The correlation between dynamic vision and technological ingenuity with brand development and acceptance in the emerging world of social media has yet to be really established.
However, I would have to say that based on Coupa’s entertaining utilization of the new medium, it is no surprise that this energetic creativity extends to the company’s solutions. In fact, a just released AMR Research report referred to Coupa’s on-demand platform as an “internet savvy e-procurement tool to change the way procurement is done online . . .”
This of course comes as no surprise to you my readers as the white paper that I released this past July went into great detail as to why the Coupa dashboard was emblematic of the paradigm shift associated with what I had referred to as the “Emerging Titans of the SaaS World.” By the way, you can access the white paper as well as other articles on Coupa through their Sponsor Profile Page here on the Procurement Insights Blog.
What makes the Coupa parody of Ariba’s Spendman so fascinating is that it is first of all reflective of a truly innovative platform that effectively leverages emerging Web 2.0 capability to streamline the procurement process. As we learned in my interview with The Marketing Doctor, Dr. John Tantillo who is a regular on Fox News’ Strategy Room, and his reference to the great commercial for a lousy tasting beer, the best ad campaign in the world will ultimately do very little if the quality or substance is missing. There is no such absence with the Coupa offering in terms of their e-procurement platform.
Click on the image to view video
The other thing I like about this first installment in what will be a series of “Schooling Spendguy” videos (alright commercials), is that it is an effective message without being mean-spirited.
Perhaps it is easy to be magnanimous when your targeted competition employs a somewhat tired genre of humor (re Spendguy) that is more reminiscent of the Flock of Seagulls 80s-type corporate smirk, than the crisp witticism of the social media generation of today.
Unfortunately, and despite the internal DNA transformation that Ariba CFO Ahmed Rubaie referenced in our May 7th PI Window on Business interview, it appears that Ariba is still Ariba.
Certainly the recent financial results for the company would seem to indicate that regardless of moving to an on-demand pricing model, the solutions offered by the vendor are as tired looking as the Spendguy in the Coupa video.
In the end of course, you have to examine in great detail the differences between the two technologies as it relates to your particular operation and procurement process requirements. That said there is no reason why you can’t have a little fun in making your determination.
Stay tuned for “Schooling Spendguy” Part 2 (I wonder if they will turn it into a movie?).
Procurement Insights
According to latest Coupa parody, Ariba’s Spendguy is more Spentguise
Posted on February 17, 2010
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The correlation between dynamic vision and technological ingenuity with brand development and acceptance in the emerging world of social media has yet to be really established.
However, I would have to say that based on Coupa’s entertaining utilization of the new medium, it is no surprise that this energetic creativity extends to the company’s solutions. In fact, a just released AMR Research report referred to Coupa’s on-demand platform as an “internet savvy e-procurement tool to change the way procurement is done online . . .”
This of course comes as no surprise to you my readers as the white paper that I released this past July went into great detail as to why the Coupa dashboard was emblematic of the paradigm shift associated with what I had referred to as the “Emerging Titans of the SaaS World.” By the way, you can access the white paper as well as other articles on Coupa through their Sponsor Profile Page here on the Procurement Insights Blog.
What makes the Coupa parody of Ariba’s Spendman so fascinating is that it is first of all reflective of a truly innovative platform that effectively leverages emerging Web 2.0 capability to streamline the procurement process. As we learned in my interview with The Marketing Doctor, Dr. John Tantillo who is a regular on Fox News’ Strategy Room, and his reference to the great commercial for a lousy tasting beer, the best ad campaign in the world will ultimately do very little if the quality or substance is missing. There is no such absence with the Coupa offering in terms of their e-procurement platform.
Click on the image to view video
The other thing I like about this first installment in what will be a series of “Schooling Spendguy” videos (alright commercials), is that it is an effective message without being mean-spirited.
Perhaps it is easy to be magnanimous when your targeted competition employs a somewhat tired genre of humor (re Spendguy) that is more reminiscent of the Flock of Seagulls 80s-type corporate smirk, than the crisp witticism of the social media generation of today.
Unfortunately, and despite the internal DNA transformation that Ariba CFO Ahmed Rubaie referenced in our May 7th PI Window on Business interview, it appears that Ariba is still Ariba.
Certainly the recent financial results for the company would seem to indicate that regardless of moving to an on-demand pricing model, the solutions offered by the vendor are as tired looking as the Spendguy in the Coupa video.
In the end of course, you have to examine in great detail the differences between the two technologies as it relates to your particular operation and procurement process requirements. That said there is no reason why you can’t have a little fun in making your determination.
Stay tuned for “Schooling Spendguy” Part 2 (I wonder if they will turn it into a movie?).
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