Television lets Whitcoulls target the perfect moment
Reprinted with permission from CAANZ.
Whitcoulls’ position as a multi-retailer of books, stationery, games and DVDs means it has competition from a range of similar multi-retailers and specialist stores, with online booksellers adding to the mix. Promoting its range of products and categories has resulted in reduced focus on books and declining market share in this key area. There was a clear opportunity for a book-focused Christmas campaign.
DraftFCB Media were tasked with specific objectives of ensuring their book campaign achieved a 27% share for any books featured in communications and a 25% total share for books for December. The objectives needed to be met without discounting, and by getting the book publishers on board to fund the majority of the media spend.
The campaign needed to create new reasons to buy books from Whitcoulls, encouraging people to buy books despite the higher price point.
Conventional wisdom favoured a mailer campaign to showcase the books range. But the clutter of mailers in December, along with the fact that prices could easily be compared with cheaper competitor offerings, meant the usual approach was unlikely to have traction.
Using insights around the success of recommendations (Amazon’s ‘customers who bought this item also bought’) and Whitcoulls’ own successful Staff Picks and Top 100 Reads, the campaign sought to take the recommendation strategy to a mass market, through the use of television. The fragmentation of television provided the ideal way to pinpoint ranges of interests, enmasse – particularly given entire channels and shows are dedicated to specific genres. Tailor-made messages to match programme genres ensured the positioning and communication were spot on for the target audiences. Perfect media moments were engineered where environment and message could be matched.
Media Strategy
Insights around television programmes and book genres were translated into a series of five TVC ‘packs’ containing specific genre-related programming. Each pack had its own tailor made 15 second TVC, featuring relevant book titles. A Crime Pack, for instance, was linked to crime programming such as CSI and included recommendations for a several crime books.
Placement for each pack was co-funded by a publisher, providing them with a rare opportunity to promote titles on television. The idea was so well received that two of the publishers wanted two packs. While individual Pack TARPs were low, targeting was extremely high and the overall impact was a 600 TARP campaign measured against All People 25 – 54.
First in break placement created impact and literal messaging ensured the maximum cutthrough: “Enjoying this tasty programme? Then take a peak at these treats from Whitcoulls. There’s Aunt Daisy’s Cookbook…”
Results
Whitcoulls’ clear objectives of delivering 27% share for any books featured in communications and a 25% total share for books for December were well and truly exceeded and The Lost Symbol became the number one selling book in December.
The 11 books combined delivered 34% share volume and six of the 11 delivered 50% above the target.
From a December share point of view, the total share for books was more than 10% above the original target. This campaign not only halted a share decline, it actually grew share. This was without discounts and in many cases with prices above the market – issues that could have had major impact given the expected trend of consumers to tighten their belts due to the recession. From a Return on Investment point of view, despite a small initial budget FCB Draft’s ability to sell the concept and deliver returns for the publishers resulted in a powerful partnership. For Whitcoulls the campaign delivered $18 incremental revenue for every $1 spent in media.
Reprinted with permission from CAANZ
You can download the full Whitcoulls Case Study.
