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SAS - Best Communications Organization

Company: SAS
Company Description: SAS is the world leader in providing software and services that enable customers to transform data from all areas of their business into intelligence. SAS solutions help organizations make better, more informed decisions and maximize customer, supplier and organizational relationships. For more than 25 years SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know®. Visit www.sas.com.
Nomination Category: Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Communications Organization

Nomination Title: SAS Corporate Communications Global


Tell the story about what this nominated functional organization achieved in 2003 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

In 2003, the SAS Corporate Communications Global (CCG) Division embraced six pillars of accountability to strengthen its effectiveness as a communications
organization. Created to guide work and evaluate progress, the pillars characterize
successful communications as being:  integrated, measurable, global, world-
class, and both internally and externally focused.

Taking a fresh look at existing practices, CCG realigned and expanded its focus.
A Marketing Integration Team was created to serve as a client-services arm – a
gateway into CCG’s multifaceted services for other divisions and geographies. A
full-service Video Communications & New Media unit broadened its capabilities
within CCG, providing innovative channels for presenting the company message
through corporate videos, video customer testimonials and interactive Web assets.
The previously separate teams responsible for writing and designing advertising
and marketing collateral combined to become the synergistic Marketing Creative,
organized into teams focused on specialized channels. Further, new strategies
were applied to existing resources:  Spin Cycle, an intranet site for PR pros
worldwide, provides a central resource for company-sanctioned PR materials,
schedules, best practices and pitches; a new advertising Web site provides
internal clients with approved advertising elements and strategy.

Notably, CCG also revisited, and revolutionized, its approach to Web
communications. In an extraordinary first step, the team responsible for internal
and external Web sites became completely independent of IT authority, moving
entirely under CCG’s aegis. Acknowledging that the Internet has surpassed all
other media as the primary source of business-day information, and mindful of a
Web audience that far outnumbers traditional communication channels, CCG
completed the most significant revamp of our Web strategy in company history.
This strategy employs four separate, but interrelated, Web sites (www.sas.com,
http://support.sas.com, www.BetterManagement.com and sww.sas.com) that take
an “outside in” approach to communicating with SAS prospects, customers and
employees.

Our expanded Web strategy opens many innovative avenues pairing relevant
information with target audiences – including integrated print and online
advertising, company- and solution-specific e-newsletters, video and multimedia
assets, personalized e-mail, and live and on-demand Webcasts. Produced entirely
inhouse by CCG, these e-based activities enable us to customize customer
interactions and hone content to meet specific needs.

Because CCG’s work directly supports other functional areas within SAS,
particularly field marketing and sales, measures for success extend beyond
campaigns completed, pages hit and Webcasts viewed. They also include leads
generated, references published, customer satisfaction and, ultimately, revenue.
Well before the year’s end, CCG and its internal customers have been able to
report remarkable success (detailed in section 4):
• 20 marketing activities per month, on average, supported by CCG.
• 144 percent of year-end goal for leads.
• Exceeded annual goal for revenue generated through events by
November.
• Internal and external customer satisfaction rates half a point to a full
point over target.
• 28 percent increase in coverage in targeted top-tier business
magazines.
Feedback from regional sales managers, department heads and offices worldwide
(included in section 4) readily acknowledges the impact CCG is having and the
team’s vital role in the company’s continued success.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]:

SAS Web site: 
http://www.sas.com/

SAS support Web site: 
http://support.sas.com/

BetterManagement.com Web site: 
http://www.bettermanagement.com/

SAS Web site has a new look: 
http://www.sas.com/news/feature/24mar03/site.html

This site’s for you: 
http://www.sas.com/news/sascom/2003q1/column_insidersview.html

SAS enhances commitment to users with launch of customer support center: 
http://www.sas.com/news/preleases/032703/news1.html

SAS customer success stories (some with video enhancements): 
http://www.sas.com/success/customer.html
http://www.sas.com/success/index.html

SAS Webcasts: 
http://www.sas.com/apps/webcast/index.jsp?code

BetterManagement Webcasts: 
http://www.bettermanagement.com/Seminars/Seminar.aspx?LibraryID=7514
http://www.bettermanagement.com/seminars/seminar.aspx?LibraryID=7548

Interactive tours: 
http://www.sas.com/ads/customer

Video-based e-mails: 
http://www.sas.com/images/email/c1180/vmail_m2003_email.htm

Video sidebars: 
http://www.sas.com/news/feature/06oct03/marketmax.html

sas com magazine: 
http://www.sas.com/news/sascom/index.html

SAS e-newsletters: 
http://www.sas.com/news/newsletter/index.html

Samples from corporate compliance marketing campaign: 
http://www.sas.com/corporate/awardappl/aba/sox_dmpackage.jpg
http://www.sas.com/corporate/awardappl/aba/sox_dmbrochures.jpg
http://www.sas.com/corporate/awardappl/aba/sox_cfodmbrochures.jpg
http://www.sas.com/corporate/awardappl/aba/sox_ad.pdf
http://www.sas.com/corporate/awardappl/aba/itsox_ad.pdf
http://www.sas.com/images/email/c1214/vmail_sox1_email.htm
http://www.sas.com/events/webcast/corpgov/index.html

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of this nominated functional organization:

Mike Tindal, senior director of corporate communications, is responsible for
shaping and promoting SAS’ corporate image and message. Coordinating such
channels as employee communications, public relations and advertising to
increase sales and awareness, the former SAS Canada marketing director
embraces a 360-degree view of managing information internally and externally, to
develop strategic communications that align with corporate objectives.

Before joining SAS, Tindal ran the technology practice at one of Canada’s largest
PR agencies. His 20-year career in high-technology marketing includes roles in
sales and marketing with Digital Equipment, Sun Microsystems and SHL
Systemhouse.