Tired of using the same old marketing strategies? Looking for some fresh sources of inspiration? Look no further. The stories of these integrated marketing case studies, and the statistics to back them up, will be sure to inspire you and give you some brilliant ideas of your own. Read on to discover excellent examples of successful integrated marketing, and you just might learn a thing or two:
1. U.S. Cellular
The Scenario:
U.S. Cellular wanted to connect with consumers on a more local, personalized level. They realized that consumers like the Bryant family, who represent part of their customer base, value companies that deliver top-notch products and services with the personal touch they deserve.
The Action Plan:
They created memorable experiences to let consumers know that U.S. Cellular values their lives and interests and could provide all the products and features they need. Sports sponsorships, mobile tours, retail activations, and buzz events allowed consumers to interact and connect with the brand and its products in a more personalized way.
The Stats:
Along with the Bryant family, 1,789,615 consumers engaged with U.S. Cellular at 1,591 community-based, customized events. Over 3,000,000 specialized brand and product interactions enabled people to connect with the brand on a more personal level.
2. LifeStyles
The Scenario:
LifeStyles condoms wanted to be portrayed as more than just a condom company; they wanted to be known as the authority on all things good about safe sex. One of their target customers, Mike, is 22 and sexually active. He wanted to learn more about sex, but all the advice he read in magazines and online communities seemed a little far-fetched. Mike wished he had some place to go for information he could trust.
The Action Plan:
Their Change the Score sex survey gave Mike and his friends what they wanted-trustworthy information and practical tips to take their sex lives to the next level, courtesy of the LifeStyles brand. Results from the Change the Score survey informed SEO efforts and determined weekly content on Lifestlyes.com and the brand's social networks.
The Stats:
Change the Score got 37 million impressions, and 199 thousand clicks, resulting in a 300% boost in LifeStyles.com traffic. "Likes" on Facebook jumped 1500%. All of this led Mike and his friends to go with LifeStyles as their condom supplier, positioning the brand to take over the #2 spot in the market.
3. Staples
The Scenario:
Staples knew that they needed to form a connection with teens during the crucial retail BTS time period. So, they asked their agency to figure out how to create a partnership with DoSomething.org. One of their target customers, Aubrey, has many different brands competing for her attention, but she's more interested in supporting brands that actually make a difference than just supporting whatever happens to be "cool." They used its knowledge of the target audience and found that consumers like Aubrey were searching for ways to give back to the community, especially when their favorite celebrities got involved.
The Action Plan:
They initiated The Give-Back Pack, an exciting opportunity for Aubrey and other like-minded consumers to make a difference by "teaming up" with celebrities to collect school supplies for students who couldn't afford them. The campaign website, public service announcements, and social media efforts led Aubrey to join a pack, help with fundraising, and get the word out about the campaign.
The Stats:
Along with Aubrey, 34,254 of her peers registered for the sweepstakes. Together, they raised over $807,000 in donations for school supplies. And 2,831,046 teens watched the public service announcement videos posted on the microsite and across the web.
4. Garnier Fructis
The Scenario:
Garnier Fructis wanted to generate some brand awareness at the Bonaroo Music Festival. Two of their target consumers, Janet and Austin, are dedicated music festival fans. Living in tents under the hot summer sun is nothing new to them, but at the same time, they'd appreciate having access to the comforts of home. Garnier realized that fans came to Bonaroo for music, not marketing, so it was crucial to present consumers with a meaningful experience.
The Action Plan:
Together with their agency, they developed the Rock Your Style experience, giving festival attendees the chance to cool off, get cleaned up, and get into the music with a memorable brand interaction. Thousands of festival goers stopped by the big tent to get their hair washed and styled with Garnier products, belt out their favorite songs in a karaoke contest, or just beat the heat in the air conditioning.
The Stats:
Janet, Austin, and their friends left the festival with 91,250 samples of Garnier products and 5,880 premiums. They also generated a lot of noise on Twitter with over 150 million Garnier relevant impressions. More than 3,975 people at the festival got their hair washed and styled at the Garnier Fructis salon, and 20,000 used the Garnier sponsored shower.
5. Food Bank For New York City
The Scenario:
Food Bank for New York City wanted to promote healthy eating among teens. Angel is one of their target consumers, and like most teens, he likes snacks, soda, and candy. He and millions of other low-income teens from New York City have been putting their health at risk with poor dietary choices. Angel and his peers have defended their bad eating habits, saying it's too difficult to eat like a health nut. However, focus groups revealed that Angel and other teens are open to healthier eating behaviors, as long as they come in small steps.
The Action Plan:
Short, straightforward copy and bright colors in the Change One Thing Ads placed around NYC neighborhoods allowed time-crunched Angel and his peers to digest the information quickly.
The Stats:
In a survey conducted after the campaign, Angel and 50% of his friends reported making changes to their eating habits. Sixty-eight percent say they are attempting to make healthier eating choices, and 64% are giving more thought to how their food choices will impact them in the future.
If you're stuck in a rut with your marketing techniques, you might want to consider giving integrated marketing a shot. The above examples show how effective it can be, and with a little luck and some careful planning, you and your company just might be the next success story.