Solace creates category-leading products that simplify the complexities of data transfer. Nerd stuff. For years Solace successfully marketed to the C-suite but, as the competitive set grew, it became apparent that the real decision-makers were the nerds (developers). With a new product launch, Pub Sub+, on the horizon, we had to shift their entire marketing approach to reach this notoriously skeptical, insular and marketing-adverse group. Let's get those nerds!
Diving deep into the developer world, and quite a few sub-Reddits, we found a shared affinity for inside jokes, industry sarcasm and off-kilter humor that was as clever as it was outlandish. There was a vibe of "If you don't get it, it wasn't meant for you." So we crafted a campaign that would resonate with the developer community and, quite possibly, no one else. C-suite be damned.
What Could Go Wrong? taunted developers with banners ads daring them to click, a choose-your-own adventure style website that was a procrastinators dream and films that showed the outlandish outcomes that may follow success after a developer recommends Solace.
Since the launch in October 2018, Solace has seen a 160% increase in Standard downloads and a 207% increase in cloud sign-ups for PubSub+, as well as over 680,000 views. And equally important to the numbers has been the developer community's reaction to the campaign, with word spreading from one less skeptical skeptic to another.
