The document discusses the marketing role the author played for FileWave, a small global computer software management company. As part of a major rebranding effort for their US launch, the author updated all graphics and information systems, refreshing color palettes and copy. This included an updated Joomla website, brochures, sell sheets, trade show materials, and videos testimonials. The marketing efforts helped FileWave compete for larger customers and challenge competitors.

1. Art direction, copywriting, project management,
social media, PR . . . all part of the Marketing role
I played at FileWave, a small global computer
software management company.
FileWave had been a source for software
management for twenty years, but was known
only in Europe. It was time for a major rebranding
for their United States launch. I updated all the
graphics and information systems, refreshing
the color palettes and giving their copy, a new,
current voice.
This was reflected on an updated Joomla
website that featured a banner “billboard” for
updates and new features.Other brand elements
included an eight page brochure, sell sheets
for the various audiences, trade show signage
and exhibits, white papers and other advertising
and collateral. I expanded their marketing
mix by directing and editing a series of video
testamonials, used on the website and in trade
shows. These tools enabled the sale staff to
compete for larger, more lucrative customers
and to challenge our competitors on a level
playing field.
filewave

2. Building a brand from scratch
One of the biggest challenges of learning a new client or industry
is understanding their unique ‘voice’. The FileWave ‘voice’ targeted
high-tech developers and engineers, as well as IT administrators,
the decision makers, who would implement the software manage-
ment system. It’s a bit of an understatement to say that this ‘voice’
was outside of my comfort zone. However, in a few weeks, I was
talking tech.
Reviewing the FileWave palette was the first step in refreshing the
brand. I replaced the dated dark blue color with a spectrum of cool
grays, which complimented the warm red that was also part of their
corporate identity. The grays also complimented the Apple and
Windows color palettes. This was important since their computers
and devices were depicted in most of FileWave’s marketing.
With a very limited budget, I developed a technical infographic style
that was effective in telling the FileWave story, how it worked as a
management system and how it made the IT administrators role so
much easier.
FileWave corporate brochure:
A study in red and gray - clean,
sophisticated and high-tech.
FileWave is a cross-platform
software, but mirrors the Apple
look and feel.
F I L E W A V E

3. I C O N O G R A P H Y
I implemented our new corporate identity into brochures, sell sheets and our
new Joomla website that featured a sliding banner for updates and product
announcements. Once the basic website was up with new graphics and
copy, I started talking to customers about doing case studies to use on the
site and in our trade show booth. Working with a videographer, I directed and
edited three successful 10-minute videos with our Indianapolis, Fort Wayne
and Mooresville, NC customers that served as strong testamonials to our
product and helped us compete with our much larger competitors. I
developed printed case studies from the videos and utilized social media to
announce the new additions to the website.
I love variety and working as a member of the Filewave team definitely
satisfied my need for wearing lots of hats. I wrote and placed press releases
for every software update as well as doing social media on all updates and
trade shows. It was also my role to write and implement Marketing plans

4. for FileWave and keep the executive staff
updated on project management.
Organizing the first FileWave conference
for customers was a unique challenge that
required day-to-day collaboration with all
members of our staff. I managed the agenda,
the speakers, the keynote presentations, as
well as the logistics of putting on a full-day
event for over 100 people.
During the year and a half that I worked at
FileWave, I stretched myself considerably −
building the FileWave brand from scratch,
adding social media, PR, email and front-end
website design and editing to my growing list
of skill sets and directing a global marketing
plan with minimal budget − working almost
exclusively on my own.
The FileWave website:
The ultimate communication tool. Our site
informed visitors of how the software worked,
what systems that it worked on, when new
updates were available and served as a rallying
point for our user-group. I designed the graph-
ics, wrote the copy, updated and edited news
stories and features and directed and edited the
video testamonials on the site.