More and more businesses are utilizing new online marketing opportunities, social networks and even mobile phone apps. However, Twitter, Facebook and iPhone apps aren’t silver bullets and they are more often being combined with traditional offline forms of marketing. Integrated campaigns represent a growing trend amongst marketers to take advantage of the best aspects that each channel has to offer.
The US Census Bureau is running a $133 million dollar campaign created by Draftfcb that includes a microsite, search ads and social networking. These all drive people to the direct mail component of the campaign, the actual census survey. This is the first year the Census Bureau has used an integrated campaign, however during the last census in 2000, they did try search ads which helped reverse the 30 year trend of declining response.
In January FedEx launched their first truly integrated campaign, “We Understand”. The entire campaign is centered around a microsite. All online and offline channels drive people to that site. The campaign which will last the entire year includes email, television, search marketing and direct mail.
According to a recent DMA study, more than 42% of interested direct mail recipients prefer to respond online to a direct mail campaign. Offering these multiple channels of response will simply help increase response. It’s a great example of the symbiotic relationship between online and offline channels.
An increasingly popular component to integrated campaigns is the use of a PURL (personalized URL). A PURL is a database-driven microsite that allows you to personalize the experience for the user. For example, you can setup a custom URL for each one of the prospects on your list: www.example.com/john-doe. It’s an extremely effective way to learn more about your customers and helps you as a marketer tailor your message to exactly what they are interested in.
So what’s the point of all this? Yes, that was rhetorical as the answer is obvious; starting a conversation with your customers. Through the use of an integrated campaign you can find your customers wherever they are hiding, whether it’s in the mailbox, on twitter or facebook, or directly on their mobile phone. Just don’t forget to make it impactful, relevant and engaging.
