After a 2003 acquisition and restructuring, the company focused all of its efforts around becoming the leading player in the thin computing market... diskless, network-based computers providing unparalleled security and very low cost of ownership. Seeking additional funding for growth in the New York financial markets, the company sought a compelling, yet low-key marketing approach for their pitch. They wanted the presentation to me all about their message, and all about the product, but to be done in such a way that it looked like they hadn't gone to any effort to do it. "We'd like it to look like we just walked into the room, sat down and started chatting, as though all of the stuff, including our products just happened to be there already.  It seemed like an interesting challenge.

We helped develop a conversational marketing approach... the CEO would be interviewed by an industry journalist, and the event would be informal, as though that sort of interview occurred in the Library all the time. The only challenge then was to transform the venue that had been selected, the Celeste Bartos Forum in the New York Public Library, into an intimate studio environment.

We did a site survey of the venue. It is a beautiful, eclectic room which had been loving restored in the 1980's. We took extensive and meticulous digital photos of the room, sampling the style and color of the marble, paint color matches, column detail and carpet color. We then designed the presentation environment, a widescreen rear projection screen, sliding entrance door and overhead treatments to hide lighting instruments and support technologies. We used the samples to create a digital drawing of a facade wall... what the room would have looked like if the original architect designed it to include our set.

After construction evaluation and budgeting, we presented a rendering to the client... the CEO loved it. Our digital files were then scaled up, and printed using an enormous color printer at Warner studios in Burbank. The digital prints were applied to scenic pieces, and assembled to test viability. The set was then carefully wrapped, and shipped along with all of the client's show materials to the Library. After seven hour assembly effort in the Library our set was indistinguishable from the rest of the room. It was so close a match that nearly the entire staff of the library had to come down to see it. Our meeting planner remarked that she had never seen the President of the Library take an interest in any outside event until that day.

We used a local AV vendor for the video and projection, a specialty audio company to install the speaker arrays that were used to overcome the reverberation from the enormous domed ceiling of the room. The lighting rig came from the local office of the scenic company, because we had designed a very specific rig to light the stage to match our drawing, but which had to perfectly hide within the set. Product was positioned throughout the room, and we provided networking support to the servers which would drive the thin clients. The schedule was very tight, and we finished with less than 15 minutes to spare before the clients arrived for rehearsals.

The result? CEO John Kish participated in a 40-minute talk-show format presentation; there was no high-pressure sell, the videos were mostly testimonials from customers and Mr Kish was perfectly at ease, followed by cocktails and hands-on computer demos. The relaxed atmosphere led to extensive conversations with the industry press, and the investor community. Wyse got their funding, and the company now has a 44% U.S. market share, and over 45% annual growth rate in the thin-client category.