Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders

In 2021, the average person was estimated to encounter between 6000 and 10 000 ads every single day. And, with eyes more glued to screens than ever before, digital marketing, finding its way to us via smartphones and computers, accounts for a great deal of that ad consumption. Customers are constantly bombarded with messaging telling them to “buy now,” but in increasingly crowded markets of near-identical competitors, how can you convince them to not just “buy now,” but buy *you.* That’s where brand (your company’s unique identity and reputation) comes in.

This week’s guest, Dux Raymond Sy, is a brand expert who will help unpack the advantages of building brand into your business strategy. Dux is the Chief Brand Officer at AvePoint, a NASDAQ listed company under the symbol AVPT. Founded in 2001, AvePoint is the largest independent software vendor of SaaS data solutions for Microsoft 365 and they migrate, manage and protect data in Google, Microsoft Cloud, SharePoint, and Salesforce, optimizing SaaS operations and secure collaboration.

In this episode, Dux describes the differences between marketing strategy and branding strategy, how AvePoint is establishing their brand based on customer confidence, and the digital marketing shifts he has seen in the SaaS space coming out of the pandemic.

Show Notes

Summary:

In 2021, the average person was estimated to encounter between 6000 and 10 000 ads every single day. And, with eyes more glued to screens than ever before, digital marketing, finding its way to us via smartphones and computers, accounts for a great deal of that ad consumption. Customers are constantly bombarded with messaging telling them to “buy now,” but in increasingly crowded markets of near-identical competitors, how can you convince them to not just “buy now,” but buy you. That’s where brand (your company’s unique identity and reputation) comes in.

This week’s guest, Dux Raymond Sy, is a brand expert who will help unpack the advantages of building brand into your business strategy. Dux is the Chief Brand Officer at AvePoint, a NASDAQ listed company under the symbol AVPT. Founded in 2001, AvePoint is the largest independent software vendor of SaaS data solutions for Microsoft 365 and they migrate, manage and protect data in Google, Microsoft Cloud, SharePoint, and Salesforce, optimizing SaaS operations and secure collaboration.

In this episode, Dux describes the differences between marketing strategy and branding strategy, how AvePoint is establishing their brand based on customer confidence, and the digital marketing shifts he has seen in the SaaS space coming out of the pandemic.

Highlights:
  • From poser to pro: Dux’s journey to brand and marketing (03:21)
  • Dux unpacks brand vs. marketing and the characteristics of a memorable brand (06:59)
  • Dux describes AvePoint’s history and purpose (08:35)
  • How to approach brand management across cultures in a global company (11:27)
  • How AvePoint adapted to Covid-19 conditions (12:26)
  • Dux’s take on the long term impacts of the pandemic on brand and marketing (15:51)
  • Dux explain AvePoint’s new #SaaSInStyle campaign (18:05)
  • How AvePoint is diversifying their offering (22:17)
  • Why B2B SaaS companies should be looking to market on non-traditional Platforms (24:22)
  • Wrap Up (26:25)
Links:

ICR Twitter
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Website
Dux Raymond Sy LinkedIn
Dux Raymond Sy Website
Dux Raymond Sy Twitter
AvePoint Website
AvePoint LinkedIn

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, andrew@lowerstreet.co.

What is Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders?

In the increasingly crowded and competitive corporate and financial ecosystem, it’s harder than ever for companies to break through the clutter and be heard. The media, investors, agenda-driven influencers, even customers and competitors, are defining your business story on their terms. Therefore, it is imperative that companies take control and proactively drive the conversation with stakeholders in an effort to build & maintain equity value.

In Welcome to the Arena from ICR, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of ICR, Tom Ryan, interviews key business and financial players who influence the fate of public or aspiring public companies in the capital markets. As a former Wall Street Journal ranked sell-side equity analyst and the founder of one of the largest strategic communications firms in the world, Tom understands what it takes to navigate this complex environment.

This is a forum for CEOs, CFOs, institutional investors, sell-side analysts, financial journalists, private equity professionals and other financial community participants to share their stories and give advice in an open and candid conversation.

For more information, visit http://www.icrinc.com