do First, Know Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 6

TOGETHER Creative Direction: Together March 16, 2004 • Speaks to what the Oracle products do: they bring your information together coherently so you can act • Also speaks to the nature of the event: it’s a gathering of people who share needs and concerns • Connotes coherence and prioritization: “get your act together” Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 7

Exploration Creative Exploration: • • Get it Together 2 Together All Together Now Where Information Comes Together March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 8

REAL TIME Creative Direction: • Speaks to a major attribute of the Oracle products: the ability to access critical data in real time • Speaks directly to the nature of the event: it’s real, live, and important. It’s time well spent. • Connotes seriousness, immediacy, and candor Real Time March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 9

Exploration Creative Exploration: Real Time March 16, 2004 • • Get Real It’s Time to Get Real It’s Real Time Knowledge for a Real Time World Real Time for Real Life The Real Time World It’s All Happening Now Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 10

THE HUB Creative Direction: The Hub March 16, 2004 • Speaks directly to the Customer Data Hub, which is at the center of the Oracle Information Architecture • Also works metaphorically for Oracle Open. World itself—the event is a hub where information is exchanged and distributed. • Connotes “center” as in “center of attention, ” or the place to which all roads lead • Also connotes “balance” as in tuning a bicycle wheel • Interesting relationship between the real and the virtual Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 11

Exploration Creative Exploration: The Hub March 16, 2004 • • Center of Gravity Center of Attention Get Centered Hub of Activity Come to the Hub Oracle Open. World: the IT Data Hub All Roads Lead to the Hub Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 12

INFORMATION THAT MATTERS Creative Direction: Information that Matters March 16, 2004 • This speaks to the idea of Information Quality. The problem in business is often too much information, not too little. Really addresses the benefit behind Information Quality. • Speaks to the primary need of customers: finding the information they need when they need it. That’s the only thing that matters to them at that moment. • Refers directly to the purpose of the event: we’re not wasting your time, we’re giving you information that you need because it’s critical to your business. The event becomes a metaphor for what Oracle products and services do. Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 13

Exploration Creative Exploration: • • Information Quality, not Quantity Information that Matters Information, in formation Put Knowledge to Work Information that Matters March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 14

1+1=3 Creative Direction: 1+1=3 March 16, 2004 • Comes from something Charles Phillips said at Apps. World: “The architecture has more value than the sum of it’s parts” • It’s another way of stating the value of Oracle products and services: you get more out of it than what you put in to it. Nice nod to the ROI the products can provide. • Refers implicitly to the merging of Apps. World and Oracle. World, and says that the new Oracle Open. World has more value than the two separate events. • Opens the door to play with numbers as a theme or an element of theme; numbers are certainly important to these attendees Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 15

Exploration Creative Exploration: • • In 4 mation 2 Together 1 = 4000 data points in 87 databases The New Math: 1 + 1 = 3 Don’t just add. Multiply. 1+1=3 March 16, 2004 Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 16

OPEN Creative Direction: Open March 16, 2004 • Is “Open” ownable? Is there too much legacy with American Express and Linux? It’s a wonderful concept, but can you make it yours? • Does it work better as a supporting message than a theme? Is “open” more attribute than benefit? • Open does imply that the Apps. World and Oracle. World have “opened up” into a new, more inclusive and frank event. Speaks nicely to the relationship Oracle wants to have with its customers (honest, transparent). • Emphasizes the name change to Oracle Open. World • In some ways, a default choice Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 17

Exploration Creative Exploration: Open March 16, 2004 • • • Open Net Open Up Open Mind Open Opportunity Open for Business The Future Is Open Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 18

TRANSPARENCY Creative Direction: Transparency March 16, 2004 • Speaks to one benefit of the products: providing greater business accountability and transparency • Idea that information is like air, invisible but omnipresent • Speaks to the idea of seeing through something to get to what it contains. You don’t see the process, you just see the result. • Offers great opportunities for the design team • Speaks to the relationship Oracle wants to have with its customers • Refers to the nature of the event: the company is revealing information about itself for the benefit of customers, partners, and developers Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 19

Exploration Creative Exploration: Transparency March 16, 2004 • • See through your business See what’s behind Oracle See Everything See Behind Your Data See Through Your Data Transparent Knowledge What’s Behind You? Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 20

Images Visual Explorations March 16, 2004 • Pixilation: small things that turn into a coherent whole • Chuck Close’s photography • Things that suggest “many becoming one” or assembly (image from the X-Men) • Transparency and layering • Combining numbers and letters to form words • Things that open: maps, pop-ups, books, presents Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 21

• Again, goal isn’t to necessarily choose a direction right this second. Let’s discuss. What resonated with you? Discussion and Plans for Follow-Up March 16, 2004 • What’s the best way to move forward? One way might be to circulate feedback to Julie (or me) to share with the working group (and others if necessary) • Ideally, I’d love more time to work with John and others in a collaborative/brainstorming fashion. This does take some time to get right, but it’s worth the effort. Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 22

Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts or ideas you have, or to discuss anything that’s come up today. Contact Information March 16, 2004 Kevin Cobb 415 -3814 K_Cobb@Hotmail. com Oracle Open. World Theme Exploration Kevin Cobb 23