The IAB Mobile Road Show: Spotlight on Location Data’s third stop in New York City on Aug. 21 showcased four brand studies to illustrate the power of location-based marketing.
LIN Mobile and a regional sporting retailer created a campaign to drive foot traffic and sales using location-based couponing. PlaceIQ and the Montana Office of Tourism used location-based data to entice winter sports enthusiasts to visit Montana’s snowy slopes. SessionM and Mondelēz International used in-store opt-in location to make a British breakfast food a hit with American adults. Verve and a large national retailer sought to drive foot traffic during the busy holiday season, increase awareness of holiday sales and promotions and generate excitement for the grand openings of new stores.
Though different in scope and motivation, the four campaigns illustrate how these companies used the following six questions to create powerhouse partnerships that drove brand success.
1. What data will be shared and when?
The free flow of data between the partners in all of these campaigns was crucial to their success. Each of these brands, agencies and service providers needed to consider what data they had, what data they were willing to share and the timetable for sharing that data with the other partners. Transparency and trust were key ingredients. For example, LIN Mobile and their retail partner established a nightly POS feed in order to closely track the effectiveness of their location-based campaign and tie it directly to daily in-store sales.
2. What is the quality of the data?
This question was discussed at length in all of the case studies and by the ensuing panel of experts. It’s critical for all partners to understand the source of all of the data they use for the campaign. Is it first-party data? Are consumers checking in and telling you exactly where they are? Or is it triangulated data, data from ad exchanges or true lat/long data from the device GPS? First-party is generally regarded as being the most accurate, but all parties have to be aware of what type of data they have and what’s most appropriate for their campaign goals.
3. What are the common goals?
The case studies stressed that goals for the campaign have to be established early on, and everyone on the campaign has to be aware of and on board with the same goals. There’s little hope for success without alignment. For example, is this a brand awareness campaign or a sales driver? Do you want consumers to take an action? If so, what specific action do you want them to take? Be clear and upfront about the motivation for the work.
4. What will you measure?
Now that the goals are set and you know what data you will share and when you will share it, what metrics will you track, share and analyze? How will they be used and by whom? Will contextual information aside from the collected data, such as customer demographics and buying patterns, be added to give a fuller picture of the campaign’s success? The ultimate success, or lack thereof, depends heavily on this measurement. It is important to be clear about how it will be done and by whom.
5. How will you marry creative and data?
Everyone at the event stressed the need to use the science and art of advertising to make campaigns effective for brands. Either piece alone isn’t enough and could lead a brand down a very misguided path. Creative assets and data are only as strong as each other, and your brand needs both to be as strong as possible.
6. Do you agree on the limitations of location-based data?
While the tech side of advertising and many agencies understand the limitations of data, many brands do not. It’s the responsibility of service providers and agencies to help educate their clients before delving into a project. For example, data parameters are not uniform across properties and platforms. There are variations in privacy standards and how the data is passed; there is no set of defined standards that always applies. Also, do the clients understand the difference between first-party data and triangulated data, and do they understand how that difference has an impact on what their campaigns can and can’t do? Be clear about these questions and their answers.
In closing, all four campaigns showcased on the New York stop of the IAB Mobile Road Show provided an enlightening take on the age-old question of scale versus personalization. In short, it’s a battle. There is always a balancing act that must be done between reaching scale and creating a unique personal experience in campaigns. You don’t need to choose one exclusively over the other, but you do need to assess which is more important because that has a radical effect on the data that matters most. For example, if your campaign is going after scale for brand awareness, the number of impressions and shares is critical. If your campaign goal is to drive sales, you want to know which messages, creative and locations drove an increase in the bottom line.
Remember, data is a valuable asset. But the information contained within and around that data is priceless. Choosing the right location-based partners for your needs is the most important part of any campaign.