BIGresearch's Joe Pilotta shows how one advertiser used SIMM data to target African American male consumers with IM, blogs and RFID.
Over the last few weeks, we've presented data regarding the varying extent to which different minorities can have their purchase decisions influenced by different media channels like blogging, picture phones and instant messaging.
We've paid particular attention to the impact of these different media on minority purchase decisions within the electronics category. Here's a chart that summarizes our findings.
If you look carefully at the blue lines, you'll see that they represent the extent to which African American males are influenced.
Further analysis shows that African American males prefer shopping at specialty retailers for electronics products. While more than 20 percent do not have a channel preference, 23 percent are more likely than other males to buy electronics from a mass discount channel.
Actionable data is key to ROI-driven advertising and marketing, so from time to time, we'll add to our presentations of BIGresearch data some useful information about what companies are doing with this data. To do this, we'll rely on a BIGresearch strategic partner: MARS Advertising.
"Play like a True Baller"
MARS Advertising's goal was to use emerging media to drive African American males (18 to 34) to mass/discount retailers for any of their general electronic purchases.
They found that their "Play like a True Baller" concept resonated with some young African American males on an aspirational level, leveraging a strong affinity with the lifestyle of favorite athletes. The electronics department in his local mass/discount retailer provided the "baller hopeful" with all the "electronic bling" he desired, but without the excessive cost.
The overall strategy was to generate interest and awareness by connecting with their target consumer where he lives, works and plays. Individual tactics included:
- Strategically targeted billboards with "text to" calls-to-action that commanded attention. Initial text message provided an opportunity for the consumer to add the retailer as an IM buddy, using an IM instant win sweepstakes as a motivation.
- Blog ads on popular basketball blogs directed the consumer to a retailer-branded promotional site, where the "Show Us Your Best Play" contest enticed him to upload video of his best basketball move. There the consumer could view other clips, vote on his favorites, and for viral impact, forward clips to friends.
- Relevant IM/text message alerts informed the consumer of retailer-specific offers.
- Targeted RFID enabled direct mail game piece enticed the consumer to the retailer in order to "wave" his piece in front of a particular display to see if he was a winner. Prizes included free electronics or discounted coupons.
- A 100 percent opt-in IM/text messaging address list was designed to encourage repeat business and future promotions.
Joe Pilotta is Vice President of BIGresearch and a Professor at Ohio State University, School of Communications. He holds two Ph.D.s from Ohio University (Communication Research) and from University of Toronto (Sociology), Canada. Senior Fellow, Midwestern Universities Consortium for International Activities (Bitten) and Co-Founder of the Center for Globalization, Guatemala.
BIGresearch is a consumer intelligence company which creates a syndicated product from the consumers' point-of-view; their experiences, needs, wants and difficulties in the consumer arena. Our monthly survey allows over 8,000 consumers to speak to the National Retail Federation, Retail Marketing Association and the President's Council of Economic Advisors. Our survey has been featured in numerous publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, myriads of local and international newspapers, online, as well as personally featured on CNBC.
MARS Advertising is the leading national retail consumer marketing agency that specializes in providing insight, strategic planning, promotional planning and execution for marketers of consumer goods and services, and retailers. MARS remains committed to maximize efforts to reach consumers and shoppers in effective ways, with effective and provocative programs that impact retail sales results all the way to and at the point of purchase.