Marketing Associates

Q: What does MA bring to Interwoven products like MediaBin?

Sam: Well, the first thing is our relationship. We’re in the Interwoven Partner Network. We work so closely with them that they often come to us with opportunities to collaborate on customer challenges. And we’re talking Fortune 500 clients.

Plus, we do worldwide implementation. Even though we may be hosting the majority of it, if not all of it, in Detroit — we’re still going to users in places like Brazil, Switzerland, China and India. Everybody in the world for these companies is coming to this one system.

Finally, we have so much experience with MediaBin that we have developed custom software solutions, integrated with the MediaBin product. And they’re fully customized for each client’s needs.

Q: Just how customized is the MAM work you do?

Sam: We structure everything around the client’s business. From the metadata to the folder structure and naming conventions, everything we do is unique to that customer.

Q: Can you share some examples?

Sam: You bet. We’ve created the Customization Tool for our clients where companies can take MAM to the next level. Users can not only go into the MAM system and select specific marketing assets — but within that very same system —they can combine those assets to create their own marketing materials.

For example, let’s say I want my distributors to be able to customize specific assets by adding other elements from the system, plus incorporate their own contact information and even their company logo. With the Customization Tool, they can do that without buying any additional publishing software, and they don’t have to pay an agency to do it either.

Q: Can the client set up templates for their distributors and retailers?

Sam: Absolutely. The Customization Tool includes a template creator, so, you don’t have to be an agency. You can go in and create a template, put it in the system, and designate which assets people can use. You still have full control over your branding and your standards.

It’s very user-friendly for companies who want to leverage the assets to market products or market a manufacturer’s brand. They would follow the standard process or use the Customization Tool to select a template and then complete it with assets and information.

Q: Is the Customization Tool built onto MediaBin?

Sam: It’s actually a seamlessly integrated system. So it’s a separate application, but from the users’ perspective, they don’t notice any difference. All they do is click on a button, and there’s the customization tool. They’re still grabbing assets from the MediaBin application. It’s Interwoven!

Q: MA has also maximized MediaBin’s version control for clients. What’s exciting about that feature?

Sam: MediaBin already has a great version control portion of the application with a check-in and check-out function. Users can go in and make modifications to assets while still retaining prior versions.

At MA, we wanted to be able to notify users about revised assets. So, we implemented an Email Notification system that utilizes the email functionality already built into MediaBin.

Q: How does Email Notification work with Version Control?

Sam: Let’s say I’ve got a logo in the system and the designer revises it. I can automatically set the system to notify all the people who are using that logo. An email tells them not use the old version and gives them a direct link to the system so they can easily grab the new, correct version of any revised marketing asset. We help our customers take advantage of all MediaBin has to offer, so they get the most value from their assets.

Q: Sounds like you approach MAM from a marketing point-of-view as opposed to strictly IT. Is that right?

Sam: Yes. MA has more than 40 years experience as a marketing company. That gives us great perspective and understanding to provide MAM solutions. The way we see it, MAM is just taking marketing to the next level. It allows clients to juggle more digital assets, faster and better. This is where technology is moving and marketing is following technology. Our experience has allowed us to seamlessly integrate MAM for our marketing customers.

Q: You might say you put the MA in MAM?

Sam: Absolutely. We make MAM look easy!