Inspiring Marketing Campaigns for 2016

Thu, 05/01/2017 - 08:58

At 23.59pm on December 31, I looked back to the year 2016 and thought about what a year it was. Working within the marketing space, my biggest 2016 memory was of the people who knocked innovative marketing campaigns out of the ballpark.

According to Masterful Marketing, a successful marketing campaign is all about:

  • Defining the correct target audience and attracting the right type of attention.
  • Setting goals or KPIs for what you would like to accomplish.
  • Identifying the relevant channels.
  • Defining how you would like your users to take action.
  • Tracking and measurement metrics.

There were three campaigns which exceeded these requirements in 2016. The below campaigns are believed to have changed the industry and set a very high benchmark for 2017.

OPSMPenny the Pirate

This innovative children’s book and app makes it quick and easy to test a child’s eyesight by targeting common eyesight issues children face. The app gives you not only the result but also allows you to book an eye test at the same time.

Penny the Pirate campaign fully embodied the metrics for a successful marketing campaign and went back to basics, ticking all the boxes. They identified the problem, created a solution and made use of the relevant marketing channels to spread the word.

If Penny the Pirate is anything to go by, it looks like the road to success for marketing campaigns in 2017 will be taking us back to the basics of marketing.

Always#Likeagirl

This powerful campaign challenges the notion of doing something “like a girl”. For decades, this term had been used to define something as weak. The #likeagirl campaign aimed to change that.

I feel this is one of the top campaigns because it speaks to teenagers on a personal level. Being a teenage girl means you’re boxed in with various stereotypes. And this campaign is refreshing in the sense that it smashes those stereotypes.

This campaign empowers its target audience and will leave a lasting impression that will most certainly be at the forefront of everyone’s mind.


The Mercedes Mannequin Challenge

First we had the ice bucket challenge and now we have the Mannequin Challenge taking the Internet by storm.

For those who don’t know what the Mannequin Challenge is, it’s a viral video that features people imitating mannequins. The viral craze kicked off in November 2016 and has since had a snowball effect.

My number three on the count-down is the Mercedes Mannequin Challenge, as this is the perfect example of making use of what is topical to populate a great marketing campaign.

Mercedes SA leveraged the Mannequin Challenge to demonstrate the benefits of their E-class range – with standard “Park Pilot”. The campaign is all about how the E-class car can tackle everyday issues, for example parking, so that drivers can participate in viral internet crazes at any given time and place.

2016 was a great year in terms of innovative marketing campaigns and the standard has been set high.

So, 2017, give it all you have!

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