| Time | Nick | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 10:10 | SeanDaly | glad you two could make it |
| 10:10 | JT4sugar, perhaps we could start with MIT MarketLab? | |
| 10:11 | i'm afraid i'm unclear what needs to be done / should be done | |
| 10:12 | by the way I finally got to read the Babson report thanks | |
| 10:12 | JT4sugar | Yes, To get a project accepted must write out what we are looking for them to do |
| 10:13 | SeanDaly | will they do case study? make recommendations? |
| 10:13 | what do they usually do? | |
| 10:13 | JT4sugar | Yes and Yes |
| 10:14 | SeanDaly | edu angle or marketing angle? |
| 10:14 | JT4sugar | http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/ex[…]eer-marketlab.php |
| 10:14 | SeanDaly | e.g. I often mull over how to reach teachers and education buyers/principals without advertising |
| 10:15 | wow thanks for that link I understand better | |
| 10:15 | JT4sugar | My sugestion would be Fundraisng and Teacher Awareness Campaign K-12 and College |
| 10:16 | We can schedule Skype call with Tripti for you to get full picture of what they offer then we can draw up what were looking for | |
| 10:17 | SeanDaly | well, I'm not sure fundraising is a tough topic... we haven't even done the basis (500 kits to identified contacts in foundations/corporations) |
| 10:17 | tripti is in program? | |
| 10:17 | JT4sugar | It might not be a tough topic but it would be great to have a fundraising plan to execute |
| 10:18 | Tripti is one of the people that oversees the program | |
| 10:18 | SeanDaly | actually i'd be tempted to ask for much tougher problem: how to market Sugar to OEMs |
| 10:19 | fundraising is like cold-call sales: you define activity, get materials, identify prospects, do the contacting & followup | |
| 10:20 | where they could help is maybe identifying best fit of fund sources | |
| 10:20 | JT4sugar | Whatever you think is most important-I'm sure we could ask for a multi-demensional plan OEM/Fundraising/Teacher awareness-Tripti would be able to tell us if thats possible |
| 10:20 | SeanDaly | e.g. partnerships with tech firms, or outright grants, or CSR programs? |
| 10:21 | another angle is our branding... our strategy is based on putting the "end user application" before the OS, system, and hardware; this is a challenge for many reasons | |
| 10:22 | could be interesting to get feedback concerning our strategy | |
| 10:22 | JT4sugar | They are MIT MBA students so they will be bringing a lot of skills to the table-They may have some good guidance for strategy |
| 10:22 | SeanDaly | insluding labeling program i want to do, and "sugar boots" viral video campaign too |
| 10:23 | JT4sugar | Make the list of all of the above and let's see what the enterprising MBA students are willing to tackle |
| 10:23 | SeanDaly | and of course the challenge of marketing/promotion/PR with no budget :D |
| 10:24 | we could certainly address these issues with possible angles for them to tackle | |
| 10:24 | when is deadline? I guess should speak with Tripti first | |
| 10:25 | JT4sugar | All we need is to draw up the issues for the submittal and it will be presented as a project to choose if chosen we have a short-term Marketing Group |
| 10:25 | Should try to set up call with Tripti this week I believe to get info | |
| 10:26 | SeanDaly | could you set up that call? |
| 10:27 | JT4sugar | Give me some time availability for Wed-Thurs-Fri in EST if possible and I will facilitate call |
| 10:28 | SeanDaly | Thurs-Fri morning EST good for me |
| 10:29 | JT4sugar | Thursday between 11;30est-12:30est alright Friday I will say 9:00est to 12noon est that sound alright |
| 10:29 | SeanDaly | yes sounds good |
| 10:30 | JT4sugar | Will shoot her email today and await a response |
| 10:30 | bernie | lurks |
| 10:30 | SeanDaly | greets bernie lurkily |
| 10:31 | ok maybe we can talk about my idea for XO-1.5 launch | |
| 10:32 | OLPC Association did not respond to my last three e-mails, and OLPC Foundation did hardware-gadget XO-3 launch in which XO-1.5 was mentioned | |
| 10:33 | unfortunately, OLPC media launch skipped education and software | |
| 10:33 | except to say "Linux" (and Windows), just about the worst way to put it | |
| 10:34 | so i would like to launch XO-1.5 since OLPC doesn't want to | |
| 10:34 | and, i would like to do so with Gnome since i consider dual-desktop very useful | |
| 10:35 | useful because: overcomes objection that Sugar disorienting (to grownups that is) | |
| 10:35 | JT4sugar | Who is the Marketing point person for OLPC Association? Is there a way to do a three group conference call to see if we all could do some joint marketing for everyones benefit |
| 10:36 | SeanDaly | useful because: confers value on "desktop" as a switchable choice over underlying OS distro |
| 10:36 | I was communicating with Ed and Rodrigo, but as I say no answer to me last three e-mails | |
| 10:37 | JT4sugar | Have they showed interest in Joint marketing in previous conversations? |
| 10:37 | SeanDaly | I could try calling if i could make a skype call (learning curve) |
| 10:38 | JT4sugar | Just download it and then email me with your skype id and will get you up and running |
| 10:39 | I'm not the most technical person and it was pretty easy for me | |
| 10:39 | SeanDaly | i'm sorry I got confused for Ed i meant Chuck |
| 10:39 | Chuck had shown interest, then stopped responding; in his last mail had said to take it up with Rodrigo who never responded | |
| 10:39 | Ed handles OLPC Foundation side, but never contacts me, i contact him | |
| 10:40 | JT4sugar | If they choose not to we must still push forward but I think it's worth the personal phone call |
| 10:41 | SeanDaly | i agree for all i know my mails went right into their spam containers, although Chuck had initially sounded very positive |
| 10:41 | so i will try to call Chuck & Rodrigo | |
| 10:41 | walterbender | In theory I see Chuck tomorrow... and Rodrigo nexct week... |
| 10:42 | JT4sugar | walterbender, Can you find out what the constraints are what is preventing them from closely working on joint marketing. If we no why not then maybe we can fix it |
| 10:43 | walterbender | I will try (again). |
| 10:43 | SeanDaly | walterbender: would be helpful if you could ask why they lost interest in joint PR... i had written objectives punchlist and long first draft, then total silence, then XO-3 PR which I feel set us back months |
| 10:44 | JT4sugar | If you want to give me their contact numbers I would be happy to make the phone calls to see how we can work together |
| 10:44 | SeanDaly | result, journalists & blogosphere further equate OLPC with vapoware, and no mention of Sugar |
| 10:45 | very demoralizing | |
| 10:46 | my understanding is that fusionproject asked for green light for PR, then OLPC added some info | |
| 10:46 | only one positive development I saw: "1 million" number got out | |
| 10:48 | JT4sugar | SeanDaly, Let's get back to your thoughts on how Sugar can capitalize on XO 1.5 |
| 10:48 | SeanDaly | sure - more recent version of Sugar shows XO platform and Sugar evolving together |
| 10:49 | although I believe they went with v0.84 instead of v0.86 | |
| 10:49 | the keystone would be Sugar logo at boot, but i understand that hasn't happened | |
| 10:50 | A common objection to Sugar is its unusual (compared to office desktop metaphor) interface | |
| 10:51 | it's tough, because like toys, marketing has to go through parents (teachers) | |
| 10:51 | and grownups often forget that what is hard for them can be easy for kids | |
| 10:51 | anyway, Gnome dual desktop eliminates that objection | |
| 10:52 | it also shows "evolution" in the XO beyond hardware tech specs | |
| 10:53 | the XO remains our largest installed base | |
| 10:53 | also, where brand awareness of distros and desktops are weak, that of OLPC is strong | |
| 10:53 | JT4sugar | We need to push the idea of Sugar "It's a Learning to Learn interface' and Gnome desktop allows for all your office desktop needs |
| 10:54 | SeanDaly | i have met many, many people who jave heard of project if assisted with phrases "$100 laptop" or "wind-up laptop" |
| 10:54 | JT4sugar | The dual desktop feature is a good story to tell "Best of Both Worlds" Learning on one side-Business efficiency on the other if you like |
| 10:55 | Someone just said to me this weeked 'Oh the laptop with the crank" | |
| 10:55 | SeanDaly | actually the angle I think could work is the multiple-user angle - kids use Sugar at school & home, older kids or grownups use Gnome at home |
| 10:56 | i think edu aspect better than talking business | |
| 10:57 | we are hampered by Gnome and KDE obscurity - the great majority of regular folks i.e. nongeeks have no idea what a "desktop" is | |
| 10:57 | walterbender | SeanDaly: I need to run, but I will try to convey all of this to Chuck tomorrow and Rodrigo next week. |
| 10:58 | SeanDaly | many thanks! I've been very deeply disappointed by the XO-3 PR and its coverage... could have gone much better for both OLPC and SL if some coordination |
| 11:00 | JT4sugar | walterbender, Good luck with the message I hope it gets through! |
| 11:01 | SeanDaly | i will have to run too |
| 11:01 | many thanks JT4sugar i think marketLab well worth effort to try | |
| 11:02 | JT4sugar | SeanDaly, There is good anecdote on this blog that speaks to your Student/Parent scenario might want to include in PR http://olpc-ceibal.blogspot.com/ |
| 11:02 | SeanDaly | thanks for link will check it out |
| 11:03 | JT4sugar | I wiil cc you on email to Tripti and wait for response |
| 11:03 | SeanDaly | i was thinking Feb 3rd might be good PR day, since that day i will be speaking in Paris to CSR reps from major French corporations with OLPC France |
| 11:03 | they are starting the day with a press conf | |
| 11:04 | and, OLPC France has at least one XO-1.5 to show | |
| 11:04 | have to run now thanks JT4sugar | |
| 11:05 | JT4sugar | SeanDaly, Have a good day! |
| 11:05 | SeanDaly | #endmeeting |