Debra Ruh is no stranger to the spotlight, but billboards – that’s kicking it up a notch.
Ruh has been on the cover of Virginia Business magazine, and she’s been written up in Fortune.
But now Ruh’s face is on the side of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge. The founder and CEO of TecAccess, a Rockville-based firm that helps companies make sure their websites are accessible for people with disabilities, is receiving a wave of global attention from her involvement in Dell’s Take Your Own Path advertising campaign.
When Dell announced in October that TecAccess would be a part of the campaign, they flew Ruh out to Los Angeles, where she met with a team of producers. She went through the motions of international stardom: wardrobe, makeup, lights, camera.
The campaign showcases 40 small businesses that have been successful in their fields and happen to use Dell computers. Dell first launched the campaign in India a year and a half ago, causing their sales to small and medium businesses to jump from third to first in the country.
“We wanted to celebrate customers who had made a successful business while using Dell products,” said Jennifer Davis, spokeswoman for Dell’s small and medium business division. “The goal was to simply recognize extraordinary small businesses.”
Ruh and TecAccess became involved in the project by finishing as a finalist for Dell’s Small Business Excellence Award, given to businesses that “apply technology in innovative ways to improve the customer experience and grow.”
“We remembered her from the Small Business excellence award, and thought she would be perfect for the campaign,” said Davis. “TecAccess not only uses their technology for their own company, but consults others around the world on accessibility.”
Since the launch of the U.S. campaign, hits on TecAccess’s website have quadrupled, said Ruh, and the increased exposure has helped drive up sales and attract new employees.
“We’re just a small company who does about $2 million in sales,” said Ruh. “The exposure they’ve given us has been huge. There’s no way I could afford to do something like that.”
“What’s unique about this campaign is instead of a recognizable face, Dell has decided to make the small-business owner the superstar,” said Ruh. “They told me, ‘Tell your story about your company. We want this to be about your company, and oh, by the way, you did choose Dell.’”
Through the campaign, Ruh has appeared on various billboards across the country, as well as in major publications, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
“It’s nice. I’m not going to lie, it’s really nice,” Ruh said of seeing herself in newspapers.
The campaign has been extended, and Ruh and TecAccess have been selected to help make TYOP more international by arranging speaking engagements around the world. According to Davis, Dell is also considering searching for a new batch of companies to use for a similar campaign.
“What’s exciting about the TYOP campaign is [that] while Dell is well known, they haven’t lost sight of how they started,” said Paul Spicer, a marketing director for TecAccess. “Dell is showcasing the next generation of leaders in business. TecAccess is no stranger to exposure, but this is one of the most exciting rides we’ve been on.”
Drew Jackson covers marketing for BizSense. Please send news tips to [email protected].
Debra Ruh is no stranger to the spotlight, but billboards – that’s kicking it up a notch.
Ruh has been on the cover of Virginia Business magazine, and she’s been written up in Fortune.
But now Ruh’s face is on the side of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge. The founder and CEO of TecAccess, a Rockville-based firm that helps companies make sure their websites are accessible for people with disabilities, is receiving a wave of global attention from her involvement in Dell’s Take Your Own Path advertising campaign.
When Dell announced in October that TecAccess would be a part of the campaign, they flew Ruh out to Los Angeles, where she met with a team of producers. She went through the motions of international stardom: wardrobe, makeup, lights, camera.
The campaign showcases 40 small businesses that have been successful in their fields and happen to use Dell computers. Dell first launched the campaign in India a year and a half ago, causing their sales to small and medium businesses to jump from third to first in the country.
“We wanted to celebrate customers who had made a successful business while using Dell products,” said Jennifer Davis, spokeswoman for Dell’s small and medium business division. “The goal was to simply recognize extraordinary small businesses.”
Ruh and TecAccess became involved in the project by finishing as a finalist for Dell’s Small Business Excellence Award, given to businesses that “apply technology in innovative ways to improve the customer experience and grow.”
“We remembered her from the Small Business excellence award, and thought she would be perfect for the campaign,” said Davis. “TecAccess not only uses their technology for their own company, but consults others around the world on accessibility.”
Since the launch of the U.S. campaign, hits on TecAccess’s website have quadrupled, said Ruh, and the increased exposure has helped drive up sales and attract new employees.
“We’re just a small company who does about $2 million in sales,” said Ruh. “The exposure they’ve given us has been huge. There’s no way I could afford to do something like that.”
“What’s unique about this campaign is instead of a recognizable face, Dell has decided to make the small-business owner the superstar,” said Ruh. “They told me, ‘Tell your story about your company. We want this to be about your company, and oh, by the way, you did choose Dell.’”
Through the campaign, Ruh has appeared on various billboards across the country, as well as in major publications, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
“It’s nice. I’m not going to lie, it’s really nice,” Ruh said of seeing herself in newspapers.
The campaign has been extended, and Ruh and TecAccess have been selected to help make TYOP more international by arranging speaking engagements around the world. According to Davis, Dell is also considering searching for a new batch of companies to use for a similar campaign.
“What’s exciting about the TYOP campaign is [that] while Dell is well known, they haven’t lost sight of how they started,” said Paul Spicer, a marketing director for TecAccess. “Dell is showcasing the next generation of leaders in business. TecAccess is no stranger to exposure, but this is one of the most exciting rides we’ve been on.”
Drew Jackson covers marketing for BizSense. Please send news tips to [email protected].