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As much as marketers might deny it, a big part of success in this industry is ripping from others. You can use stronger or milder words to describe it, but the premise is the same. Find what works and use it to your advantage.
So, if you’re going to base your marketing campaign on a piece of pop culture, you might as well go for one of the biggest. That’s exactly what the personalization platform Mutiny did with its new Survivor-based competition.
The company invited marketers, creators, and strategists from around the world to join an online competition featuring leaders from companies like OpenAI, Autodesk, and Writer.
Welcome to Surv-AI-vor.
Mutiny Cements Its Spot in the AI Industry
Mutiny started its journey towards personalization dominance in 2018. Since then, it’s raised over $70 million through four rounds of funding, has acquired another company, and now caters to a number of enterprise clients.
Mutiny helps companies optimize marketing funnel assets for revenue by personalizing copy and formatting based on the viewer. It takes audience data from your CRM or sales enablement platforms and uses AI to generate high-conversion copy for specific segments—all through a no-code interface.
Basically, Mutiny uses AI to help adjust key marketing assets in real time based on the characteristics of the audience members viewing them.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise companies like Pendo, Notion, Carta, ClickUp, and 6Sense all use Mutiny to gain an edge conversion-wise.
Unfortunately, the personalization software niche is more competitive than one might expect. According to G2, Mutiny is up against 199 other software platforms, and it’s not a stand-out in terms of market presence or performance. Look below; it’s currently sitting at the low end of the high-performers quadrant.
Insider, Klaviyo, and Iterable currently pace the field in the personalization space. Not to mention, each has significantly more investment capital, brand recognition, and web traffic than most of the industry. Mutiny is fighting an uphill battle against major competitors with a sizable edge across various metrics.
But where Mutiny does have an edge is its top-notch marketing team and its willingness to leverage existing customer relationships and swing for the fences.
Mutiny Gamifies Upskilling with Surv-AI-vor
After premiering in late October, Mutiny recently concluded the first of two final events in its Surv-AI-vor challenge with a live event in San Francisco. Inspired by the popular TV show format, Surv-AI-vor is more than a competition—it’s a quest to elevate real-world AI skills, coupled with the tantalizing lure of a prize fund that’s reached over $13,500.
As it says on Mutiny’s Surv-AI-vor page, only marketers who embrace AI will survive.
Here’s a quick overview of how Mutiny’s AI game worked:
- Contestants signed up online through a short (and sneaky) lead-capture form
- The prize pot increased by $1 for every contestant who joined
- Contestants earned points by attending a total of nine virtual workshops split into three weekly sections running from October 24th to November 9th
- Workshops were led by marketing experts in Mutiny’s client-partner network, covering different AI workflows
- Contestants earned bonus points for completing a challenge task at the end of each workshop
- The top point earners at the end of the three-week challenge qualified for a live finale event
The top Surv-AI-vors for each weekly section could also win prizes like Solo Stoves and Oura Rings, while the awards for most creative and most referrals could win a yearly subscription to two products we’ve been looking at a lot here at Foundation: Midjourney and ChatGPT.
The culmination of these workshops is not a quiet congratulatory email. Instead, finalists are thrown into the limelight, competing in live events in New York and San Francisco, adding a touch of glamour and real-world urgency to the challenge.
This type of gamification is the perfect way to get thousands of marketers exposed to the Mutiny platform. The seminars were not run-of-the-mill presentations but were led by seasoned marketers from within the Mutiny client-partner network, adding a layer of authenticity and experience to the proceedings.
Why Surv-AI-vor is a Genius Move for Mutiny
Mutiny’s Surv-AI-vor challenge is a great move for Mutiny for a number of reasons. The calculated strategy bolsters its brand, solidifies its position as an expert in the personalization software industry, and is a massive lead capture opportunity.
But that’s not all—here are three other reasons this was a genius-level move for Mutiny.
1) Demonstrates Product Utility
Each of the nine workshops in the Surv-AI-vor contest focused on a marketing activity that benefits from Mutiny’s AI capabilities. That means the company got over 3,500 marketers to voluntarily sign up for a contest where they learned how to use Mutiny’s AI-powered personalization platform in a number of ways, including:
- Website optimization
- Paid advertising
- Account-based marketing
- Video content repurposing
- Content distribution (our personal fav)
- Visual asset creation
Not only did these give contestants a practical demonstration of Mutiny’s tools in action, but the workshops were followed by a contest that helped people demonstrate what they learned.
The fact that Mutiny’s marketing team created a contest that essentially gamified nine different in-depth demonstrations of its AI-based product is incredible. The fact that it got over 3,500 people to practice with the product after those seminars to earn points (and become fans of the product) is genius.
2) Turns Customers into Ambassadors
By involving experienced marketers from brands like MKT1, Orbit Media, Pendo, and others that integrate Mutiny into their daily operations, the Surv-AI-vor workshops served a dual purpose. They not only educated but also acted as a platform for these professionals to endorse Mutiny. This approach leverages social proof, transforming customers into brand ambassadors.
For example, Alexa Baltazar is the former Growth Marketing Manager for Pendo, one of Mutiny’s top clients, and has plenty of experience using the product. She’s already contributed to other Mutiny marketing assets, like a customer success story explaining how Pendo witnessed a 22% increase in product trial signups.
Baltazar co-ran the Week 2 workshop on “optimizing your optimization program” alongside Mutiny’s Head of Growth Marketing, Molly Bruckman. This is a perfect example of how SaaS brands can build relationships with enthusiastic customers and develop a pipeline of brand and product ambassadors. Oh, it’s also a great way to recruit top marketing talent.
3) Explores Mutiny’s Position as AI Reshapes the Landscape
The Surv-AI-vor competition went beyond just showcasing Mutiny’s offerings. It included webinars from leaders at companies like OpenAI, Autodesk, and Cowboy Ventures, discussing how AI is revolutionizing the entire marketing industry:
- The latest AI advancements relevant to marketers
- How marketers currently use AI to get ahead of the competition
- A macro look at the future of marketing from the GTM perspective
One of the highlights for contestants was seeing May Habib, CEO of generative AI tool Writer, speak about the advancements that are right around the corner.
Putting on and sponsoring high-profile events helps position Mutiny at the forefront of the AI transformation in marketing alongside big names like OpenAI, Writer, and Autodesk. After all, you are who you’re associated with.
A Bold Step Forward
Mutiny has set a new benchmark for how software companies can creatively engage with their audience while simultaneously bolstering their brand presence. Stay tuned for the final showdown, and remember, in the fast-evolving world of AI and marketing, staying informed is your key to staying ahead.
