Our client's competition had developed ownership of a key segment in the beverage industry, taking a niche brand and building it into one of the top five carbonated soft drinks. Our client had unsuccessfully been challenging competition in this segment for a decade. Much of the appeal of the competitive product rested on both an image and a product differentiator which made it distinctly young, male, and trendy–a key variable in securing teen acceptance.
While our client had a new product ready for introduction, success hinged on the ability to rapidly achieve both product awareness and acceptance among teens.
Solution
We believed both teen awareness and acceptance would be achieved through the word-of-mouth endorsement of these influential teens. Three of Targetbase's core competencies were deployed to develop this highly successful program.
Business Intelligence: Our solution addressed the acquisition problem by developing a model that would identify Influential Teens–those teens who could be counted on to spread information about trends and new products.
Creative and Interactive: These two teams co-developed an innovative direct mail piece targeted to the influential teen with a companion piece that was designed to be passed along to others.
Bringing to life the brand essence, the direct mail piece included an enhanced CD-ROM which teens could use in a CD player or load onto a PC. The target could not only listen to/view a prerecorded alternative rock music "program," but we also provided a real-time music studio where teens could mix, record, and send their own music to others.
The CD-ROM also provided a live link to the brand web site, allowing our client to reach this target individually on an ongoing and more efficient basis.
Each direct mail piece contained not just one, but two CD-ROMs with the message to pass it on. Likewise, each piece contained two free trial coupons for a 20-oz. beverage. Again, the message was to pass one along.
Results
- Subsequent research showed the names identified by the model were 85% on-target.
- 90% unaided recall of the direct mail piece/CD-ROM was achieved among the recipients.
- The campaign achieved 97% brand awareness among teens within six weeks of launch.
- The targeted campaign achieved a 95% product trial among male teens.
- Each influential teen touched, on average, four other teens with the program.
- The program was recognized as the most successful teen program for the year by the PMAA (Promotion Marketing Association of America).
