WARNING: NSFW
Hello everyone! This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on digital campaigns ay-kay-ay (aka) new ways of connecting with customers.
A digital campaign is an online marketing effort put forward by a company to drive engagement, conversions, traffic, or revenue.
Digital advertising formats in Singapore is growing steadily and will increase by 2.1% in 2019. Of which, is being led by strong growth in social (+28%), video (+27%) and search (+20%). In 2020, the advertising economy of Singapore is expected to increase by 2.3% to reach SGD$2.3 billion.
A digital campaign is an online marketing effort put forward by a company to drive engagement, conversions, traffic, or revenue.
Digital advertising formats in Singapore is growing steadily and will increase by 2.1% in 2019. Of which, is being led by strong growth in social (+28%), video (+27%) and search (+20%). In 2020, the advertising economy of Singapore is expected to increase by 2.3% to reach SGD$2.3 billion.
Businesses have started to embrace the power of digital marketing and they are willing to spend thousands of dollars just to get exposure online. It enables them to connect with potential customers and motivate existing customers to come back and purchase more products.
Hence, a successful campaign should not only capture people's imagination but also has the right strategy to make it stick. While it is difficult to execute well, an effective integrated marketing campaign looks at the strengths of each channel and tailors content and messaging to each. The aim?
To target a range of audiences across different platforms to ensure a brand's campaign doesn't go unnoticed and speaks to the right people in the right places. After all, over half of the customers are more likely to buy a product if they love the brand's story.
So what are some of the digital campaigns worth mentioning? I'm sure you guys have seen this ad on several social media platforms for the past month...
I raised an eyebrow when I first came across this commercial, many found it to be cringeworthy as well. I initially thought it was a spoof of sorts but nope it was a legit collaboration between Shopee and Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes, I do get that the both of them have the same values but promoting a shopping app isn't exactly right down the latter's alley. You can watch the full advertisement below:
In my opinion, a beauty influencer would have fit the bill better. My suggestion would be the singer/fashion designer, Rihanna, who has her own makeup line too since Shopee carries a wide range of products from women apparels to consumer gadgets...
Rihanna would have been a better key opinion leader (KOI), don't you think?
I felt that there wasn't any link between Shopee and the football star. He was the wrong choice for a spokesperson for an e-commerce application. Am I the only one who feels this way? Plus, what did the baby shark tune have to do with anything at all? Yes, I'm sure we've all heard of that the song 'cus it was catchy for a bit and that was all to it. But Ronaldo and Shopee, really..?
Well, here's an example of a well-executed campaign:
Dumb Ways to Die is a public service announcement campaign by Metro Trains in Melbourne, Australia to promote rail safety. To achieve this, the brand decided to play with expectations and create something that was silly rather than serious.
The result was a song about the dumb way in which you can die - such as selling your kidneys on the Internet or poking a bear - supported by an animated clip. Within 24 hours of its launch, the song topped the charts, clocking in at the 10th position on iTunes. To ensure longevity, the campaign expanded into new areas: merchandise based on the characters, a mobile app and even an educational book.
I myself, downloaded the app too when it first came out. The graphics were so adorable with a hint of gore and the song was super catchy! It was no surprise that the game was a No. 1 hit in 53 markets and became the top iPad app in 81 countries. Not only were the song and its characters a success, but they also achieved their goal of raising awareness. Metro Trains noticed a 21% reductions in accidents and death on its network as a result of the campaign.
What a brilliant campaign that was - the usage of humour to get a serious message across!
Now, let's move on to more controversial ads, I came across this commercial about Men's fragrance from Tom Ford...
*WARNING: EXPLICIT IMAGES AHEAD*
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Here's the YouTube link if you're feeling cheeky.
As a female, am I offended by this ad? Nope, not at all. Instead, I feel empowered and honestly speaking, the creative direction of this advertisement is on point. It creates attention and drama. Plus, it gets people talking about your brand. What's there not to like?
But then again I guess people can say the same for the Shopee ad too then, hmmm...
But then again I guess people can say the same for the Shopee ad too then, hmmm...
What do you guys think? What are the factors that attribute to a successful campaign? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section down below.
Ta-ta!
Ta-ta!
Interesting opinions. I do feel that, what you've mentioned is valid but a point about the Ronaldo ad. I do feel that once a Superstar like Ronaldo is utilized, it's not really much of a problem. Because once you have as much star power as he does, you'll be able to transcend across different industries. Similar to Jackie Chan. He's been in action movies, cartoons, comedies, that weird VISA ad for the Beijing Olympics. Star power is a real factor and I do feel that once your chosen celebrity embodies it, it doesn't really matter about "fit" anymore because the audience would want ro emulate it, either way, the outstanding qualities that the star possesses.
ReplyDeleteAs for the rest of the two ads you've discussed, I really do think that there's nothing inherently wrong with it and has that "out of the box" thinking. But it's a case of cultural appropriateness. They may or may not work in certain cultures, but I do feel that they will not be accepted/tolerated in Singapore at all. This is something to be considered as well when it comes to creating Digital Campaigns.
Hello, thanks for your comment!
DeleteBuilding brands through celebrity and digital influencer endorsements remains a powerful communication tool for firms. You’ve got a point there. Well, it seems like there’s no such thing as bad publicity afterall…I’m guessing that Shopee wanted to reach a massive audience in the shortest possible time in this highly saturated world. Fans of CR would want to resonate with him, thus converting them to consumers of Shopee.
The future of sex in advertising is definitely here to stay, but it won't be featured prominently in mass-market messaging going forward. At the end of the day, sexual imagery may attract a certain demographic to a product or service. But if the product isn't any good, they'll lose interest. In addition, consumers may feel cheated and brands could lose their trust.
Hi Grace, yes i do feel the same way when i saw the Ad by Shopee, however i think the ad would still impact consumers who have seen the advertisement as Christiano Ronaldo was featured. His popularity as a football star would have gained the attention of consumers even if they are not a fan of football.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, i feel that one of the factors that makes a digital campaign successful would be the mix of emotions that the advertisement would inject to make consumers resonate with the advertisement, and i personally think that Thai Advertisements never fail to touch the hearts of viewers with stories so emotional that it brings viewers to tears.
Great post once again, looking forward to your next post!
https://www.mumbrella.asia/2015/01/thai-life-insurance-ads-consistently-tear-jerkingly-brilliant
Hi Gabriel, thanks for your comment!
DeleteAh yes, being the emotional person that I am, Thai commercials ALWAYS get me. I’m usually bawling my eyes out at the end of the commercial. Studies show that people rely on emotions, rather than information, to make decisions. Out of 1,400 successful advertising campaigns, those with purely emotional content performed about twice as well (31% vs. 16%) as those with only rational content.
Emotional marketing helps people decide with their hearts, which actually has more influence on buying than their minds. Weaving emotion into marketing and advertising is a surefire way to attract, resonate with, and encourage your audience to act!
Haha! dumb ways to die really brings back memories!!
ReplyDeleteFrankly speaking, I think among our peers, I have yet to hear anyone who thinks that CR was a good fit for the Shoppee Ad campaign. Other than a show of financial resources, whom i think many consumers think there are better brand ambassadors who would prove to be a more strategic fit as compared to their current representative. Shoppee could also adopt Dove's approach to use everyday people and stray from the conventional choice of celebrities since their application are widely used through the ages.
The age old "Sex - Sells" ads. My point of view is that there is nothing to take offense of, although the implied meaning of primal instinct seems to be able to go both ways for the male and female gender.
Hey there!
DeleteHaving a strong brand ambassador program has become an increasingly important part of marketing campaigns these days. However, a famous face doesn't mean they fit with any given brand. But I guess the Shopee commercial did what it was supposed to do – it broke through the clutter and caught our attention. Good on them for being the ‘talk of the town’…I guess. No such thing as bad publicity afterall huh?
Yes, sex sells when it’s done the right way. While the duo can be a fun, playful and enticing advertising strategy for a brand, they can easily be taken too far. And, I don't think it is wrong to pair the two together. But, I think it is wrong when sexual advertising crosses the line into womanising or being sexist. While everybody likes to have sex, nobody likes to feel like an object.
Hi Grace! I do agree with you that sometimes in the cases of a successful campaign, it is important to ensure there is a fit between the brand value and the celebrity choice. Popularity may be one of the key factors but businesses will soon realize that the campaign will not be as effective if consumers find a mismatch between the product and the celebrity choices. This also result a more difficult recalling process for the consumers. As such, I personally feel is important to find the right person that encompasses the values that the brand is seeking. In this way, consumer will find it relatively easier to relate. The can be deem as the true definition of a well-executed campaign rather than just aiming towards a higher reach.
ReplyDeleteOverall, a great read and well crafted thoughts throughout the blog post. Looking forward to your next post
Hi Wei Li, thanks for your comment!
DeleteBrand ambassadors are such powerful and versatile tools to raise company or product awareness. The key messages he/she communicates should be sincere and consistent with the brand; as a result, the relationship between them will be perceived as much more natural by consumers. Therefore, I feel that it is extremely vital to select an individual who fits the brand image. I understand that CR has the ability to reach out to the masses as he is an iconic footballer. However, many found the synergy between him and shopee questionable. (Me included!) But one thing’s for sure: I’ll definitely use an ambassador of the correct fit when I become a marketer!