hello.

designing
a smarter template

At Cadillac over 10 years ago we came up with a plan to create a modular email program that would allow us to pull imagery seamlessly, paired with dynamic copy to create full emails in minutes.

It was my job to create the rules that went with this program. Building a template and standards from scratch. Everything from component name structures to the amount of leading between copy.

Developing a purposeful Mondrian design (derived from the shapes within the Cadillac badge) allowed us to create different unique looking image clusters, while still only sticking to 3-4 image block sizes. This allowed us to cut all of our assets to each size. We named them appropriately, developing an internal library of assets that were ready to use.

This program allowed us to “design” complete emails by just sending over marked up copy docs to our developers.

smarter ways
of targeting & personalizing Dealers

When tasked with thinking of smarter ways to personalize emails, I came up with a time-based approach.

Where we provide real time solutions to your every day problems, through (insert company here).

Ie. Let’s say Kate is a Cadillac owner who goes shopping at the grocery store every Sunday at noon. We know she’s in a smaller Cadillac and that a larger Audi may fit her lifestyle better. We know these facts about Kate from geo data from her cell phone and from various apps she uses. We also know she may be interested in Audi. We have Audi send her an email Sunday later in the day, explaining how trips to the grocery store can be so easy with (insert new Audi vehicle features here: ie, cargo space and grocery hooks).

We then tell her in said email that there is an Audi Dealership X miles away and can either drop off a test driver at her home or they can have it ready on location by the time she gets there. Dealer employee names and contact information would be personalized.

I believe pin pointing smarter ways to use data and purposeful communicate with customers (new, current or old) is the future in CRM and CLM.

It sure beats just using geolocation to tell them its raining where they are at, get your wipers serviced.

EV Program built on learning at your own pace

We all know, and if you don’t you can imagine, getting a new Electric Vehicle comes with tons of questions. How long does it take to charge? How do I even charge it? Can I plug it into my garage outlet?

This program was a successful attempt to give new EV Owners the peace of mind needed with their newly acquired Electric Vehicle. Helpful Information at their pace.

We onboarded them with the immediate EV beginner questions answered. After a week of owning the EV we start to upgrade them from beginner to pro.

We continue communications for over a month, sending them more and more information that is pertinent at the time they receive it. We have an email cadence that pushes them to a landing page that gives them an even deeper dive if they want to learn even more.

GIFs not JIFs

Somehow everywhere I go I end up being the guy who creates all the Illustrations and Icons, along with the one who makes things move. Mr Gif if you will.