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Benjamin Moore Optimizes Customer Engagement With Mobile Publishing

The interactive, high-definition features of tablet technology have provided retailers with an ideal outlet for boosting mobile engagement and purchase intent. Tablet traffic has grown 10 times faster than smartphone traffic, and tablets will account for 10% of total web site traffic in 2014, according to recent findings from Adobe’s Digital Index report.

To keep pace with this trend, best-in-class retailers are releasing tablet-optimized applications equipped with videos, interactive content and behind-the-scenes footage. Benjamin Moore, a notable paint and finishing manufacturer, has implemented several mobile strategies to better serve its time-starved buyers and sales teams.

During the Adobe Digital Publishing Summit, Bob Chin, Manager of Color Engineering and Development for Benjamin Moore, shared the company’s foray into tablet and smartphone publishing, which led to a revival of its overall brand image and merchandising strategies. The event took place May 15, 2012, at the W Hotel in New York City.

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“When you think about painting, you usually feel it’s a chore,” Chin said. “On the other hand, paint is color, and color is passion. Using color effectively and providing inspiration is one of the key ways we connect with our customers.”

That connection — traditionally made with print brochures, catalogues and detailed paint swatches to boost loyalty and sales — became more difficult in an increasingly mobile world, and Benjamin Moore began struggling to remain top-of-mind. “Since consumers had to visit our retail stores to get these materials,” noted Chin, “we wanted to find a way to provide easier access via digital publications.”

By leveraging the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Benjamin Moore released several apps for the Android, iPhone and iPad that offer access to content about the latest interior design and painting trends. As a result, the brand has reinforced its stance as a thought leader in the painting and interior design world, according to Chin. The tablet- and smartphone-optimized apps also provide consumers with instant access to more than 240 color swatches, their complementary colors and other merchandising resources. This strategy increases purchase likelihood as well as total cost of each customer transaction.

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Benjamin Moore’s smartphone and tablet publications include:

·      “Color Capture” (iPhone and Android): This app gives users instant access to Benjamin Moore’s array of paint colors. By taking a picture of real-life colors they encounter, browsers will receive information on the paint color that matches the tone most, and can combine it with matching tones and share selections with friends and family via email, Facebook and Twitter. The app also features a retail store locator as well as inspirational color brochures.

“The screen format for the iPhone app was a challenge,” Chin said, “specifically regarding font size requirements and how people navigate through the app.”

·      “Color Stories” (iPad): This digital publication offers information about and images of the Benjamin Moore color line, showcasing vibrant designs that spotlight color selections and combinations. Customers can tap hues that pique their interest and learn more by rotating their iPad screens into landscape mode.

·      “Color Life” (iPad): As a paid periodical, “Color Life” is a more in-depth version of “Color Stories.” The digital publication offers virtual tours of real-life homes, allowing browsers to see how color can be used, as well as color makeover ideas and best practices from leading interior designers.

·      “Nuance” (iPad): This publication offers detailed, editorial-style articles on interior design trends and best practices that feature Benjamin Moore colors. With interactive slide shows, videos and other compelling information, customers have instant access to inspirational articles, photos and paint numbers.

All apps directly link to the Benjamin Moore e-Commerce site, creating seamless access to inventory and more efficient cross-channel experiences, according to Chin. The strategy “is not an in-app purchase — it exists in the browser — which allows people to put things in their shopping carts and check out from there,” he explained, adding that this approach does not require additional PCI compliance web services on the retailer’s end.

Using Tablets To Educate Sales Teams And Buyers
The Benjamin Moore brand team regularly exhibits at trade shows to increase partnerships with distributors, retailers and other potential sales personnel. The company’s sales teams create a compelling experience for prospects on the show floor by sifting through color selections and marketing materials using an enterprise content viewer on their tablets.

Retailers and contractors have instant access to the portal on their own devices through a unique log in, Chin explained, allowing team members to view and share presentations, product information, training videos, promotions, as well as other information.

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