Promoting GNOME to new users
Overview
Sender: The GNOME Project (via #marketing)
Media: Web / Youtube
Target Group: Students / Office employees / Artists (See 1.)
Theory
When we communicate through the web, we usually don't work a 100% by the sender-message-receiver principal. Instead, the sender acts as an information giver, giving the information that the receiver is in search for. Internet users are the least loyal users existent in that regard. Their only reason to be surfing on the web is to find an answer to their questions quickly.
This video will not create awareness of GNOME by itself. Something has to cause internet users to begin searching for GNOME on fx. YouTube. The role of this video is to provide information about what GNOME is, giving users a quick and satifactory answer. This video will hopefully then attract them to download and try GNOME or maybe even get involved depending on our message in the video.
1. Defining GNOME and its target group (DONE)
The following questions needs to be clearly answered before we can proceed to shape our advertisement:
Who is our target group?
- In general people who find GNOME's core values appealing; People who is in search for an elegant and easy way to use their computer.
- Office employees who need a distraction-free and easy environment to work within, 8 hours per day, 5 days a week.
- Designers and graphicians who are more sensitive to aesthetics and have larger needs for good non-distracting visuals when they work.
- Students who need the distraction-free environment so that they can focus and single-task. They also appreciate good integration with cloud-services so that they can collaborate with other students in group projects.
- In general people who find GNOME's core values appealing; People who is in search for an elegant and easy way to use their computer.
What is the GNOME Project?
- GNOME is a way to use your computer. Technically it is a desktop environment but our target group does not necessarily know that term.
Which user needs does the GNOME Project aim to fulfil/create? What is the problem the project is trying to solve?
- GNOME wants to be elegant, visually appealing and minimalistic - creating a good user experience by minimizing distractions. It will NOT appeal to users who wants maximized performance and a lightweight desktop environment. This could for example be gamers who spend more time inside a full-screen application than in the desktop environment itself. Instead, GNOME appeals to users who prioritize the experience and the visuals high. For example because they need to work focused over a longer period in the environment.
- GNOME wants to be easy, intuitive and user-friendly. GNOME is NOT an attempt to reveal all customization options in its GUI - instead GNOME only show what is relevant and easy to understand for the target group to help minimize clutter.
- GNOME wants to go a new way by re-designing the overall user experience from scratch. Users who does not like change or are not willingly to try something new will NOT find GNOME appealing. GNOME is appealing to open-minded users who are ready to try something new.
How do we break through the users' bullshit-filter?
- We provide a trust-worthy thumbnail and use the official GNOME channel.
- We keep the video short and precise.
- We use a precise descriptive title and an interesting and appealing description.
- We give examples of how GNOME's core values affects our target group's casual day.
Which part of the brain do we attempt to satisfy with our ad? Logical? Pleasure?
- I'd say since GNOME majorly is used by people who use it for work, we should try satisfy the logical part. We should give them good logical reasons to try GNOME. The computer works as a tool for our target group and hence GNOME becomes a tool. Even though GNOME plays on visuals, the visuals are designed to have a function - to provide a distraction-free environment our users can keep focus in.
What effort(s) will cause users to search for the video on youtube?
- Perhaps something physical, for example a flyer. If possible spread at our target group's office.
- Perhaps we should tempt users through a QR code. It makes it easy for people to go from spotting something in real life to suddenly being on a youtube page, watching a video.
- Typical exposure. Give existing GNOME users a background which by default promotes GNOME and tempts others to search for it if they see it.
- Put up ads on billboards at local supermarkets with snippets which contain a short url for the video for people to watch.
- Draw GNOME Logo on roads. Perhaps create a contest for GNOME users where participants have to do a public GNOME painting and send it in through World of GNOME.
- Launch 'get.gnome.org' - The page will provide images of GNOME which are easy to install from Windows, Mac or Linux. Could be particularly marketed towards users who are tired of Win8.
2. Product Concept and Target Group Analysis
Select an idea from our video brainstorm and create a mockup / description.
Self-control: Have we taken into account, Functionality, Aesthetics and Content? (CHECK)
Target Group Analysis: Feedback on mockup - based on Functionality, Aesthetics and Content.
- Create/Modify mockup based on target group feedback.
- Perhaps another round of target group analysis.
- Creation of the final product based on knowledge and mockups.