Oracle & UpStage: A perfect partnership

Oracle Corporation, the world’s biggest enterprise software company, has 3,000+ UK and Ireland employees, most of whom are involved in selling to Oracle’s clients.

For ten years UpStage has been the company’s preferred strategic partner for demand generation activity, and the first port of call when they want a creative, effective and inspiring programme that gets results.

Oracle Enterprise Architects Club
Oracle knew that they weren’t connecting effectively with one of their target audiences – System Architects. Addressing the need to build better relationships with these valuable partners, UpStage were asked to help engage them and convert that engagement into business opportunities.

We worked closely with Oracle to build a community of Enterprise Architects, who would meet regularly, learn about latest developments in their industry, have the opportunity to network with their peers and to share their ‘war stories’.

The Enterprise Architects Club was created as a series of quarterly thought-leadership seminars, able to accommodate 75 – 100 delegates at a time, and held at its own regular meeting place in Central London. Members hear from industry leaders and have ample opportunities for Q&A and networking.

Having originally helped Oracle to identify the Enterprise Architects, we were able to build – and clean – their database. This database forms the bedrock of all activity and has become part of the measure of success of the campaign. We help Oracle to identify the hot topics, source the speakers and work with them to ensure that together we create an engaging agenda each time, always fresh and delivered in different ways.

We take all responsibility for promoting the event and securing attendees, using a microsite as a promotional and registration tool. Reminder emails and texts and follow-up telephone calls are made to ensure the best possible attendance. The microsite also ensures the members can keep in touch with each other between meetings. In addition, UpStage ensures that all on-site logistics and production requirements are met to the highest standards.

The Results:
Oracle’s Enterprise Architects Club is now in its fifth year and continues to grow in popularity and reputation. It has become one of Oracle’s most successful and long-running demand generation programmes.

There have now been seventeen Club meetings over the past five years and interest continues to be high. What started out as a database of 200 names, now has more than 1,000 opted-in, qualified prospects. Club attendees are surveyed after each meet and the results demonstrate that members are extremely satisfied with the Club and its activities.

We’re constantly looking for ways to help Oracle create demand. Because we have no ‘off the shelf’ products, each and every project is 100% bespoke. Below is an overview of some of the other demand generation activities we’ve undertaken for Oracle:

• We’ve conceived, created and executed everything from a dazzling product launch for 2,000 delegates at the IMAX in London to elegant dinners for 20 prepared by the world’s greatest chefs.

• We’ve staged a series of national roadshows profiling new products and services – ranging from 150 to 500 new customers and prospects.

• We’ve used our cliens’ passions – for good food, fine wine, and great sports to name but a few – to create a series of memorable events for their C-level peers, attracting new business and positioning Oracle as a thought leader.

• We’ve helped launch the company’s biggest products – 10g and Grid – in campaigns that culminated in a spectacular film premiere style event at the Odeon Leicester Square (10g) and a state-of-the-art 3D sound and vision extravaganza at the IMAX on the South Bank.

• We devised a groundbreaking programme called Dream It, Live It that looked at how UK plc can make the most of major sporting events when hosted in this country. Speakers including Lord Coe, Roger Black and Sandy Hollway (former CEO of the Sydney Olympics) challenged and educated our C-level audience over five landmark events. Over 700 new names entered the Oracle database as potential sales leads as a result.

• We’ve helped build and strengthen the Oracle Partner Network, a key component of the company’s growth strategy, through a range of programmes and activities:

• Managing the annual Partner Awards process, culminating in a lavish awards ceremony at a top London venue, recognising the achievements of Partners in contributing to Oracle’s business growth.
• Engineering a 500% year-on-year increase in profits from Oracle products sold by Dell – rewarding the successful sales personnel with an all-expenses-paid trip to the ancient city of Dubrovnik.