1.0 Executive Summary
Hotmatch is New Zealand's premier "Lifestyle" Portal. Designed and developed by Ecoholdings Media Group, Hotmatch has been 18 months in the making with intensive research and development. This is in response to an emerging gap in the Australasian and UK market for a true lifestyle portal.
The portal is simple, stylish and provides a focus on human interests. Members can browse the site, interact with others, and see what events are on they'd want to attend and even search and apply for jobs online.
We want users to think "wow". The focus is on a fantastic looking, and easy-to-use site with quality content and events. Those who are single can choose to meet others through the site. Web personals are an avenue many don't consider or see as the 'last option'. We aim to change the perception that it's 'sad' to use a website to meet people. Web personals are a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. Imagine the potential of a brand that made it totally ok to meet people over the web.t
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2.0 Target
Audience
As a Lifestyle portal we deal with lifestyle groups. We are tapping into what people like to do. People like to drink wine and cook good food, or play sport and go to the movies. Lifestyle pursuits are endless and most people belong, or would like to belong to more than one or two. Instead of tapping into demographics, we are dealing with interests and passions that all people have from a cross-section of the community.
Who will go there? We are promoting Hotmatch as a community people can be a part of. The user groups are so far; food, wine, sport, (we are looking at breaking that market down as we have interest from The Cut, New Zealand's #1 Golf Magazine), DIY, movies, art, fashion, gardening .... that is just the beginning.
All of the above activities require a certain amount of disposable income. The website is likely to appeal to people between 25 to 45 who want a site that looks great, is easy to use, regularly updated, and holds worthwhile information. The site will also promote quality events for people to attend.
There are thousands of sites out there - the Hotmatch brand will be advertised in an ongoing campaign in each region in order to become a recognizable brand. In order to fulfil our vision to become the number one used portal in New Zealand and the UK, we have to rem_/in active.
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3.0 Marketing
Strategies
Project Vision and Website Objectives The vision and objectives are the drive behind all that Hotmatch does. 3.1 Project Vision
The following is based on the Peak Performance Business Theory: Hotmatch Focus: The Look, Feel and Usability of the Site Ultimate Challenge: Creating the Ultimate Success Story Inspirational Dream: Worldwide and Loving IT!
The first stage is to work on the Focus of Hotmatch - how the site looks, feels and user experience for the consumer. By achieving a site that looks and feels great and is easy to use, we have already achieved more than many websites.
The second stage is to create a success story. This can be measured by having a team of strategic partners sharing the same vision, having a strong and widely recognised brand and satisfied consumers who continue to revisit the site and share it with friends.
The third stage is to replicate the Hotmatch model internationally in countries like Australia, Canada and the UK. The dream is for Hotmatch to be successful overseas again with strategic partners, a recognisable brand and satisfied users. There is a possibility that the concept may have to be tweaked to succeed in different cultures much the same as car companies creating different models to succeed in different countries.
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3.2 • • • • • • •
Website Objectives Be unique to what is currently in the marketplace Take a web personals service to a new level Build relationships with strategic partners Create a strong and widely recognised brand Attract Web Personals Users from other sites Attract Potential Users to sign on with Hotmatch Attract users who would not traditionally use a web personals website ('non users') • • • Make it acceptable to use a website to meet people Encourage people to attend events throughout the country Run competitions on a regular basis
3.3
Marketing
Objectives
The following are the objectives of the marketing campaign for Hotmatch; • To reach the target markets powerfully through a strategically driven marketing campaign • • • Reach new target market identified as the non users To build brand awareness amongst the target markets throughout New Zealand To create Hotmatch as a Lovemarkthis goes beyond being just a brand but a
Lifestyle that people have an emotional attachment to
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3.4
Specific Measurable Results
The website and marketing objectives will be recognised when the following points are achieved; • When Hotmatch surpasses other dating websites with over 8000 registered users • • • • When hits per month reach a desired number When hits and registrations increase as the advertising campaign runs When events are supported by Hotmatch users When Hotmatch users take ownership of their site and organise own groups to attend events • • • • When Hotmatch users continue to use the site on a regular basis When the Hotmatch website attracts the non user market When businesses approach Hotmatch to be a part of it When general public agreement is that Hotmatch is a legitimate, great site to
use
3.5
Branding
Brand perception is vital to Hotmateh being seen as different to other dating websites. The Hotmatch brand must be used consistently to be effective. The brand must encapsulate what Hotmatch stands for - a lust for life and a spontaneous attitude. All promotional material as well as promotions and events that Hotmatch provides must be of a consistent nature. Likewise the brands of the strategic partners must 'fit' with the Hotmatch brand. In conjunction with Waves Advertising we are establishing the Hotmatch brand as a Lovemark brand, which is a super evolved brand. Lovemark brands go beyond
traditional brands and emotionally connect with people. People are driven by their emotions and desires - Lovemark brands speak to these. Brands that have reached Lovemark status are the brands that "people love and fiercely protect" (Kevin Roberts, 16 October 2001)
(Product Positioning Diagram next page)
3.6
Product Positioning seven New Zealand dating websites have been positioned according to
The following
their quality (quality refers to look, feel and usability of site), and cost to be a member. Some did not clearly indicate whether or not they charged and are marked
with a star*.
High Quality
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2
Low Cost 3 7 High Cost
4 5
Low Quality
Key: 1. 2. 3. 4. Findsomeone.co.nz Matefinder.co.nz Tryst.co.nz * NZsingles.co.nz 5. 6. 7. 8. Esingles.co.nz* Findlove.co.nz* Nzdating.eom* Hotmatch.co.nz
This positioning offers clear opportunities for Hotmatch. The calibre of current sites is not that high and there is no reason for many people to go there. The other sites lack the WOW factor that Hotmatch is aiming to provide. They focus solely on dating which limits their sites to only one market. Hotmatch is conscious about price - at $9.95 per month it is a price people do not feel guilty about paying. Indeed most people will hardly miss that amount each month, whereas $20 and above per month is a significant amount most would carefully consider. Hotmatch offers more than just seeking the 'one'. The Interests sections are the drawcard - people are encouraged to go out and enhance their own lives and are given opportunities to do that. There is also the option to look for fantastic careers via the Hotmatch website. As said, the website is a reflection of a Lifestyle.
3.7
Promotional Tactics
The following must happen - Hotmatch gets Attention, holds Interest, arouses Desire, and obtains Action. To fulfil the marketing objectives, the following promotional tactics can be employed:
•
Advertising A campaign, according to budget, will be designed and will feature drop ads in newspapers and magazines. The major dailies will be targeted and should be ongoing in order for people to become familiar with the brand and start committing it to memory. Magazines that attract high female readership can be targeted such as New Zealand Woman's Weekly, Woman's Day and New Idea. Potentially specific magazines could also be used as budget allows to heighten credibility such as She, Cuisine and Fashion Quarterly. Likewise top male magazines should also be included such as Ralph and sporting magazines. The advantage of magazines is that they have a high readership, a long life span, and credibility. Billboards are also an excellent way of raising brand awareness and billboard campaigns can be undertaken in the 3-4 main centres. Billboards promote credibility and tells people this is a website to be taken seriously. Radio advertising is also a potential. 9
•
Public Relations PR holds a certain amount of potential site. However as a communication medium for the
an unusual and interesting angle would have to be used to gain
the interest of media. A human angle story could work here, such as looking at how single people today find meeting others, and looking at the growth of alternative means of meeting people as well as the stigma attached. The angle must be interesting to 'John and Jane Public' or it will not get into the media. or
A new website alone is not news for media unless it is in a specific business Internet publication. A factor to be taken into account is the high number of and internationally coinciding
important news stories taking place nationally with the launch of Hotmatch.
When this occurs, smaller stories get left out.
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Events and Promotions As the website gets up and running and strategic partners come on board, the potential for 'piggy-backing' presence partners' events will grow. Hotmatch can have a
at these events and as people attend through the Hotmatch portal, is the site to visit to find out what events are the
word will spread that Hotmatch on that match personal
interests. This is a powerful medium for promoting
website - people using the Hotmatch website as a catalyst to enhance their lives.
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4.0 Strategic Partners
Having high calibre strategic partners who share the vision and recognise the potential is paramount to the success of Hotmatch. The Hotmatch strategic partners provide the Interest links and will share their product and events/promotions to Hotmatch members. The strategic partners provide the experience of Hotmatch. In retum this is the strategic partners' opportunity to promote their product and company to those using Hotmatch. They will have the undivided attention of an audience who have specifically stated they have an interest in a certain product or activity. For example, the wine strategic partner will have an audience of wine lovers to promote their product, company and events to. The website is the starting point to the array of things going on all over the country that can enhance people's lives.
4.1
Where are we at so far?
So far the following companies have been approached: Sport Golf Wine Beer Food Player Magazine The Cut Magazine Glengarry Hancocks (wine and liquor distributor) DB Group (second largest brewery group in NZ) Hamish Brown (upcoming young NZ chef with a host of national awards under belO Coffee Fashion Books Gardening Illy Coffee www. fashionz, co.nz Hazard Publishers www.garden-nz, co. nz
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Both The Cut and Player magazines are interested (both have the same publisher). This would be a promotional partnership as they do not have the budget to pay but are willing to promote their brands. It would work successfully as we need the quality content, credibility and wow factor and they need wider brand awareness and access to a target market to sell more of their product. Hamish Brown is interested only if the quality of the site is and remains high. He is a brand himself and understandably will not associate himself with something he doesn't like the look of. At this point, we are in the talking stage and he is definitely up to raising his profile. Glengarry Haneoeks have received a Discussion Document and are very interested at being involved. Illy Coffee are interested in the concept and we will meet in the next two weeks as he is extremely busy. DB has only just been approached, as have the fashion and garden websites and Hazard Publishers.
This is the beginning and it is an ongoing process of brainstorming new potential partners and approaching them. Each partner will have different expectations of what they want to get out of it - as a result each partnership will be a collaborative process.
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