IBM “Replicant”

IBM has a large range of mainframe-inspired Intel servers, called BladeCenters, but IBM was being overlooked by many IT decision makers who were in the market for mission-critical-ready servers. Because it was largely known for its large yet reliable mainframe systems, yet its experience at the high end of mission-critical capability combined with its reputation for reliability really differentiated IBM, nobody in the market seemed to know. To get the message out there, it first had to reach a notoriously loyal and sceptical IT audience, then to cut through. So the idea to win this audience over was to sell the reliability of IBM mainframe in an Intel box. A 3D replica, one-third the size of an IBM BladeCenter Intel server, was created, complete with moving parts and printed with copy explaining the benefits of each part. Pull-out boxes and blades also demonstrated how each part made the server highly reliable and mission-critical ready.

Agency: Ogilvy&Mather Asia Pacific, Australia.