Page 285 - Foundations of Marketing

252 Part 3 | Customer Behavior and E-Marketing

RogueSheep’s Postage App: The Postcard of the Future

That 25 -cent postcard in the gift shop may soon become a networking also allows RogueSheep to spread the word about
thing of the past. RogueSheep’s postage application is giv- its Postage app and create buzz around the product.
ing the traditional postcard a run for its money, as it allows To create awareness of the product, RogueSheep uses
users to send a digital postcard to their family members a combination of digital and traditional media, using Web
quickly and efficiently. RogueSheep is a software develop- advertising and traditional magazines like Macworld as pro-
ment and consulting company based in Seattle. Co-founders motional tools. RogueSheep has also encouraged trials of its
Christopher Parrish, Daniel Guenther, Matt Joss, and Jeff Postage app by giving out promotional codes through Twitter
Argast founded RogueSheep as an Adobe Development to enable free trials of its product. In the business realm,
shop. RogueSheep’s Postage app could be used to send postcards
The company specializes in graphics and publishing to remind customers about their products or special events.
software while acting as a consultant to clients with their This application could potentially be customized to be a less
software development projects. One of the company’s most expensive, more impactful business-to-consumer promo-
popular products is its mobile app “Postage,” iPhone’s first tional postcard.
postcard application. The idea for Postage came from a busi- As more and more people become familiar with iPhone
ness conference when Parrish’s business partner wanted to apps, RogueSheep must constantly adapt its products to
send a postcard back to his wife. The founders of RogueSheep anticipate and meet customer needs. Recently, RogueSheep
thought this would make a great iPhone app, and develop- expanded its product offerings with apps like RoseGlobe—
ment of this app began. which allows users to place pictures of their sweethearts in a
For $ 4.99 , iPhone users can purchase the app, choose globe with swirling hearts that move as the iPhone moves—
from more than 90 postcard designs, customize the design and an Instaview app that allows users of the mobile photo
by inserting their own photos, and send the postcard to their sharing application Instagram to show and share these pho-
friends or relatives. Customers can personalize their post- tos on a Mac computer. RogueSheep also offers holiday-
cards by adding effects, rotating or zooming in on the pic- and romance-themed Postage apps for special occasions.
ture, and changing the font or style of the message. What The company regularly investigates new designs for its
takes a few days by regular mail can now take only seconds. digital postcards. By creating a new, efficient way to meet
Connectivity based on digital communication keeps people a consumer need, RogueSheep’s Postage app may sup-
connected in an instant. Social networking sites provide a plant printed materials to become the future of postcards.
way that consumers can connect and express their feelings, The business applications of sending RogueSheep postcards
emotions, and opinions. are unlimited and can be another form of digital marketing.
In the case of the RogueSheep Postage app, it provides RogueSheep’s postage application, like all digital marketing
better and more personalized connections than a traditional activities, should be integrated into a marketing strategy that
postcard. Each pixel of the app’s screens has been designed relates to the target market’s ability and interest in digital
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by RogueSheep designers. RogueSheep has become a major communication.
success in the software design world, winning Apple’s 2009
Design Award. Much of its success likely comes from the Questions for Discussion
great care that RogueSheep puts into its Postage designs. Each
postcard in the app is created by the application designer, and 1. How do you think businesses could effectively use
designs are continually added to give customers a range of RogueSheep postcards in their communications
options to choose from. Additionally, RogueSheep has bro- program?
ken into the social networking world by creating ways that 2. Is it possible for RogueSheep to advance its digital
users can share their customized postcards with friends and postcards to those who do not have access to
followers on Facebook and Twitter. Now that social network- iPhone apps?
ing is more popular for personal communication than e-mail, 3. What are the advantages of the RogueSheep digital
RogueSheep’s app is perfect for social networks. Social postcard over traditional postcards?

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