Digital Assets Compenents Good

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Executive White Paper
Building a Business Case for

Digital Asset Management
A guide for professionals in corporate IT and marketing operations
How DAM reduces the cost and cycle times for managing and
distributing content in a collaborative workflow environment
DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH
LICENSED FOR WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION

TOC
Building a Business Case

for Digital Asset Management
A guide for professionals in corporate IT and marketing operations
PAGE CONTENTS
3 What is the business case for DAM in Content Marketing?
4 What types of digital files should management consider putting into an asset repository?
5 What distinguishes various types of digital assets?
6 What makes a computer file into a digital asset?
7 What is an enterprise asset repository?
8 What are the key functions of DAM to assist with marketing operations?
9 What are the key elements of workflow in a DAM?
10 What ROI payback model illustrates many of the difficult-to-quantify benefits of an IT investment, specifically DAM?
11 What differentiates the typical ROI for enterprise, departmental, workgroup, and desktop solutions?
12 What is one of the largest and most overlooked costs of a marketing operation?
13 What constitutes a marcom supply-chain?
14 What type of system will a firm need to automate the global delivery of marketing materials, sales presentations, and training to field staff and partners?
15 What is a multimedia presentation center?
16 What constitutes an enterprise solution for unlocking the value of digital assets?
17 How can activity-task automation speed final-form marketing content to market and lower costs, unlocking the full value of multipurposed digital assets?
18 How can the automation of just 18 common activities in marketing, production, sales, and training save $1,604,602 per year?
19 How can an agency account manager serving a large firm locate an ad spot, acquire client approval, and send it to production, saving $168,360 per year?
20 How can a marketing manager in a large firm acquire stock images and publish them to an extranet portal and corporate website, saving $32,760 per year?
21 How can a rights management specialist in a large firm clear all rights for ad footage used in a regional market, saving $252,480 per year?
22 How can a marketing manager in a large firm speed the distribution of media kits worldwide, using automation and web-based self service, saving $116,885 per year?
23 How can an inside salesperson in a large firm rapidly acquire sales presentations and videos for an online sales pitch meeting, saving $29,899 per year?
24 Who helped produce this white paper? Who is GISTICS? Who is WoodWing?
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G I STICS | EXE CUTIVE WH ITE PA PER S ER IES | C o nte nt M ar ket i n g 2

WHITE PAPER | Building a Business Case for Digital Asset Management Developed in
collaboration with

VISIT
What is the business case for DAM in Content Marketing?
BUSINESS CASE The markets include: For these reasons, many IT executives from media,
• Consumer products entertainment and publishing recommend that their
We define a business case as an investment analysis counterparts in general industry outsource media
that justifies a purchase decision. • Entertainment (movies, music, games)
DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

• Financial services technologies whenever possible, securing a hosted
We add to this basic definition the idea of a solution content service with strong service level agreements
• Pharmaceutical and life sciences
lifecycle, or the total estimated costs of buying and and a proven track record for serving global
• Telecommunications marketing operations.
using a solution, and in this case before us, a portal
for distributing marketing content to field operations. Activity automation. DAM media services portals
automated dozens of activities and tasks that TIME TO PAYBACK
For reasons detailed in this paper, we assert that marcom groups and field operations would have to
an DAM media services platform speeds the The complete case for content services portals
perform. These activities and tasks include: should answer one key question: how long does it
distribution of content marketing programs—eBooks,
• Find a presentation take a content services portal to payback its total
infographics, presentations, and sales trainings—to
market. General benefits include: • Locate and place product images into investment?
presentations
Prime-time hour savings. DAM media services • Acquire and place corporate logos of partners and GISTICS research of more than 1,000 marketing
platforms reduce or eliminate many account prospects into a presentation operations reveals more or less equivalent value
development activities and tasks: (activities automated, days gained in time to market,
• Update an individual slide or page in presentations
• Preparation of presentations improved relations with field operations and partners)
• Acquire images from an ad agency among a variety of DAM media services platforms
• Development of proposals • Localize a Web promotion or ad secured as a outsourced service, deployed as an
• Assembly of promotional flyers and ads • Acquire royalty-free video footage in-house departmental system, or deployed as
• Transferring multimedia explanations to resellers enterprise content management systems.
and partners DAM media services portals not only automate these
and dozens more activities, these portals enable Irrespective of their deployment status, content
This means that field executives can “reinvest” time a host of self-service capabilities for partners and services portals for marketing deliver tremendous
savings into more strategic work: account planning, customers around the world at any time of day. value.
new business development, and face-to-face
interactions. Media technologies. Content services portals rely The total lifecycle cost analyses show that hosted
on complex, rapidly evolving technologies: DAM media services platforms cost 50 percent of a
Cycle time gains. DAM media services platforms • Imaging servers deployed in-house departmental system and will pay
reduce the time and effort it takes to distribute • Multi-format playout servers back their investment in half the time.
marketing materials, selling images, presentations,
and sales trainings to field operations. GISTICS • Search engines Enterprise systems for managing marketing content
benchmarks reveal that DAM media services • Specialized databases can handle tens and hundreds of thousands of users
platforms can chop five to 15 days off a global rollout. • Video ingest tools and cost four times more than departmental systems
and seven times more than hosted services.
In markets characterized by short product lifecycles, Media, entertainment and publishing firms have long
aggressive competitive, seasonal marketing invested in these and related media technologies. Which should you choose? A good business
windows, and promotional partnerships, cycle time Their chief technology officers will attest that media requirements study, such as those conducted
improvements of just one or two days translate into technologies evolve faster than typical IT systems; by GISTICS, will reveal trade-offs and criteria for
$10 to $20 million in incremental profit. the complexity of media technologies requires highly determining your own best solution strategy. That
specialized and generally scarce labor resources. said, DAM media services platforms make sense for
many, many firms.
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VISIT
What types of digital files should management consider putting into an asset repository?
ALL THE BITS FIT TO PRINT OR DISPLAY MULTIMEDIA FOUR CONDITIONS

Senior management should consider any digital file Multimedia consists of PowerPoint presentations, Any reusable file may exist in any of four conditions:
(or digitized image) that a field-marketing executive animations, video clips, audio MP3s or podcasts, final-form PDFs, use-as-is media parts (photos

would appreciate seeing or using as a good and ready-to-use HTML/XML pages and support or images formatted for a particular medium
candidate for storing in a digital asset repository. The graphics. and dimension or recorded audio files), editable
figure below depicts the four general categories of documents or media files (PowerPoint presentations,
marketing materials and the four states or conditions Word documents, Photoshop images, etc.), and
in which most brand resources exist. source digital assets (from which all marketing
materials derive).
BRAND IMAGES
ANY DIGITAL DOCUMENT OR REUSABLE FILE THAT MARKETING MIGHT USE IN A COLLABO-
Brand images consist of the most visible and, RATION WITH AD AGENCIES, PR FIRMS, FIELD SALES, OR CHANNEL PARTNERS
therefore, the most important type of brand resources
to manage. These images may include logos and
wordmarks, trademarks, product photos, and
illustrations—any of which may cost $500 to $20,000
to recreate if lost or misplaced. However, inconsistent BRAND IMAGES PACKAGING
brand-voice remains the greatest cost of not finding
the right brand image. • Logos & Final form • CAD drawings
COLLATERAL wordmarks materials • Instructions
• Product photos • Labels
Collateral consists of ready-to-print brochures,
datasheets, direct mailers, and newsletters. • Illustrations • Regulated copy
Re-use “as is”
PACKAGING media parts
Packaging includes artwork for a box or carton as
well as ready-to-print use instructions, labels, and
MarcomAssetTypes.1.5 ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.

shipping containers. A consumer brand marketer Editable
would add CAD drawings and artwork for point-of-
purchase displays and merchandising aids. documents
COLLATERAL & media parts MULTIMEDIA
• Brochures • Animations
• Data sheets • Audio MP3s
• Direct mailers Source • Presentations
• Newsletters digital • Video clips
assets • Webinars
MARCOM DIGITAL ASSET REPOSITORY

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VISIT
What distinguishes various types of digital assets?
INVENTORY OF DIGITAL ASSETS

A digital asset management strategy optimizes the creation, use, reuse, and reexpression of the following types of digital objects.

ASSET TYPE DESCRIPTION SOURCES UNITS OF WORK COMMENTS
EDUCATION Online courseware optimized for the Lectures, courseware, classroom
• Database-served: Web pages, PDFs • UXs optimized to learning modalities
connative and cognitive abilities of discussions, hyperlinks, lab • Rights management: Royalties,
ASSETS individual students; often represents notes, footnotes, annotated • Streaming: Audio, video, animation
attributions, institutional rights, and
compound media and knowledge bibliographies, interviews, • Shared objects:2D/3D visualizations clearances
objects audio and video recordings • Discussion: Teleconference, threaded • Hotspots: English as a second language
postings, live chat (ESL) curriculum teaching, brand
management, and technical systems
support
INFORMATION Rows and columns of structured data Production data systems of • Customer records: Transactions, cases • Prerequisites of database hygiene and
conditioned and engineered for secure record, data warehouses, and • Product data: Sales histories, forecasts, trained information users
ASSETS presentation through a browser database information services pricing, inventories • Robust data typing schema (XML)
• Management information: Budgets, etc.
• Subscriptions, web analytics, etc.
IT ASSETS Assets including computing and MIS/IT departments of the • Metadata DAM solutions for IT assets:
communications equipment, installed firm as well as SaaS accounts • Installed or configured IT • Configuration management
software, capitalized professional or co-located equipment • Service-level agreements and policies • Policy management
services, systems and software • Update management and version control
configurations, warranty coverage, etc.
KNOWLEDGE Collections of unstructured data Knowledge workers throughout • Digital formats: CAD files, eDocs, PDFs, • Identification and retrieval of only useful
in digital formats (binary large the firm and its value chain spreadsheets, email, WP files, scanned materials
ASSETS objects, BLOBs) and physical formats of suppliers, distributors, and images, slide presentation files, web pages • Searching the contents of digital files
(mechanical devices, models, props) affiliates • Physical formats: artwork, artifacts, • Digitization and characterization of
business records, letters, faxes, material; application of metadata
manuscripts, sheet music, maps, drawings, • Rights and permissions management
movies, stills, film props, costumes
MEDIA Components used in brand resources Designers, producers, authors, • Ads: Online, broadcast, CATV, print • Reusability of media across multiple media
(ads, brochures, Web sites), and developers of print, • CD, DVD, cassettes • Cross-platform compatibility
ASSETS publications, and entertainment broadcast, online, and media- • Publications: Online, print, eBook
products (music, voice, video) based products or services
SOCIAL Digital files or packets that mediate

Conversations or • Messages • Unified messaging systems
correspondence by telephone, • Threaded discussions • Multimodal Search: Voice mining, audio
ASSETS or facilitate person-to-person email, fax, or SMS pattern recognition, semantic patterns
communications, live or time-shifted
(store and forward)
SOFTWARE Reusable pieces of software MIS/IT professionals, • Software objects, including source code • Standards-based development
programming (objects), class libraries, contractors, software vendors, • Class libraries and frameworks • Reusability: Design spec for
CODE ASSETS programming frameworks, lines of and open source user groups • Programming tools and utilities “maintainability” (minimum
legacy programming instruction, and • Integrated development environments documentation as to function)
automation scripts • Incentives, design rules, and version-
control practices
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VISIT
What makes a computer file into a digital asset?
ENGINEERED FOR REUSE AND REEXPRESSION several important concepts about the reuse of digital metadata for digital documents and data sets. It
assets. facilitates the creation of digital masters. It provides a
A thorough audit of the digital files that a firm creates powerful and extensible way of embedding metadata
reveals that only a small percentage of those files While only a small percentage of all creative work

in files. This platform allows one party to copy a
have a reasonable potential for reuse. warrants the investment to create digital assets, most digital master to a second party, enabling recipients
corporations do not realize the economic benefits to get the file and embedded metadata in a way
Yet GISTICS’ research of thousands of media- of reusing those few masterworks they could easily
producing firms reveals that the systematic reuse that their business systems or asset repositories can
commission each year. immediately recognize and import.
of preexisting media and related digital objects can
significantly reduce costs, errors that necessitate The figure also illustrates key concepts of a digital
reworks and make-goods, and time-to-market asset. A digital master
cycles. represents a multipurpose HOW PROFILED MASTERWORKS BECOME DIGITAL MASTERS AND
reusable digital file with FINANCIAL ASSETS
For a few firms, an enterprise-wide reuse strategy embedded metadata
hinges on a particular type of digital asset—the digital derived from four systems
master. or tools: Authoring tools Business
As the name suggests, it represents a file on which • Authoring tools to create Creative applications systems
RI R U
its creator expended extra effort to provide for the the file
GH LE
highest levels of reuse.
TS S A
• Business systems to
, P ND
In this context, a reuse strategy turns on three
D
manage accounting and
ES AN
ER A
prerequisites. intellectual property rights
M CC
UT S
IB NT
IS O
First, potential users must be able to quickly and
SI UN
• Digital asset repositories
TR TE
ON T
easily locate and retrieve the file, necessitating a
AT CON
to manage the file with
S, ING
robust search capability. TADATA
its metadata and creation
ME
BU D
LE
workflows
FI
SI AT
Second, the creators must optimize the file for broad
NE A
reuse by a range of users. • Cross-media publishing
SS
systems to use or express
CONTENT
Third, the owners of the file must take measures DATA
to protect their intellectual property rights—their the digital master in a
investment in creating and managing the file for reuse finished work
by others. AN
ET
A D AT
Extensible Metadata
A
M
D
W TES
TA
JO CHN
Platform, or XMP constitutes TE
THE DIGITAL ASSET
DA
B IC
an ISO standard, originally
LO U
DE AL
KF RIB
Corporations spend billions on the development of created by Adobe Systems
SC S
OR TT
Inc., for the creation,
RI PEC
artwork and brand-related material and collateral.
W A
PT IF
processing and interchange
D ILE
IO IC
In many cases, the owners of these brand resources of standardized and custom
AN F
NS AT
cannot envision others reusing their finished works
and direct their design firms and internal creative-
services departments to create less-reusable digital Publishing I
ON Asset
objects (one-shots).The figure on the right depicts systems S repository
DigitFileNexus.1.6 ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
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VISIT
What is an enterprise asset repository?
LARGE MULTIMEDIA DATABASE services. These repositories facilitate systematic CRITICAL ELEMENTS
reuse and reexpression of digital files, enabling
Broadly defined, an enterprise digital-asset a firm to express its brand voice across multiple Middleware plays an important role: it supplies the
repository manages large collections of rich media, glue for integrating multiple legacy data sources

channels and facilitate its knowledge workers in
information, and knowledge assets, enabling a obtaining answers to their questions (requests for and a variety of browser-accessible Web services.
variety of knowledge workers to find, retrieve, edit information, experience, or interaction from other Most digital asset repositories use a relational
or amend, or route files to another knowledge knowledge workers). database management system (RDBMS) for
worker or group. managing descriptive labels—metadata describing
The figure below describes how a smart media the digital asset.
The term rich connotes a complex file type that factory uses an enterprise asset repository to
may contain multiple structures (color, complex create and manage its media components and
layouts, typographic design), motion graphics brand resources. It also describes a set of brand
(video, audio, or animation), and large quantities of resource deployments and print, broadcast,
data (megabyte and gigabyte-size files). online, and manufactured formats—ways that
a firm communicates its
ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS brand voice to various MULTIMEDIA DATABASE THAT SUPPORTS A VARIETY OF
An enterprise asset repository augments the stakeholders: customers, ENTERPRISE USERS
functions of data warehouses, document investors, analysts, trade
management systems, and Web content partners, employees, and Smart media Brand resource Stakeholders
managers—characterized in the figure below as the general public. factory deployments
legacy data sources. Print
Corporate Web • Advertisements
Data warehouses typically manage structured identity
services/ • Collateral
information—rows and columns of data extracted eServices
• Inserts
from production data and financial reporting
• Outdoor
Agencies • Publications CUSTOMERS
systems, including ERP, supply-chain management, m iddleware • Point of purchase
distribution, and eCommerce systems.
Creative Broadcast
Document management systems capture services
• TV/CATV INVESTORS
and store business records, digitized images, Enterprise • Radio
AND ANALYSTS
and documents, organizing them for structured Publishing asset • Digital/HDTV

services • Event
workflows or ad hoc retrieval by an authorized repository TRADE
knowledge worker. Content management Technical
Online PARTNERS
• Web
Web content managers enable multiple illustrations
• Intranet/extranet
contributors to create, route, approve, and publish RDBMS • CD-ROM
Web pages and graphics to corporate websites, Licensing/
clearances (metatdata
• Kiosk EMPLOYEES
AND PUBLIC
intranets, enterprise portals, and eCommerce Manufactured
Large multimedia databases enable warehouse)
systems. Many large and small firms have deployed • Packaging
firms to both speed their time to
one or two of these enterprise systems, investing Trade m iddleware • Merchandise
market with brand resources and
hundred of thousands or millions of dollars.
CorpMediaRepository.D.1.6
partners • Licensed products

promotional messages and enable • Apparel/uniforms
All rights reserved.
Enterprise DAM repositories often represent knowledge workers to find the raw
© 2015 GISTICS
the final, missing piece for an end-to-end solution materials to answer questions from Publications Legacy data
sources External suppliers
for multichannel commerce and interactive web other knowledge workers.
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VISIT
What are the key functions of DAM to assist with marketing operations?
USER GROUPS AND FUNCTIONS OF DAM • Multimodal search: Simple and advanced modes managed service represents the most secure, bullet-
including searches within search results (also proof DAM system.
A digital asset management or DAM system serves known as drill-down search) and dynamically
three basic user groups within marketing operations. updated collections (everything related to a brand As a matter of meeting market requirements, most

or market region, categorized in a collection). on-demand or SaaS DAM solution providers exceed
The figure at right depicts various types of users all corporate IT criteria for security and identity
within the three broadly defined user groups and the Rights management: Full protection for multiparty management for commercial clients in regulated
core functions of a DAM system. copyrights and trademarks, especially important if a industries; some DAM solution providers meet
firm licenses rights-protected imagery (versus royalty- the most stringent requirements of Department of
THREE GROUPS OF USERS free content), video, or music. Moreover, reuse of film, Defense and super-secure military operations.
The three general groups of users served by a video, and music often entails a country-by-country
repository of digital assets become a vital point in clearance and royalty
selecting the right solution. payment scheme. DAM FOR MARKETING OPERATIONS SERVES A DIVERSE GROUP OF USERS
Each user group (and often unique types of USERS OUTSIDE USERS OF DIGITAL ASSETS AND FINAL-FORM CONTENT
users within a group) will require customized user CORPORATE SECURITY CONTENT
CONTENTCREATORS
USERS CONTENT USERS CONTENT CONSUMERS
interfaces.
PROVISIONS • Agencies • Marketing • Distribution
Not all DAM systems enable or support the high
A repository of digital • Graphic designers • Sales • Press and analysts
degree of customization that global marketing
assets often serves • Photographers • Training • Public
operations require.
hundreds or thousands • Publishing group • Trade partners
This requirement will become critical when of users outside the • Video producers • Web specialist
provisioning DAM and related media services to security perimeter and
non-technical users within a large organization, firewalls of corporate IT
international offices, and suppliers throughout a operations.
marketing supply chain.
Thus, security and
CRITICAL GLOBAL BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
identity management Digital Asset
GISTICS’ research of global marketing operations has
become another vital
point in selecting the
Repository DAM.Reposit_functions.2.7
©2015 GISTICS
All rights reserved.
identified the following selection criteria as essential: right solution. Often,

• User interface: Optimizations for simple content end-user organizations
consumers who need simplified access with find that an externally
a web browser or mobile app. Content users FIND VIEW INSPECT DOWNLOAD ANNOTATE ROUTE ARCHIVE ADMINISTER
who need deeper access to the repository and • Attribute • Collections • Zoom • Check out • “Sticky • Actions • Store and • Bulk
advanced search functions. Content creators • Keyword • Albums • Crop/ • Open notes” requested restore
near-line
catalog
who need to integrate their desktop tools and • Business • Online/ frame across
network
• Email • Signoffs
and offline
• Indexing
workbench
cloud services to the DAM system. This would relation offline
• Place FPO
• File header
data
volumes
• Pick’n’pack
include several external contractors and agencies. • Project or
transaction • Translate fulﬁllment
• Multilingual: Support for major languages *Non-recoverable data format for
CD-ROMs,
common to Europe and Asia. expenditures, relate •Decom-
cassettes,
to costs not affected press ﬁlm
by DAM or related
media services. BASIC REPOSITORY FUNCTIONS
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VISIT
What are the key elements of workflow in a DAM?
WORKFLOW AUTOMATION OF MARKETING BUSINESS RESULTS FROM AN ON-DEMAND DAM through greater productivity: labor reductions and
ACTIVITIES fewer external expenses.
A SaaS or on-demand digital asset management
On-demand (SaaS) delivery of DAM enables the solution simultaneously accomplishes two business through greater productivity: labor reductions and

progressive deployment of technical systems that ends: faster cycle time for the delivery of marketing fewer external expenses.
automate activities and tasks performed by one or services and content and lower costs realized
more members of a marketing department. The figure
below depicts four key elements of an on-demand
DAM system.
Brand and Marketing Management FOUR SYSTEM COMPONENTS PRODUCE FASTER CYCLE TIME AND COST REDUCTIONS FOR A MAJOR LAUNCH
includes creative services, ad agencies,
marketing services firms, publishers, BRAND AND MARKETING Document
licensing agencies, and trade partners MANAGEMENT
IT INFRASTRUCTURE
server
of marketing supply-chain. This includes
individuals or group who commission,
design, produce, or license digital, print, Corporate Document Graphics
or audio-visual content. creative management server Faster
services
Digital asset repository also known Asset cycle time
as a brand asset repository provide inventory Web content e-Commerce
Advertising and • Control
centralized management of reusable management server
marketing
material—digital assets. The repository • Coordination
+ + +
skjfsjfsj
agencies
= Cost
sfjskfsj
keeps track of who uses what as well • Consistency

cvpftrlk
Fixed-form Portal
as who changed or modified a particular content server
photo, image, document, or other digital Marcom
management
file. The repository also enforces certain
business rules—such permissions for Publishing and Collaboration
reduction
licensing or altering a digital file. documentation Collaboration server • Labor
content
skjfsjfsj
sfjskfsj
On-demand infrastructure offers • Materials

cvpftrlk
Licensing management
levels of security often unattainable with Webinar • External cost
agencies server
internally deployed systems, middleware
for integration with other services Content
Trade distribution
such as business rules, distributed Video
partners network
storage, and a metadata registry that MarkServPlatElemenlts 1.5 server
facilitates searches, as well as digital ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
rights management. The on-demand

DAM suite of servers provide a platform MARKETING DIGITAL ASSET ENTERPRISE MEDIA
for the creation of consistent brand- RESOURCE REPOSITORY CONTENT SERVERS
marketing messages through the PRODUCERS • Check in/out MANAGEMENT • Distributed
collaborative sharing of assets among • Digital assets • Version control • Storage • Real-time
the entire marcom supply chain. and content • Business rules • Security • Business rules
• Published materials (rights and permissions) • Business rules (automated tasks)
• Audio-visuals (workflow)
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VISIT
What ROI payback model illustrates many of the difficult-to-quantify benefits of an IT investment,
specifically DAM?
INVESTMENT ANALYSIS THAT JUSTIFIES A benefits - how a firm might serve new markets or to market? If so, it creates a new profit or revenue
existing customers in new ways. center.
PURCHASE DECISION
Process improvement represents positive effects Balance sheet enhancement reflects the creation
A business case describes how and under what such as lower defect rates, fewer reworks, and less of new shareholder wealth. This wealth may take the

conditions an investment produces a return. need for human intervention. form of a tangible asset such as a new factory or
Executive management weighs the various risks and retail outlet. Intangible assets include new intellectual
rewards associated with an investment and decides Additional benefits in this category include property, patents, or exclusive distribution contracts
to proceed or not. greater asset utilization and making workflows For many firms, customer goodwill and brand
and processes more predictable and scalable— equity constitute the largest category of intangible
OTHER DIMENSIONS OF A BUSINESS CASE benefits that often result in lower labor costs and the assets. Higher share price represents a “holy grail”
elimination of work steps. of investment: Can a new technology reposition your
Seasoned managers also understand three other
important dimensions of a business case. Cost reduction derives from two areas: firm among investors and financial analysts?
First, deployment of a new technology will disrupt Fixed-cost reductions that accrue from lowering head INFORMAL ROI CALCULUS USED BY MANY CFOS
existing processes. This disruption can create far count, eliminating or delaying capital equipment
greater problems than the initial problem one set purchases, and outsourcing tasks or processes Many budget authorities and, ultimately CFOs, use
out to solve. A business case addresses likely Reduced variable expenses result from fewer an informal way to quickly assess the value of an
disruptions that may ensue and offers proactive outflows of cash (e.g., FedEx) as well as fewer investment.
solutions in the event of a particular contingency. purchases—in higher volumes—that reduce internal
transaction costs, the hidden costs associated with The figure below suggests that each of the six
Second, successful deployments necessitate buy-in categories of payback have a relative economic
from a potentially large group whose members may making vendor payments.
value. Most solution advocates will find selling a
not know each other or, worse, may not support Increased sales derived from a new technology “kilo of increased sales” 20 times easier that selling
or like each other. The business case articulates relate to three areas of potential benefit. First, can a “kilo of nonquantified process improvement.”
how various constituencies will resolve outstanding a solution help sell existing products to existing Activity-based analysis has emerged as the preferred
conflicts. Third, a prominent executive must own the customers in less time? If so, it accelerates a sales
solution, making support of it more fun or politically means for calculating the economic value of process
pipeline. Second, can we produce new customers? If improvements.
advantageous than overt or covert attempts to thwart so, it produces incremental sales. Third, did the new
the project. technology enable us to bring a new satisfaction
INFORMAL ROI CALCULUS USED BY MANY CFOS
PROBABLE IMPACT AREAS
NewTechROI.1.3 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated, All rights reserved.

The figure below depicts six general impact areas The figure to the right depicts six categories of payback which PAYBACK AREAS RELATIVE VALUES
have a relative economic value. Most solution advocates will
typically associated with successful deployment of
find selling a “increased sales” 20 times easier than selling a
a technology, representing a portion of the overall Higher share price $1,000
“nonquantified process improvement.”
benefits of a solution.
Balance sheet enhancement $100
Strategic technology will make its principal
contributions in the areas of increased sales and the PROPOSED
balance sheet. NEW PROBABLE IMPACTS Increased revenue $10
TECHNOLOGY OF NEW TECHNOLOGY
Tactical technology will contribute proportionately Cost reduction $5
more value to process improvements and cost
reductions. Many budget authorities and, ultimately CFOs, use an informal
Process improvement $1
way to quickly assess the value of an investment. Activity-
Intangible opportunity often stems from the general based analysis has emerged as the preferred means for
belief that digital workflows produce a number of calculating the economic value of process improvements. Intangible opportunity $0
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VISIT
What differentiates the typical ROI for enterprise, departmental, workgroup, and desktop solutions?
STRATEGY OF SYSTEMS WORKFLOW AUTOMATION PACES RACE FOR

Why do otherwise good systems “go bad,” failing to PAYBACK
return their investment? GISTICS research of hundreds of deployed systems

A survey of 30 years of industry research reveals at 15,000+ end-use firms reveals that workflow
these problems: automation solutions yield the highest return on
investment when compared to other options.
• Automation of a business process often involves
one or more departments, requiring cross- Why? Workflow automation rarely addresses more
functional project teams to collaborate, resolve than one workgroup or area. It attempts to embed
conflicts, etc. the knowledge of only a handful of subject matter
• Normalization and distribution of “dirty” data experts. It seeks to increase the productivity of
locked in legacy data systems requires potentially a small number of strategic knowledge workers,
massive investments to extract and condition. reducing quality defects, cycle time, and labor
• System adoption requires new behaviors, and may content from their work products.
demand expensive change management.
Workflow automation represents a bottom-up
• Complexities of large-scale systems hobble
many organizations in their attempts to codify approach. It can pay for itself in weeks or months,
hundreds of business rules needed for automating producing a return on investment of 10 to 20 times in
processes. three to five years.
MOST FIRMS CAN QUICKLY DEPLOY . . . THAT EMBED THE PROCESS KNOWLEDGE . . . RETURNING THEIR INVESTMENT MANY
BOTTOM-UP TACTICAL SOLUTIONS . . . OF A FEW KEY WORKERS . . . TIMES OVER . . .
EVERY- HIGHLY HIGH
WHERE AUTOMATED Enterprise
Workgroup systems
Enterprise
systems
productivity gains, savings, or increased sales

systems Workflow
Number of times total cost returned from

automation
procedures, processes, or practices
Workgroup
Workflow
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE
Enterprise
systems
Business rules automating
systems
Departmental automation
systems Departmental
SCALE
systems
Departmental
systems
Workgroup
systems
Desktop Desktop
Desktop Workflow applications applications
appli- automation
ONE cations MOSTLY
USER MANUAL LOW
ROI-ScaleVsCostB.1.3 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved. ROIVsTimeB.1.3 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated, All rights reserved.
ROI-CycleVsKnowledgeB.1.3 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated, All rights reserved.
LOW TOTAL COST HIGH SLOW BUSINESS PROCESS CYCLE TIME FAST SHORT BREAKEVEN TIME LONG
All internal and external expenses for buying, Time to produce a finished unit of work Time to recoup total cost of ownership
using, maintaining, and disposing of a system
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collaboration with

VISIT
What is one of the largest and most overlooked costs of a marketing operation?
GLOBAL LAUNCHES ENTAIL LARGE TEAMS AND WHERE AUTOMATION MAKES SENSE fail to achieve their business goals after years of
MYRIAD HANDOFFS—POTENTIAL DELAYS significant investment.
The logic of distributed media services and marcom
A closer examination of potential chokepoints within centralization often breaks down when you ask This white paper advocates the automation of media

a major launch suggests how automation might the question, “Exactly what can we automate?” services and, in particular, six or seven activities
provide time- to-market gains. GISTICS’ analysis of successful automation projects that most firms must perform in a major marketing
in the area of marketing operations indicates that launch. Thus, this recommendation defines digital
The figure below depicts many of the actors who a firm should deploy automation from the bottom asset management as a business strategy for
contribute to the overall success of a marketing up, targeting a few strategic chokepoints in speeding global market launches while reducing the
launch. This figure does not depict, however, preestablished and operational workflows. hard and soft costs of a launch.
duplication of staff and hand-offs (transaction costs)
of global marketing operations. Large, top-down deployments, such as ERP or CRM,
encounter many unforeseen obstacles and often
Pressed with absolute deadlines, each contributor
must perform designated
tasks in very narrow time PLANNING, REVIEWS AND APPROVALS CONSTITUTE THE GREATEST LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY IN MARKETING
frames. Working across OPERATIONS, GREATER STILL FOR GLOBAL PRODUCT LAUNCHES
multiple time zones, the
demands of a global launch Outside
can quickly become a counsel Groups 5
Product
24-hour process management
challenge. Call Subgroups 31
center
Every doubling of the number
Advertising Packaging Demand
planning Individuals 248
of contributors squares the Licensing Inside
number of opportunities to Marketing
sales Potential (P2P)
miss key deadlines and, Finance relationships 30,628
Executive Field
ultimately a market launch Co-Packer sales Daily interactions
date. Branding
along each discrete P2P
relationship 0.2
Large teams spread Promotion Product Legal
development Shipping Total daily
throughout a global market agency
Distribution interactions
spend significantly more time Focus manager per launch 73,507
coordinating and double- group
Technology
Logistics
checking their work than Production
Brand
manager consultation
Interaction
small teams in smaller, unified company
Quality error rate 2%
assurance
markets. Effective automation In house Auditors Errors
of the distribution of digital Research Delivery per launch 1,470
assets and repository- development distribution
Fatal errors
assisted localization of these Advertising per launch 15
assets enable large, globally Networks Traffic
manager
distributed, and otherwise Factory Days of time to market
clumsy teams to respond with Government lost 15
the agility of a small business Creative ProductLaunchTeam.1.9 © 2015 GISTICS Incorporated,
with tightly focused teams. All rights reserved.
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VISIT
What constitutes a marcom supply-chain?

GLOBAL MARCOM SUPPLY CHAINS TRANSFORM CONTENT INTO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES
LOOSE-KNIT NETWORKS EXPOSED
Chief marketing officers (CMOs) and MARCOM SUPPLY-CHAIN MARKET INTERFACE
their teams develop a marketing-mix

strategy and execute that strategy Broadcast
across multiple markets, regions, Production Post- Cable/ Local
communications media, and suppliers
ABOVE THE LINE

Studios Production TV Networks/ Broadcast
Syndications
or partners. Multichannel marketing Periodicals
Integrated marketing communications
Publisher/ Editorial Printing Distribution
The figure below depicts type of value
Ad Sales Creation
chain: Global marketing supply chain Online

inherent complexity of executing Internet Webmaster/ Internet Points of
brand-marketing strategy with clarity,

Application
Designer
Telemedia
Developer
Service
Provider
Presence on
Web Consumer
consistency, and credibility. Strategy Team Infomercials
• Chief Marketing Officer Direct Post- Cable/ Broadcast/
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
NOISY MEDIUM DISTORTS STRATEGY • Brand Manager Response
Firms Production TV Networks Fulfillment
Industrial • Product Manager Integrated
Each entity with its respective channel Supply- •
•
Marketing Manager Communications
Manager Corporate
Agency Network Packaging Business
can distort or diminish an otherwise Chains
Communications
CAD Artwork Assembly Warehousing
brilliant brand-marketing strategy. • Sales Manager Design Firm Producer Manufacture Distribution
• Agencies
CMOs now seek ways to use Business Collateral
technology and systems to “drive Direct Sales Sales
Collateral/ Printing Direct Mail/ Industrial
out the noise” in their market- Channel Presentations Onsite Visits
communications. Localization Teams Channel Merchandising

Chains and Point-of-Sale
This paper explores several operational • Local Agencies
• Local Staff
Mass Merchandising
Programs
Detailers/
Rack Jobbers
Coupons/
Gift Cards
strategies for minimizing the distortion
Merchants
• Regional Marcom Agencies
Catalog Resellers Public Sector
of global, multichannel brand-marketing BELOW THE LINE
strategies. Catalog
Houses
Production
Groups
Printing
Houses
Fulfillment
Centers
Events and Trade Shows

Event Exhibit Onsite Staff and
Management Production Producers Talent
Firm
This figure depicts a simplified supply chain for a Customer Loyalty / Trade Promotion
global marketing operation. In reality, global supply Promotion Artwork Warehousing and
Printing Fulfillment
chains comprise hundreds of firms and tens of Firm Production Centers
thousands of people.
Outdoor/Environmental
Integrated communications agencies will play an Billboard/ Specialty Local/
Mechanical Production Print/ Onsite
increasing role in coordinating the actions and Design Houses Manufacture Assemblage
outputs of a global supply-chain. Branded Merchandise/Licenses
Strategic sourcing of content and related services Toy/Game Product
Manufacturer Design/ Manufacturing Distribution
defines the core competency of this integrated Marketing
communications agency.
ChainsMediaSpace.C.2.3 © 2015 GISTICS All rights reserved.
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VISIT
What type of system will a firm need to automate the global delivery of marketing materials, sales
presentations, and training to field staff and partners?
ENTERPRISE-CLASS DAM eliminate duplicate data items. Fourth, the DAM file types. Lacking this architecture, an enterprise-
system must incorporate new metadata standards class DAM system will leave large portions of a
The figure below depicts several key functions of a such as Dublin Core, SCORM, PRISM, ebXML and potential user body unsupported.
large-scale DAM system.

Experience API (xAPI), without disturbing existing
metadata schemas (tags) or data items. For these Retrieval engines must go beyond keyword
Reuse standards entail aligning creative services search—data items that the creator or archivist
and marketing communications agencies to reasons, an enterprise-class DAM system must
support a metadata container —have a sophisticated attached to each digital asset. An enterprise-class
produce reusable or editable material—digital DAM system must integrate keywords with visual,
assets, not just content. This alignment requires a database function for supporting all current and
future metadata standards. video, audio search by example and concept-
combination of incentives, training, user support, based or semantic search. These advanced search
and advocacy by trusted and respected members Asset repositories must manage more than just technologies use visual and audio vocabularies,
of the various media-producer constituencies. Often images and photos. An enterprise-class DAM system enabling users to click and retrieve items by visual or
the professional-services group of a DAM vendor must support hundreds of content file formats and sonic similarities.
becomes the change-management facilitator, data types, including static images (photos, digitized
imparting best practices, studio guidelines, and images of business records), dynamic graphics Production data sources include accounting,
training curricula. (animations, music, sound effects), simple text-only inventory and rights management.
Metadata standards for an enterprise means full documents, complex or compound documents Image servers must support dynamic, just-in-
support for all industry standards, such as PRISM, (QuarkXPress, PowerPoint, InDesign), knowledge time production of purpose-built files. However, an
SCORM, or Dublin Core. Metadata typically includes assets (CAD drawings, annotated 3-D objects), and enterprise-class DAM system must integrate these
keywords, numerical values, and other alphanumeric myriad other types. image servers as a repository function (check-in/
text strings that describe a particular asset, its origins, An enterprise-class DAM system will also provide a out and version control) that the firm can distribute
and the rules for using the asset. plug-in architecture for customized filters for exotic across the network and at locations nearest to high-
volume users or Web servers.
Most DAM systems facilitate the management of
some portion of metadata required by the enterprise.
However, when an asset leaves the END-TO-END INTEGRATION OF A MEDIA VALUE CHAIN DEFINES ENTERPRISE-CLASS DAM
DAM system, most of the metadata
does not accompany it. Here new
technologies and DAM system Reusable file Metadata Asset Search Live data Dynamic
designs converge to solve the container inventory imaging
absence of portable metadata. • File attributes
OFF High-res
OFF
for print
• Workflow status
First, the DAM system must
ON
OFF
• Metadata
• Subject matter
support XML-tagged metadata—
OFF
Medium-res
OFF
• Visual patterns
OFF
• Keywords and attributes
for slides
an enhanced database function.
OFF
OFF
• Business rules
Second, the DAM system must
OFF Low-res
OFF
• Profile, credits for Web
support multiple metadata standards,
OFF
OFF
DigiMasterResources.1.3
not just one. These metadata

OFF
OFF ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated
OFF All rights reserved.
standards often use different tags

ON
REUSE METADATA DIGITAL ASSET RETRIEVAL PRODUCTION IMAGE

(such as Author, Creator, Composer, STANDARDS STANDARDS REPOSITORY ENGINE DATA SOURCES SERVER
or Artist) to describe the same data • PRISM • Check in/out
item. Third, the DAM system must • Dublin Core • Version control
link common elements of these • SCORM • Business rules
various metadata standards to
(rights and permissions)
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VISIT
What is a multimedia presentation center?
REFERENCE AND PRESENTATION LIBRARY This library delivers the highest return on investment propagate sales materials to the global network of
for sales organizations with short windows of resellers pays handsome returns.
Companies can offer a reference and presentation opportunity and long-term revenue streams
library through an intranet or extranet capability of a For vendors that must promote around seasonal

that derive from those opportunities, such as
DAM or they can outsource this function. pharmaceuticals, semiconductor parts, and events and unpredicted topical happenings, the
subscriptions. For companies that have annually library enables a field organization to swarm a market
The figure below depicts how a sales support and and capture short-lived and one-shot opportunities—
field operations group uses a centralized brand updated products such as software, the ability to
incremental sales with very little added cost.
asset repository to better serve field executives and
channel partners.
HOW A REFERENCE AND PRESENTATION LIBRARY CREATES MORE FACE-TO-FACE TIME WITH CUSTOMERS
The library contains prebuilt presentations
that address a spectrum of market needs:
corporate overviews, product offerings, case DIGITAL DEPARTMENTAL REFERENCE AND PRESENTATION LIBRARY
studies, customer success stories, industry PRODUCER SERVER Presentations Collateral Media Assets
data and analysis, discussion of policies, and • Corporate • Annual reports • Animations
training materials. Agencies
• Customer • Brochures • Audio
Sales support successes
The library also manages a collection of Creative • Datasheets • Charts
collateral that may include annual reports, and operations • Industry • White papers • Illustrations
services
brochures, data sheets, and white papers—all • Policy • Photos
suitable for one-off printing from a laser printer, • Product • Video clips
Product
a short-run digital press, or traditional offset
printing. marketing
Application Software Licensed/
The library will organize for speedy retrieval a Templates •Database For Sale
host of rich media digital assets, both static Corporate • Illustrator • Reports
• Media
and dynamic, including animations, audio clips, partners Corporate • Flash assembly and •Software
charts and illustrations, photographs, and video brand editing
•PowerPoint
clips. Market asset • QuarkXPress • Office
The library may contain prebuilt templates analysts repository
• Rainbow
for popular media composition tools such
as Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft PowerPoint, Publications
QuarkXPress, etc.
Corporate
For companies that have secured appropriate
site licenses, the library will contain intelligence
Client
downloadable software applications and
licensed/for-sale items such as characters, CorpMediaSales.1.5 office
©2015 GISTICS Incorporated
music, and reports. All rights reserved
Events
The figure above depicts a reference and presentation library
that supports a field sales or reseller group. It provides a single
source-of-truth for the entire sales and marketing operation. Web sites FIELD SALES
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VISIT
What constitutes an enterprise solution for unlocking the value of digital assets?
COMPLEX SYSTEMS INTEGRATION the material for broadcast, DVD, or streaming Digital embassies, a term used to describe licensed
presentation. software on end-user devices, terminate a brand
The creation, management, and distribution of digital resource value chain.
assets may entail the integration of as many as 13 Publishing systems format digital assets for print,

systems. Most often, firms will add one or more new electronic, and online production.
INTEGRATION OF A MEDIA VALUE CHAIN
systems to their current IT infrastructure. The figure Commerce systems include traditional enterprise
below depicts key functions that an integrated DAM The figure below also depicts the functions of an
computing systems as well as ERP, SCM, and B2B
system should serve. integrated media value chain and emphasizes the
and B2C with Ecommerce systems.
need for adding these functions.
FUNCTIONS OF DAM SOLUTIONS Content managers organize material at specific
An enterprise integration framework represents three
Web sites, adding workflow routing and approvals to
Authoring represents a set of tools and practices for critical capabilities: media-oriented middleware,
the complex task of managing massive Web sites.
the creation of digital assets and finished products application servers optimized for the delivery of
They differ from portals in that they do not target
such as brochures or Web pages. media services, and professional services with
departmental functions of a firm, nor do they gather,
deep knowledge of media creation and workflow
Ingest describes the tools and activities involved in structure, and manage the presentation of legacy
automation for Mobile apps and Web apps.
digitizing images, photos, illustrations, video, and data.
audio material. Such a framework enables the rapid modular
Rights management includes payment processing
integration of new capabilities such as dynamic
Asset repositories provide data management and clearing, royalty distributions, and policy
imaging, visual search, and document management.
services such as version controls, check in/ check enforcement. Logistics includes physical and digital
Lacking this framework will entail expensive custom
out, and asset-activity tracking. systems for fulfillment. Leading vendors include
software development, high maintenance costs, and
FedEx, UPS, and USPS and numerous digital
Contract management represents a set of tools long lead-times to integrate new media services.
distribution firms.
and practices for managing the creation, negotiation,
and execution of legal contracts. Key functions KEY FUNCTIONS OF AN INTEGRATED MEDIA VALUE CHAIN
The figure below depicts key functions that
may include word processing, spreadsheets, an integrated DAM system should serve.
project management and calendars, and assorted ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK
database services.
Assessment & valuation emphasize the
securing of legal rights and clearances for Ingest Commerce Rights
intellectual property as well as an accounting of Workflow
the property’s value and royalty distributions. Key
systems management
functions include collaboration tools, document
Asset
Authoring repositories Digital
management, project management and calendars, Publishing
remote proofing, financial calculators, and database systems embassies
services.
Contract Assess- Encoding Content Logistics
Workflow enables the routing, viewing, and management & managers
approval of work in progress. ment valuation
Encoding entails specialized processing. For
color printing, this means raster image processing BRMTechValueChain.1.9 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved. TIME-TO-MARKET CYCLE
of pages and images for a designated printing Asset Asset Asset eService
process (black-and-white, four-color, or six-color creation management distribution applications
output). For video and audio, encoding formats
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collaboration with

VISIT
How can activity-task automation speed final-form marketing content to market and lower costs,
unlocking the full value of multipurposed digital assets?
DYNAMIC IMAGING OF DIGITAL ASSETS • A field sales executive could log onto a marketing This type of self-service approach provides the
repository using relatively low-speed Internet same sort of cost savings as mentioned above
The figure below depicts one possible scenario for access. He or she would search by keyword or by without a designer or salesperson having to render
generating dozens or even thousands of purpose- an example selected from a visual vocabulary that the service.

built promotions from one digital asset. includes groups of similar-looking items. Having
identified those elements necessary to build a flyer Each of these three scenarios represents an
In particular, the scenario emphasizes the localization opportunity for dramatic cost reductions and time-to-
or slide, the field sales executive clicks a “Build
of a promotion for three separate formats: a high- it now” button on the Web page. This scenario market acceleration. GISTICS’ analysis of localizing
resolution graphic for a printed sell-sheet, a medium- represents a dramatic reduction in time to market activity for a promotion such as that illustrated
resolution graphic for a presentation slide, and a low- for promotional messages and channel support reveals that it takes approximately 93 minutes using
resolution image suitable for use on the Web. materials. manual means versus 13 minutes using a marketing
The digital asset shown below consists of a • A prospective customer at a commerce Web site content repository media server. Automating this
potentially huge, multilayer digital file created with could identify a sales coupon, promotional poster, single activity can produce $31,200 in annual labor
de facto industry-standard tools such as Adobe’s or photo of interest. After the customer enters a savings and a three-day reduction in time to market
Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign. few descriptive data items, the media server could for a major product launch.
retrieve and publish the desired item, inserting
Most of the individual layers in a digital file contain into the graphic the latest pricing information or
text for a particular market, distribution partner, information provided by the prospective customer
season, or customer. In the example below, a single (name, model number).
digital asset can produce final-form images in the
Spanish and English languages.
The layers may contain identical, modified, or MEDIA SERVERS TRANSFORM A MULTI-PURPOSED DIGITAL ASSET INTO A SELLING IMAGE
altogether different images of the car. Each IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME OF MANUAL PRODUCTION MEANS
version could contain alternate colors, special
car accessories, promotional messages, a Spanish version
spokesperson of a particular ethnicity or lifestyle, or High-res
for print
different background textures and colors. ESPECIAL
¡Solamente hoy!
Medium-res
The digital repository catalogs each layer of the for slides
asset, potentially thousands of elements embedded Low-res

in or linked to the digital asset. This linkage enables for Web
a firm to produce a variety of outputs (PDFs,

MANUAL AUTOMATED
Web pages, or RGB images suitable for a slide
presentation) in three ways:
English version 93 vs. 13
High-res Minutes Minutes
• A graphic designer can search an asset SPECIAL
for print
repository for the appropriate components and Today only! Medium-res
have the system dynamically assemble the for slides
desired page or graphic. This capability would Low-res
potentially free 100 to 200 hours of the graphic for Web
designer’s time per year—time that the designer
might otherwise have to spend to create each ManvsAuto.2.1 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
item.
DIGITAL ASSET ACTIVITY TASK OUTPUT CYCLE TIMES
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VISIT
How can the automation of just 18 common activities in marketing, production, sales, and training save
$1,604,602 per year?
LAWS OF ROI FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TARGETING HIGH-IMPACT AUTOMATION CELLS below depicts 18 cells, organized by asset lifecycle
A comprehensive 10-year survey by GISTICS of IT phase, and indicates the annual cost savings
GISTICS’ research supports the conclusion that achieved through automation.
projects, their costs, and their payback reveals that the automation of just a few activities within the

80 percent of productivity gains derive from less than media value chain produces significant cost savings below depicts 18 cells, organized by asset lifecycle
10 percent of a system’s functionality. This same and time-to-market gains, often proving ROI and phase, and indicates the annual cost savings
research supports the conclusion that a financial achieved through automation.
garnering further investment in DAM. The figure
analysis of a small set of worker activities automated
by technology can often justify an entire DAM
deployment’s costs from direct cost
savings and efficiency gains in the first ANALYSIS OF JUST 18 KEY ACTIVITIES SHOWS SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN COSTS AND GAINS IN TIME TO MARKET
12 months of operation.
ASSET
ENTERPRISE BENCHMARKS ACTIVITY CELLS LIFECYCLE SAVINGS SAVINGS BY LIFECYCLE PHASE
GISTICS uses a baseline set of data PHASE
that corresponds to a typical enterprise
with $1B in annual sales. This baseline Approving Ad Spots $168,360
assumes that the firm spends an Approving Point of Purchase Comps $136,500
average of 2.3% of gross sales in
CREATE
marketing related activities (advertising, Localizing Web Ads $124,800
CREATE $573,570
promotion, public relations) and Localizing Print Ads $122,120
generates at least 35 percent of sales Supporting Channel Partners $16,157
from international markets. This pro Acquiring Royalty-Free Footage $5,633
forma enterprise launches at least 20
new products into 24 localization regions
(demography, language, currency, Collecting Product Graphics $177,667
culture) and represents a fast revenue-
MANAGE
Collecting Product Data $119,167
cycle business– one that would lose at MANAGE $428,848
Acquiring Images from Ad Agency $78,674
least one percent of quarterly revenue Acquiring a Stock Images $32,760
if all advertising and promotion were Delivering Complete Layouts $20,580
absent.
The activity and payback benchmarks Clearing Footage Rights $252,480
used in this report primarily correspond Distributing Media Kits $116,885
to global brands, as opposed to
DISTRIBUTE
businesses in advertising, entertainment, Acquiring Corporate Images $98,828 DISTRIBUTE $602,184

media, or publishing - businesses that Providing Images to Sales $52,520
produce media-based products or Updating Training Portals $40,381
services as a primary source of revenue. Acquiring Sales Presentations $29,889
Advertising, entertainment, media, and
Acquiring Production Images $11,190
publishing firms have much higher
levels of activity in media production $0 $200,000 $400,000 $600,000 $1,000,000 $1,400,000 $1,600,000
and higher levels of digital asset reuse.
As a result, these types of firms achieve TOTAL $1,604,602
payback for DAM and related media
services more quickly. Cell.model.intro.1.2 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
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collaboration with

VISIT
How can an agency account manager serving a large firm locate an ad spot, acquire client approval, and send it to
production, saving $168,360 per year?
FEDERATED DAM SEARCH AND APPROVAL WORKFLOW PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT TIME TO MARKET GAINS AND A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN ERRORS
An enterprise DAM system speeds the discovery and retrieval of all
Find add spot Review video clip Aquire client approval Forward to production
480 7 days

Times per year @ Improved assets related to a brand, campaign, or promotion. The to the left
$115 =
time to market
per month depicts the time it takes to discover and forward a single ad spot,
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 per hour and + comparing automated and manual activities.
$0 $168,360
AUTOMATION SAVINGS in materials and
freight per distribution
annual savings The table below depicts the activity-based data and estimated cost
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
savings from automating this single activity.
Approve.ad.spot.header.1.2 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
ACTIVITY MANUAL AUTOMATED NOTES

LABOR TASKS (MINUTES)
Find ad spot 60 10 Search, file systems, DVDs, DV tapes etc. for best candidates. Search DAM system and preview results to identify and flag candidates.
Review video clip 60 5 Review found clips in diverse locations based on format. None - correct clip already identified in DAM system.
Acquire client approval 30 10 Find/make QT version of clip and forward to client via email for review. Message client in system to review and approve.
Forward to production 30 2 Draft memo, package, and deliver full-quality files/media to production. Message production with pointer to approved clip.
Rework minutes 30 0 Minutes spent repeating tasks due to errors
Total minutes 210 27 Per approved ad spot
Labor cost total $402.50 51.75 $115/hour - fully burdened cost
ASSESS VALUE
CD Duplication $0.00 $0.00 Physical manufacturing from master CD-ROM
List Management $0.00 $0.00 Access charge by list management firm
Packaging $0.00 $0.00 Access charge by list management firm
Postage $0.00 $0.00 Standard first-class USPS rate
Handling $0.00 $0.00 Outsourced to lettershop fulfillment firm
Freight $0.00 $0.00 Physical parcel shipping
Bandwidth $0.0002 $0.0002 Download/email of assets
Storage $0.00 $0.00 Cost of occupied bytes on server storage system
Storage Media $0.00 $0.00 Cost of removable storage media (archive)
Courier $0.00 $0.00 Courier services for timely delivery of physical materials
Agency Billing $0.00 $0.00
Total per ad spot $0.00 $0.00
Total per month $0.01 $0.01 40 ad spot approvals per month
ANNUAL COSTS HARD DOLLAR SAVINGS
Annual cell repetition 480 480 Ad spots per year
Annual labor hours 1680 216 Number of labor hours expended on this activity per year
Annual labor costs $193,200 $24,840
Annual material costs $0.00 $0.00
Total annual cost $193,200 $24,840
SAVINGS
Annual labor hours $1,464
Annual cost $168,360
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collaboration with

VISIT
How can a marketing manager in a large firm acquire stock images and publish them to an extranet
portal and corporate website, saving $32,760 per year?
INTEGRATION WITH STOCK IMAGE REPOSITORY ENABLES IMMEDIATE ACQUISITION OF APPROVED PRODUCTS AND ELIMINATES REDUNDANT EXPENSES
Publish to corporate website An enterprise DAM supports the integration with external stock image

Identify satisfactory image candidates Locate and acquire original source file
Publish to extranet 180 3 days
Purchase image asset
Format for specific end use Times per year @ Improved platforms. This can include on-demand purchases of curated, pre-
$65 = time to market
per month approved collections held at external stock image vendors.
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 per hour and +
$0 $32,760 The table below depicts the activity-based data and estimated cost
annual savings savings from automating this single activity.
0
Stock.image.publish.header.1.0 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.

Identify satisfactory image candidates 45 10 Browse stock image catalogs, CDs and websites. DAM search by keyword - thumbnail results.
Purchase image asset 60 0 Acquire purchase approval and purchase (account, credit, PO, etc.) Assets not already licensed are automatically billed through DAM system.
Locate and acquire original source file 20 0 Locate on file system, CD or download from site the high-res source file. DAM system lists all versions & identifies original source file.
Format for specific end use 10 3 Download entire (high-res) source file & format in graphics application. Input use parameters (size, format etc.) for automated image processing.
Publish to extranet 10 2 Copy formatted file to extranet servers and update extranet pages. File copied directly from DAM to extranet servers.
Publish to corporate website 10 2 Copy formatted file to corporate servers and update extranet pages. File copied directly from DAM to corporate servers.
Total minutes 185 17 Per published image
Labor cost total $200.42 $18.42 $65/hour - fully burdened cost
ASSESS VALUE
Handling $0.00 $0.00 Outsourced to lettershop fulfillment rate
Storage media $0.00 $0.00 Cost of removable storage media (archive)
Courier $0.00 $0.00
Misc. $0.00 $0.00
Total per image $0.00 $0.00
Total per month $0.00 $0.00 15 images published per month
ANNUAL COSTS
Annual cell repetition 180 180 Published images per year
SAVINGS HARD DOLLAR SAVINGS
Annual labor hours 504
Annual cost $32,760
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VISIT
How can a rights management specialist in a large firm clear all rights for ad footage used in a regional
market, saving $252,480 per year?
INTEGRATION WITH RIGHTS MANAGEMENT CAN REDUCE THE TIME AND COST OF CLEARING ASSETS FOR REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION
Locate requested footage Clear director/producer rights An enterprise DAM includes a rights-management capability. This can
Review footage and list all potential rights issues Clear placed product rights 480 6 days

Clear actor rights Clear music rights Clear voice over rights Forward to production Times per year @ Improved support embargoed, date-specific releases and the extensive reviews
$120 =
time to market
per month and approvals that precede a formal release.
per hour and +
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
$0 $252,480 The table below depicts the activity-based data and estimated cost
annual savings savings from automating this single activity.
0 50
Clear.footage.rights.header1.0 © 2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.

Locate requested footage 60 10 Search, file systems, DVDs, DV tapes etc., may require library assistance. Search DAM system and preview results to identify correct clip.
Review footage and list all potential rights
issues
60 0 Identify each element for rights investigation. DAM system identifies all contributors with rights status and/or contract link.
Clear actor rights 30 15 Locate and review each actor’s contract. Contract linked and viewable within DAM system.
Clear music rights 30 15 Locate and review each music contributor’s contract. Contract linked and viewable within DAM system.
Clear voiceover rights 30 15 Locate and review each contributor’s contract. Contract linked and viewable within DAM system.
Clear director/producer rights 30 5 Locate and review each contract. Defined by region in system or contract linked and viewable in system.
Clear placed product rights 30 5 Locate and review each contract. Defined by region in system or contract linked and viewable in system.
Forward to production 30 2 Draft memo, package, and deliver full-quality files/media to production. Message management or production with flag for correct clip.
Total minutes 330 67 Per rights review
MATERIAL COSTS
Courier $0.00 $0.00 Courier services for timely delivery of physical materials
Agency billing $0.00 $0.00
Total per review $0.00 $0.00
Total per distribution $0.01 $0.01 40 rights reviews per month
ANNUAL COSTS
Annual cell repetition 480 480 Footage reviews per year
Annual labor hours 2,640 536 Number of labor hours expended on this activity per year
Annual labor hours 2,104
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VISIT
How can a marketing manager in a large firm speed the distribution of media kits worldwide, using
automation and web-based self service, saving $116,885 per year?
MULTI-MODAL SEARCH, INTEGRATED MESSAGING, AND TEMPLATE-BASED PUBLISHING REDUCE PRODUCTION AND MATERIAL COSTS
An enterprise DAM may include web-to-print and dynamic
Collect CD contents Collect recipient list Design CD label Deliver to fulfillment firm 20 4 days publishing of documents, artwork, and web pages. This includes

Produce shipping docs Times per year @ Improved
= time to market a self-service capability for approved journalists, editors,
$65 per month
per hour and + bloggers and individuals with huge Twitter followings.
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
$5,689 $116,885 The table below depicts the activity-based data and estimated
AUTOMATION SAVINGS in materials and annual savings
freight per distribution cost savings from automating this single activity.
0 20
A.C.Media.kits.header.1.0 ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.

Collect CD contents 60 10 Collect, organize, label and describe files to be written to CD. Multi-modal DAM search provides quick file location for easy collection of contents.
Collect recipient list 30 0 Extract list of recipients with names, titles and addresses. One-time setup via DAM messaging service
Design CD label 40 15 Develop label in graphics application. Not required with online DAM access.
Produce shipping docs 10 15 Format recipient list for fulfillment firm. Not required with online DAM access.
Deliver to fulfillment firm 10 15 Write gold master CD, deliver to fulfillment firm.
Total minutes 180 67 Per rights review
MATERIAL COSTS
CD Duplication $0.65 $0.00 Physical manufacturing from master CD-ROM
List Management $0.06 $0.00 Access charge by list management firm
Packaging $0.42 $0.00 Padded envelope
Handling $0.00 $0.00 Outsourced to lettershop fulfillment firm
Bandwidth $0.00 $0.0020 Download of assets
Misc. $0.00 $0.00
Total per piece $3.80 $0.00
Total per distribution $5,692.50 $3.15 15,00 piece distribution
ANNUAL COSTS
Distributions per year 20 20 Number of 1,500 piece distributions per year
Annual labor costs $3,900 $802
Annual material costs $113,850 $63
Total annual cost $117,750 $865
Annual labor hours 48
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collaboration with

VISIT
How can an inside salesperson in a large firm rapidly acquire sales presentations and videos for an
online sales pitch meeting, saving $29,899 per year?
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDY GUIDED SELF-SERVICE ACCESS CONSTRAINED TO APPROVED ASSETS REDUCES SALES SUPPORT
According to the prestigious Harvard DEMANDS, MAINTAINS A UNIFIED SALES MESSAGE, AND IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMIZED
Business School study of industrial selling SALES COLLATERAL

practices, a sales executive who makes
one additional call per week to a baseline DEPARTMENTAL REFERENCE & PRESENTATION LIBRARY
Time to prepare ONE
number of calls, yields a substantial SERVER
new major account
Presentations Collateral Media Assets
increase in incremental sales. • Corporate • Annual reports • Animations
presentation per month
In one documented case, one additional Sales support

• Customer
successes
• Brochures • Audio MANUAL AUTOMATED
weekly sales call produced $3.2 million in
1.25 0.33
• Datasheets • Charts
new sales.
and operations • Industry
• Policy
• White papers • Illustrations vs.
• Photos
• Product hours hours
The figure at right depicts a fully • Solutions
• Video clips
developed reference and presentation Times

library.
500
Application Software Licensed/
Templates •Database For Sale
The retrieval function of a marketing • Illustrator • Media • Reports
Corporate
content repository should include the brand
• Flash assembly and •Software salespeople @ $150 per hour
editing
ability to retrieve individual slides within a asset
• PowerPoint
• Office
presentation deck.
• QuarkXPress
repository
• Rainbow
This single-slide search function can
double the productivity of a repository
750
days of labor per year or
lacking such a feature.
Client $900,000
office in annual labor savings
Events
+
Web sites FIELD SALES
1 Day
time-to-market reduction
per major launch
Sales.Exec.Pres.lib.1.5 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated, All rights reserved.

Multimodal search function of DAM reduces time to
Locate base presentation 15 5
A reference and presentation library can reduce identify the right asset
the time to prepare a new presentation to a Locate and place product/ Thumbnail previews and textual descriptions (metadata)
feature images and diagrams 50 15 ensure correct file downloads
major account. Our research identifies that a
0.92-hour savings across 500 salespeople will Acquire and place prospect 10 0 Partner and prospect logos already prepared and resident in DAM
deliver a $900,000 savings. More significantly, and partner logos
this productivity dividend will produce a significant
increase in annual revenues. TOTAL MINUTES 75 20
Sales.Exec.Table.1.3 ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.
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Who helped produce this white paper? Who is GISTICS? Who is WoodWing?
VISIT
AUTHOR ABOUT GISTICS ABOUT WOODWING SOFTWARE

MICHAEL MOON
GISTICS constitutes a think tank that speeds the adoption of new WoodWing Software is a global market leader in multi-channel
President, CEO
GISTICS Incorporated technology and disruptive innovations among enterprises and publishing and digital asset management (DAM) systems. It helps
moon@gistics.com consumers. Founded in 1987, GISTICS Incorporated minimizes the publishers, creative agencies and marketing departments to reach
risk of potential buyers through the following: their goals for quality, cost efficiency, time-to-market and revenue
SPONSOR • Interviews with successful early adopters of new generation. WoodWing’s Enterprise for multi-channel publishing,
ROEL-JAN MOUW and Elvis DAM systems are deployed and used to optimize the
technologies
CEO process of creating, managing, sharing and distributing digital
WoodWing Software • Definition of the critical success patterns of successful early
adopters contents.
DESIGN, LAYOUT, • Activity-based analyses of adoption benefits on supply Over 80 selected partners in more than 100 countries serve
EDITING, PRODUCTION chains, workflows, and user activities WoodWing’s customer base. WoodWing has a long-standing
IRIS ALROY • Visual explanations of how new technologies produce relationship with Adobe as a Technology Partner and is in close
Production Artist economic value cooperation with a large number of other technology vendors
irisjalroy@gmail.com worldwide.
• Investment analyses that justify the purchase of new
KATHLEEN MCFADDEN technical systems
Editor
ABOUT ELVIS DAM
• Project roadmaps that break down large-scale organizational
kcmcfadden@writetools.com changes into smaller two-week to two-month projects Elvis DAM is an intuitive digital asset
• Practitioner portals that clarify the next steps in rapid management system. It supports
STEVE TURNER
deployment and payback business and operational process in
Turner Associates
steve@turnersf.com • Certified consultants that provide essential skills and storing, organizing, accessing, sharing and managing rights and
resources permissions of rich-media assets. The challenge of managing
the ever-increasing digital assets for your omni-channel efforts
GISTICS drives the emergence of shared vocabularies, the doesn’t have to overload your bandwidth and budget, or your
adoption of effective problem-determination methods, and the peers and customers. Elvis DAM helps you:
development of unassailable investment analyses that justify
• Save time by searching across all file formats from a
GISTICS INCORPORATED purchases of new technologies or disruptive innovations.
92 Templar Place
centralized source
Oakland CA 94618 USA GISTICS attracts early adopters and pacesetting solutioneers, • Protect your assets and avoid misplaced work
www.gistics.com demonstrating how they can use new technologies or disruptive • Locate files easily with fast and intuitive search functionalities
+1.510.450.9999 tel innovations to make money by delivering new complex, integrated
+1.510.450.0954 fax • Reduce time for content repurposing, and increase time-to-
solutions to enterprise or consumer clients.
WHAT’S IN THE NAME? market
gist \’jist\ n -s [AF, it lies (said of GISTICS develops breakthrough market-making strategies for • Seamlessly collaborate in a secured environment
©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All vendors of new technologies or disruptive innovations, using
rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. a legal action), fr. MF, 3d pers. • Improve digital assets value chain creation through integration
sing. pres. indic. of gesir to lie, industry thought leadership, executive white papers, Webcasts, with CMS, CRM, Adobe InDesign and other applications
GISTICS and its agents have used
their best efforts in collecting and fr. L jacére to lie, fr. jacere to specialized Websites, and a global trust network of advanced
throw — more at jet (to spout)] • Improve marketing ROI
preparing information published in project managers within large enterprises, independent
this executive white paper, Building 1: the main point or material part For more information, please visit www.woodwing.com/elvis, and
consultants, and small master-class solution providers.
a Business Case for Digital Asset (as of a question or debate) : the
Management: A guide for profes- pith of a matter : essence (the ~
try it 30 days for free.
sionals in corporate IT and marketing of a question) <the ~ of all that
operations. GISTICS does not assume, can be said upon the matter—R.
and hereby disclaims, any liability for L. Stevenson> 2: the ground or
any loss or damage caused by errors foundation of a legal action without
and omissions in this white paper, which it would not be sustainable
whether such errors or such omissions
resulted from negligence, accident, or —Webster’s Third New International
other causes. Dictionary Unabridged
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Executive White Paper

Building a Business Case for

DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH

LICENSED FOR WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION

Building a Business Case

G I STICS | EXE CUTIVE WH ITE PA PER S ER IES | C o nte nt M ar ket i n g 2

What is the business case for DAM in Content Marketing?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

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ALL THE BITS FIT TO PRINT OR DISPLAY MULTIMEDIA FOUR CONDITIONS

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

MarcomAssetTypes.1.5 ©2015 GISTICS, All rights reserved.

MARCOM DIGITAL ASSET REPOSITORY

What distinguishes various types of digital assets?

INVENTORY OF DIGITAL ASSETS

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

SOCIAL Digital files or packets that mediate

What makes a computer file into a digital asset?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

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What is an enterprise asset repository?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

and documents, organizing them for structured Publishing asset • Digital/HDTV

partners • Licensed products

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DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

identified the following selection criteria as essential: right solution. Often,

What are the key elements of workflow in a DAM?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

keeps track of who uses what as well • Consistency

On-demand infrastructure offers • Materials

rights management. The on-demand

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

NewTechROI.1.3 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated, All rights reserved.

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STRATEGY OF SYSTEMS WORKFLOW AUTOMATION PACES RACE FOR

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

productivity gains, savings, or increased sales

Number of times total cost returned from

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What constitutes a marcom supply-chain?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

ABOVE THE LINE

chain: Global marketing supply chain Online

brand-marketing strategy with clarity,

communications. Localization Teams Channel Merchandising

Events and Trade Shows

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

not just one. These metadata

standards often use different tags

REUSE METADATA DIGITAL ASSET RETRIEVAL PRODUCTION IMAGE

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What is a multimedia presentation center?

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

asset, potentially thousands of elements embedded Low-res

a firm to produce a variety of outputs (PDFs,

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DigitalAssetManagement.1.4 ©2015 GISTICS Incorporated. All rights reserved.

businesses in advertising, entertainment, Acquiring Corporate Images $98,828 DISTRIBUTE $602,184