OPERATIONS · CASE STUDY
Global Asset Distribution & DAM Set-Up
Client
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Role
Project and Production Manager
AT A GLANCE
Client
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Role
Project & Production Manager
Timeline
Feb 2016 - Aug 2021
Team
GearShift Advertising
Scope
Global distribution of photoshoot assets and DAM setup
01
The challenge
Yamaha Motor Corporation needed a system to distribute photoshoot assets, including raws and retouched selects to global distributors, each on different timelines.
Physical hard drives, about five to six per shoot, had to be shipped to addresses nationwide and abroad. At the same time, the assets also had to move into MediaValet. MediaValet was meant to save time on the hard-drive work, but some global distributors still wanted the drives. So it was a juggle: get the drives out, get the assets up in MediaValet, and do both in the time the work required.
02
My role
I was the Project and Production Manager at GearShift, and I worked with all departments, from the account director to the client. The work was ongoing for about five to six years during my time there.
I built a spreadsheet tracker for upload status, retouching needs, and which distributor received what. I also set up the folder structure, naming conventions, permissions, SOPs and training.
03
The approach.
01
A clear brief.
Because this was a new ask, I started by getting clear on what each distributor needed, and on the fact that drives and MediaValet had to work side by side.
03
A single tracker.
I built a spreadsheet to track which assets needed to be uploaded, what still needed retouching, and which distributor received what.
02
A timeline for every market.
Distributors were on different timelines. I planned the work so the drives and the MediaValet uploads could both land when each market needed them.
04
A system people could use.
I set up the folder structure, naming conventions, permissions, and training so Yamaha and its distributors could find and use the assets themselves.
Asset flow: Photoshoot → Raws & retouched selects → MediaValet + drives → Global distributors
04
Highlights
1K-2K
ASSETS
5-6
DRIVES PER SHOOT
5-6 YEARS
ENGAGEMENT
ON-TIME
FOR PRODUCT MARKETING & PROMOTIONS
05
The outcome
We delivered on time for product marketing and promotions. Yamaha and its distributors could access the assets themselves. With clear communication and aligned expectations, we made both paths — the drives and MediaValet — work.