Eyes fixated. Fingers froze. Goosebumps everywhere.
This was exactly how I felt a decade ago when I first saw Coca-Cola’s Holiday campaign. It struck me right on the spot and believe it or not, it even inspired me to pursue a career in marketing.
The beverage company has been known to produce campaigns that become an all-time fave of many. Similar to Nike, Gatorade, and other brands that are known to produce inspiring campaigns, Coca-Cola knew the tricks to creating catchy and remarkable adverts.
With this, I have listed down few of the not-so-secret ingredients to a successful campaign.
But first, let’s define “successful.”
A campaign is considered successful if it has met the brand’s goals and objectives which may vary from brand awareness, consideration, to conversion. Driving business growth is an absolute end goal but making a difference and influencing consumer behavior are likewise outstanding indications of an excellent campaign.
Now, ready to find out how?
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Tell a captivating story.
It is all about your consumers, not your brand.
Hook your target audience’s attention by narrating a story that they can immensely relate to. You can bank on the current pressing issues or as simple as something your consumers go through in their daily routine.
Show that you share and understand the same sentiments that they have. Identify their pain points and address them in your campaign without making fun or light of it. Foster a genuine connection with them.
Through this, you create a relationship with your target market way beyond as a “seller.”
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Be specific and have a stand.
Identify the values your brand upholds and portray it in your campaign to motivate and inspire people. Your campaign must represent something more than what your product can offer.
Be specific on what you’re trying to tell your audience. No bland message and no gray areas.
Take a stand and be bold when you do.
Remember: If you want to be remembered, do something unforgettable.
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Be wildly creative.
A good story can be boring without a good storyteller.
Success of marketing campaigns largely depends on the implementation. The grandest idea with the biggest budget can go into waste if executed exactly the way others have done it.
With an estimate of 4,000 ads seen daily by an average person, brands definitely must think of a way to stand out. So go crazy with your ideas, do something the majority won’t expect, but at the same time, stay true to your brand.
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Personalize your campaigns.
Your brand may have the most interesting products to launch but if you don’t market it the way your consumers prefer, then you might just lose your chance to capture their attention.
Brands with successful campaigns understood their audience. They knew their consumption behavior, interests, pain points, and things they care about. By looking at the historical consumer data and with the help of intelligence platforms, brands can produce data-driven marketing activities that are hyper-personalized to your target audience.
Make your consumers feel like your campaign was custom-made for them.
The secret of the most successful campaigns?
Know your consumers so well that it surprises them.
As Teradata perfectly said it, “Customers today expect—and demand—a seamless and relevant experience. They have grown accustomed to marketers’ knowledge of their preferences and anticipation of their needs.”
And it is now up to us to satisfy their demands– beyond their expectations.
Sources:
Semogan, A. 6 Marketing Campaign Secrets for Successful Ads. Retrieved from http://inspirationfeed.com/6-marketing-campaigns-secrets-for-successful-ads/
Kolowich, L. (2018, February 21) 14 of The Best Advertising and Marketing Campaigns of All Time. Retrieved from https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32763/the-10-greatest-marketing-campaigns-of-all-time.aspx
