MSP, BlueSky ETO Impress and Educate Through Multi-channel Campaign-PODi Case Study
Vertical Market: Printing and Marketing Services
Business Application: Direct Marketing/Self Promotion
Business Objectives:
MSP is a marketing services provider offering a complete range of strategic marketing solutions to businesses and non-profits across the country. MSP and sister company BlueSky ETO, which develops sophisticated Web-based marketing portals, had a common goal to increase regional awareness of their brands and capabilities. Their approach focused on a two-day event at MSP’s facility; however the marketing campaign they used to drive attendance was at least as powerful in showcasing their capabilities and creativeness.
Specifically, their goals were to:
- Generate heightened regional awareness for both brands
- Engage and generate new business relationships with regional companies, agencies and brokers.
- Make a lasting impression with its equipment and 150,000-square-foot facility.
- Highlight new service offerings like large-format printing
- Educate attendees on relevant topics such as: digital printing and award-winning workflow automation; large-format innovations like laser-guided digital diecutting; engineered-to-order marketing solutions and multichannel marketing campaign management
Results
The two-day open house event was highly successful with over 100 attendees. In addition, their capabilities were shared via direct marketing to their entire target audience—whether or not they were able to attend. Measurable results included:
- Over 100 event attendees
- Over $500,000 in revenue from new business relationships
- 25:1 ROI
- Six new customers within two weeks of attending open house
Soft results from survey feedback included:
- "It was one of the most educational and beneficial sessions I have attended in quite some time. Kudos to you and your entire team on a job well done."
- "This was a great event. I wanted to walk away with a few new innovative ideas and I did!"
- "The ETO and Multichannel Marketing sessions were extremely informative—I learned A LOT."
Campaign Architecture and Target Audience
This was a fully-integrated, multi-channel marketing campaign utilizing two-dimensional and three-dimensional mailings with QR Codes, personalized Websites, e-mails, and personalized samples.
The three-dimensional mailings incorporated diecut football, field and goal posts reminiscent of the tabletop football we all used to play in study hall. All mailings included Personalized URLs with QR Codes leading to personal landing pages.
The two-dimensional mailings included Color Logic foil treatment printed on an HP Indigo press. They included links to personalized landing pages where recipients could request Big Head football signs personalized with their picture and preferred team colors.
There were a series of personalized pre- and post-event e-mails. The pre-event e-mails consisted of:
- Save-the-Date
- Registration
- Reminder
The two post-event e-mails were:
- Survey
- Thank you
A collection of materials showcasing MSP’s capabilities were provided to seminar attendees.
Target Audience
This campaign was targeted at regional corporate marketing executives, agencies and brokers. It was geographically limited to companies within driving distance of the facility which produced a distribution list of 2,500 contacts.
Messaging, Creative and Offer
The messaging around this campaign and event was all about new, creative uses of technology such as digital printing, three-dimensional mailings, foil stamping, large format, and how they could be utilized into personalized, multi-channel marketing campaigns. The creative theme was, in a word, football. MSP and BlueSky ETO drove this theme through everything they did, across every delivery channel.
The seminar was titled “Game Plan for Your Brand” with the day organized around “quarters.” The mailings and e-mailing were football themed, as well as the offer which was a free Big Head cutout sign to be picked up at the event. Respondents could snap a photo of their face which would be framed under a football helmet in their color choices, printed and cut out. The handout materials at the event included diecut pop-up and folding elements such as jerseys, helmets, 3-D folding footballs, goal posts, pennants and the “Score Big with Your Brand” brochure. The brand consistency, variety and creativity shown in these materials underscored MSP’s ability to design and deliver marketing campaigns.
A good way to appreciate how the event was organized is to view their online video below:
- Powerful Creative: The quality and variety of the materials and designs demonstrated the ability to design campaigns that grab attention
- Fun, Personal Offer: Big Head posters are fun and easily personalizing them with your own face certainly grabbed attention. Handing them out at the event helped change this from clicks to attendance.
- Branded Integration: The creative and messaging were consistent across materials and delivery channels from e-mail, to print, to Websites.
- Multi-touch Campaign: Beyond the normal benefits of such an approach, this particular campaign carried the subtle but clear message of "look at what we can do...and come learn how we can do it for you."
- Valuable Content: While the offer was a fun Big Head sign, the real value came from the seminars designed to educate rather than sell.
PODi is a global, member-supported not-for-profit organization. The PODi library consists of over 500 digital printing and marketing case studies from around the world.
Source: PODi.
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