While summer doesn’t officially start for another month, Kontera Israel just couldn’t wait to take advantage of the great weather! We recently left work a little early to head to the Hof Hanechim beach, just a five minute drive from the office.  Once there, we shared some great food, played backgammon, Frisbee, paddle ball, and took in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

It was a great opportunity to bond and unwind, and while it was a little late in the day to work on a tan, we enjoyed the quality time on the beach with our colleagues!

Shira, can you tell us a little bit about your start at Kontera, and how that related to CPG?

When I came onboard in January 2010, my background was more on the advertiser side. I had spent the previous ten year at ad agencies, working specifically on CPG brands such as Unilever and L’Oreal. So a big part of my goal when I got here was to help grow our CPG business. 

It started off slow and steady, we did have test buys with a Kraft and General Mills, but I don’t think we had our first big break until 18 months in with Proctor and Gamble. It was an 18 month process of building relationships, educating about Kontera, and getting that first buy to prove Kontera works.

Because Kontera’s technology is so innovative it is a harder sale than most, but once clients get it and are comfortable enough to make a buy, the proof is in the results. Take for instance the Dimestore Study we ran with Kraft and Country Time Lemonade that showed a 54% lift in Purchase Intent when using Kontera as part of the media mix.

How does your background in advertising inform your current job?

Because I come from the agency side, I kind of know their day to day. I know what their challenges are, how there’s 1,000 of me to the 1 of them, so it’s about making sure you stand out. That’s why when I go in for a meeting; I know I need to make it as impactful as possible.

Also because I came from the strategic planning part of the agency side, I bring that experience to the table when I am meeting with my clients or putting together a proposal. I’m not just reacting, I’m thinking about what solutions we can provide to their business problems. I think that’s an advantage I have over other sellers who don’t have the agency background.

For instance, when you’re talking about CPG, you’re not talking about a high end item like a flat screen TV or a car– you’re talking about a $5 bottle of shampoo. Especially in this economic situation, their business challenge is representing the value of that shampoo to the consumer. Without the perspective of working on the agency side, you’re a lot more likely to pitch strategies that are not aligned with that advertiser’s needs.  At the end of the day, it’s all about selling a bottle of shampoo.

What is your day to day schedule like at Kontera?

I have a team of 4 Account Executives and my day to day is really about supporting them. They all have their own list of clients to call on, and the nice thing about it is we’re not split up by vertical, we’re split up by agency, so each one of them has a CPG brand that they work with.

It’s my job to go on meetings with them, provide insight, and be a strategic leader that helps them grow professionally. Additionally, I help provide coverage.

On the other side, I also help Scott Lareau, our Regional Vice President, with  forecasting and managing the business in the East; making sure we are looking at the best opportunities and refocusing on the top 25 accounts. Additionally, I keep in contact with members of the executive team on things like our product road map. The AE’s really need to focus on their accounts, and it’s up to me to have a more holistic view of Kontera, and share that big picture information, when I think it’s needed.

What kind of feedback do you hear back about Kontera from CPG Advertisers?

That we’re innovative, they love our creative solutions, and that it’s customizable; not a one size fits all type of buy. Customer service is huge, so they love the fact that we’re easy to work with, and that when we say we’re going to get things to them, we do.

CPG is all about ROI, so our ability to prove insights and analytics is a big deal. In 2012 we’re greatly expanding the reporting and metrics we provide to our advertising partners, meaning aside from the standard CTR, we can now also back up the proof of effectiveness with real time data.

What about your job do you enjoy?

I like talking, sales is a lot about talking (laughs). It’s also a lot about relationships and what I loved about my job, even dating back to when I worked on the agency side, was one on one relationship building and sharing my excitement over a new product.

There’s also something really rewarding about after working on it day in and day out, that moment when you do land a big account. When you step back and realize, wow, my hard work really did pay off and in such a big way, it makes me that much more excited and competitive about going after the next big account.

How did you get into advertising originally?

It was kind of a fluke; I studied business administration, with a concentration in marketing and international business. My school didn’t even have a focus on advertising. What happened was a friend that was working in advertising offered to set up an interview for me and I thought “yeah, I’ll give it a try and see what happens”. I started with Ogilvy & Mather, one of the more respected agencies, and I ended up falling in love with it. So it was by pure coincidence, I had no idea that there was such a world as advertising or sales. When I first started there was no digital, it was just print, TV, and radio, so it’s really cool to see how much it’s changed.

So you were pretty much there from the beginning?

I was there from the beginning, I was there in 2000 when the first internet boom happened and then busted, and was there when it came back around and people were being more skeptical because of that prior experience. Look, when I was a freshman in college there was no e-mail… there was no instant messaging, the World Wide Web was like a Unix account, you know what I mean? So it’s really just amazing to see how much it has evolved and to see the pace that’s it gone in is insane compared to traditional platforms like TV and print.

What I liked and attracted me to Kontera was that it is a technology company, and there’s that underlining technology that we’re always looking to improve. So unlike other internet startups that we’ve seen come and go, that didn’t have a foundation, I think there’s a real vision with what we do, with our Synapse Engine. The fact we put so much time into it, and the fact we’re constantly evolving and changing it, evolving with our consumer needs, to me just shows us that we’re going in the right direction.

Where do you see CPG going online in the next couple of years?

From everything I’ve read and just from the growth we’ve seen internally with our CPG partners, they’re definitely invested. Digital is huge, they know from their own consumer insights that their consumers are digitally savvy.  So they have to be there.

I think what digital advertising offers CPS advertisers is its instantaneous. They can make changes on the fly as opposed to when you place a spot on a TV schedule; you’re kind of stuck with it. Or print for example, if you’re looking to be in the November issue of Glamour Magazine, you have to book that two months out – even if something happens in the interim, you’ve already committed the dollars. So I think digital is something that can be impactful pretty quickly and knowing that their consumers are in the space and if they’re not there, their competition is going to be there and get to them first.

From all the trade articles that I’m reading, CPG digital spending is only going to continue increasing in 2012.

With Detroit’s auto industry on the rebound, General Motors named Carat as their exclusive global media buyer, a contract that will bring around 200 jobs to downtown Detroit.  To show our appreciation for GM’s continued partnership with Kontera, as well as to officially welcome Carat into the Motor City, we recently hosted a special breakfast at the agency’s new offices at One Detroit Center.

The delicious meal included a full omelet bar, oatmeal pancakes, oven roasted sausages, and a variety of muffins and refreshments. It was a great chance to connect with friends both old and new, and all the feedback we heard was amazingly positive.

Congratulations Carat – we look forward to working together in the future

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it

Kontera UK couldn’t have been more excited to have hosted a ski holiday March 22nd-25th in Chamonix, in the gorgeous French Alps. Joining us were some of our valued partners from the ad agencies Profero, Starcom Global, and MEC; who represent a few of our top Automotive, Business, and Telecom accounts in Europe.

We all stayed in a luxury penthouse apartment in the town centre and had a lovely roof top terrace with hot tub (great for a post ski soak to ease our tired muscles). Meanwhile on the slopes, MEC Digital Trading Director Tim Pearce and Kontera’s own Laura Carveley were definitely the most competitive of the beginners. Tim in particular had never skied before, and left completely addicted, saying the experience changed his life!

Below is some great footage of Tim, Laura, and Ana Pak of Starcom Global tearing it up on the beginner’s slopes.

Our thanks to Ten80 Events for putting together this memorable trip!

When you go into the office and see that Super Mario is doing your accounting, that’s a pretty good indication that the calendar has arrived at Purim. Or Halloween… but you get the point.

Kontera Israel celebrated the festive holiday by draping the hallways in balloons, snacking on delicious homemade hamantashen, the traditional three cornered pastry treat, and working in full costume. The creative outfits on display included Dora the Explorer, a masked swashbuckler, Pocahontas, and a fairy princess.

Below are some more great pictures from the party, and you can revisit Kontera’s Purim past, here and here.

Happy Purim, everybody!

Kontera was proud to have been selected as one of the Israeli online media companies to participate in the 2012 Media-Tech Innovation Road Show in New York City. We were chosen based on our technological innovation and leadership in the online media space. As part of the Road Show, Kontera presented our roster of new, innovative products to senior Media and Entertainment executives. The Road Show was capped off with a cocktail reception featuring a keynote address by Don Sperling, Vice Present of the World Champion NY Giants.

The event was organized by the U.S. Israel Business Council (USI) and the Government of Israel Economic Mission to North America. It was set up to foster business relationships between American investors and senior industry executives and 15 of the highest profile Israeli startups.

Kontera’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, Laurie Barlev, briefed executives on Kontera’s Synapse Platform, our full suite of products, as well as our exciting new developments in Mobile and Social products. The response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and provided us with an opportunity to exchange ideas with other leaders in online media.

Our thanks to the USI and the Government of Israel Economic Mission to North America for putting this great event together!

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?”

-  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

For the second year in a row, Kontera’s New York office helped celebrate the legacy and message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in the 2012 MLK Day of Service. MLK Day of Service provides an opportunity for individuals to come together to serve their neighbors and communities. The Kontera team worked with the Jersey Cares Organization to paint murals and make “I Have a Dream” Mobiles.

We were assigned to The Anthony J. Infante School – PS 31 in Jersey City, New Jersey; an inclusive primary school with 7 special education classes, 6 early childhood classes, 3 kindergarten, 2 first grade and 1 second grade class. Their staff is student centered with a mission that includes providing effective strategies that allow students to reach their goals. The earlier you can reach a child the better, and by providing students with the right building blocks, the school is able to start them on a successful path.

Once we received painting instructions from the program leaders we grabbed our tools and started to paint. We painted murals in the lunch room and touched up existing murals in the hallways. Some members of the team also began working on the “I Have a Dream” Mobiles which seemed a bit complicated at first but they figured it out.

The school’s principal was excited at the level of commitment and support from Kontera and the community as these are changes they could not make without it. According to Kontera Account Executive Sara Press, the enthusiasm was mutual.

“It was a lot of fun to both bond with the team and give back to the community. I really enjoyed knowing that we were helping out those who are less fortunate and know they would have been very excited when they went to school the next day back. It was extremely rewarding!”

If you are interested in learning more about Jersey Cares and their volunteer opportunities please visit www.jerseycares.org.

This was one party the Motor City was especially revved up for.

Kontera is proud to have sponsored the 7^th annual 313Digital Auto Show VIP Party, an exclusive event for over 150 Detroit digital advertising professionals held at South Bar in Birmingham. Aside from great music, fine food, and welcome company, the party was a fundraiser for such worthy 313 Digital’s Community Outreach programs as Project Click, Motor City Blight Busters, and Goodfellows of Detroit.

It was a memorable night out and Kontera couldn’t have been happier to be a part of it!

We were also on hand for the industry only preview of the Detroit Auto Show January 11-12. The North American International Auto Show as it’s officially known, is the largest American trade show of its kind, drawing about 750,000 people per year. It’s attended by nearly every major car brand and this year included either new product introductions or new concept introductions from such Kontera advertisers as Ford, Chevy, Volvo, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Honda, Lexus, Toyota, and Buick.

2011 was the best year for Automotive sales since 2008, and with the economical recovery finally reaching the driver’s seat, there was definitely an elevated level of excitement in the air. Manufactures were offering more variety, such as how the 2013 Ford Fusion has several different hybrid options, and luxury cars were more prominently featured.  Porsche, which had taken several years off from the show returned, and other luxury vehicles like the two door, Acura NSX were surprise hits.

Our stay at NAIAS was capped with the 2012 Charity Preview gala, a rich tradition which offers the first public look at the show and since 1976 has raised $84 million dollars for local children’s charities. It’s a black tie event that’s affectionately called “the auto prom”, and Kontera Strategic Accounts Managers Michael Gellar and Kristin Socha looked sharp in represented us. The entertainment was provided by the Selected of God Choir, who backed Eminem in his famous “Lose Yourself” Chrysler Super Bowl commercial, and the choir sounded just as powerful in person.

Definitely a great kick off for what’s shaping up to be another big year for Automotive!

If you’ve ever wanted to see behind the curtain of Kontera innovation, now’s your chance.

We’re pleased to announce the launch of the Kontera Engineering Blog, a new platform for Kontera’s R&D Department to share what they’re working on. Whether it’s porting one of our core services to Ruby, explaining how to speed up environmental load time in development mode, or showing how JavaScript functions as a MindMap; with each post a different member of the team invites you into their online classroom.

For programmers, or those just interested in learning more, it’s definitely a must read!

First up is Kontera’s East Region Team. The festivities started at the NY Office with a fun gift exchange often known as “Yankee Swap” or “White Elephant”. Each person drew a number (higher is usually better) which determined the order they selected gifts. During each person’s turn they could select from a table of unopened wrapped gifts or they could take a recently opened gift from another person which created fun and entertaining interactions between colleagues.

Later the team headed to El Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant known for their steak nachos and margaritas. Kontera President, Hal Muchnick said a few words to the team reflecting on the year and thanking them for their hard work. The team then headed to The Spot Karaoke Lounge for a night of singing, laughter and more laughter.

One of the highlights of the night was when members of the team did their rendition of Backstreet Boys’ song ‘I Want It That Way’. It was a night not to be forgotten.

Next up, Kontera San Francisco kicked off the holidays with the gift that keeps on giving…Snuggies! The Snuggies come at a perfect time; the weather is getting colder and the air conditioning keeps coming on when there’s even a hint of sun streaming thru the windows.

Leaving our Snuggies safely tucked away in the office, the SF gang made their way over to Oola Lounge to toast another great year. The cheese was plentiful as well as the good cheer.

Meanwhile the Central team celebrated the Holidays at David Burke’s Primehouse in downtown Chicago.  Visiting dignitaries included Hal and Kontera CEO Yoav Shaham.  The team enjoyed many bone-in filets, scotches, martinis and some fine Jordan Cabernet as we exchanged gifts in another white elephant lottery.  Hal lost his lottery tickets repeatedly in the gift cycle process!  Here’s a picture of the team back in the holiday decorated office.

Over at Kontera Israel offices, the first night of Chanukah is what was being celebrated. After lighting the candles, everyone joined in singing a couple of traditional holiday songs, before digging into a fresh assortment of donuts and potato latkes. It was so much fun; we all agreed to do it 8 times!

Last but not least, our London office kicked off their festivities by awarding MVP of the year to Agency Sales Manager, Laura Carveley. Congrats Laura! Next the team had dinner at the iconic bistro Quaglinos, before heading out to the cocktail bar Mahiki, where the party continued on into the early hours.

It might have taken five different parties on three different continents, but we managed to get all of Kontera into the holiday spirit. With our batteries recharged, we look forward to taking on 2012, and delivering brand new wins to our Advertising and Publisher partners.

Happy Holidays everybody!