The
JAGWire
Integrated Market Strategies
JAGWire
Integrated Market Strategies
From Sizzling Packaging to Radio: The Winner is ...
Mike Hummell has the Midas touch when it comes to identifying successful
product lines. In the mid-1990s, Hummell founded a company that resold CD
burners, blank media and related products. He quickly recognized the need for
CD labeling software.
Mike Hummell has the Midas touch when it comes to identifying successful
product lines. In the mid-1990s, Hummell founded a company that resold CD
burners, blank media and related products. He quickly recognized the need for
CD labeling software.
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In 1996, Hummell co-founded Stomp Inc. with Ken Holowatch, and carved out an enviable niche in the
retail market by pioneering CD-recordable (CD-R) labeling technology. In early 2001, he sold CD
Stomper, a wildly successful CD labeling product, to Avery Dennison – making six people millionaires in
the process. (Sales of CD Stomper had reached nearly $20 million by this time.) In 2002, Stomp
became the exclusive re-publisher for the retail versions of Sonic Solutions' (formerly VERITAS Software’
s) RecordNow MAX CD/DVD recording software and BackUp MyPC automated data protection and
recovery software products.
Since then, the Irvine, California-based company has weathered not only the national recession, but also
a fire that forced it to rebuild from scratch. The JAGWire caught up with Hummell, president and CEO of
Stomp, to ask to what he attributes his success in the retail market.
“Our success is due to the great relationship our internal sales team has with our retailers -- the
consumer electronics and club stores such as Best Buy and Costco – coupled with dynamic packaging
and in-store promotions. Of course, everything must be wrapped around a good product.”
From sizzling packaging to spots on the Kim Kommando national radio show, Hummell says Stomp has
done it all, including Web-based and direct marketing with retailers, radio and TV spots, pay-per-click
advertising and some print ads. Hummell thinks PR is extremely important. “A good PR person can be
worth [his or her] weight in gold.” For Stomp, that means an emphasis on product reviews.
But, says Hummell, the “biggest bang for the buck” has been the package designs and shelf placement.
The biggest failures have been several email blast campaigns – largely due to “horrible lists.”
“People say that lightning strikes once. It struck us with CD Stomper, but we’re searching for another,”
he said.
And why not? BackUp MyPC is currently a best seller in a market fearful of viruses. Furthermore, Stomp
is moving into Internet utility software. By January 2004, Stomp will have six new software and hardware
products, including some novel home security products.
Fall 2003 Issue
retail market by pioneering CD-recordable (CD-R) labeling technology. In early 2001, he sold CD
Stomper, a wildly successful CD labeling product, to Avery Dennison – making six people millionaires in
the process. (Sales of CD Stomper had reached nearly $20 million by this time.) In 2002, Stomp
became the exclusive re-publisher for the retail versions of Sonic Solutions' (formerly VERITAS Software’
s) RecordNow MAX CD/DVD recording software and BackUp MyPC automated data protection and
recovery software products.
Since then, the Irvine, California-based company has weathered not only the national recession, but also
a fire that forced it to rebuild from scratch. The JAGWire caught up with Hummell, president and CEO of
Stomp, to ask to what he attributes his success in the retail market.
“Our success is due to the great relationship our internal sales team has with our retailers -- the
consumer electronics and club stores such as Best Buy and Costco – coupled with dynamic packaging
and in-store promotions. Of course, everything must be wrapped around a good product.”
From sizzling packaging to spots on the Kim Kommando national radio show, Hummell says Stomp has
done it all, including Web-based and direct marketing with retailers, radio and TV spots, pay-per-click
advertising and some print ads. Hummell thinks PR is extremely important. “A good PR person can be
worth [his or her] weight in gold.” For Stomp, that means an emphasis on product reviews.
But, says Hummell, the “biggest bang for the buck” has been the package designs and shelf placement.
The biggest failures have been several email blast campaigns – largely due to “horrible lists.”
“People say that lightning strikes once. It struck us with CD Stomper, but we’re searching for another,”
he said.
And why not? BackUp MyPC is currently a best seller in a market fearful of viruses. Furthermore, Stomp
is moving into Internet utility software. By January 2004, Stomp will have six new software and hardware
products, including some novel home security products.
Fall 2003 Issue
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