For many brands, digital marketing campaigns must do more than drive sales; they also have to educate consumers and build excitement for an entire category. This was the task that weBoost faced.
Every mobile user has experienced poor cell reception, but many assume that there’s no solution. As a manufacturer of cellular signal boosters, our challenge was to let them know it’s possible to fix the problem—and that weBoost can help.
Our campaign began in early 2015 when Wilson Electronics launched the weBoost brand. The goal was to expand beyond our core audience of tech enthusiasts and reach more mainstream consumers. During this rebranding journey, we recognized that the key to connecting with a broader audience wasn’t to refrain from technical discussions—after all, consumers want to know how our products work—but rather to change the dialogue. We simply needed to reframe the way we were communicating by delivering our technical message in a way that helped consumers form an emotional connection with our brand.
To accomplish this goal, we set out to transform our brand through a comprehensive campaign spanning multiple channels. First, we needed to develop our brand identity and find our voice. Drawing from our audience insights, we articulated the weBoost vision, which we called “Seize the Bar.” The campaign would raise some problem-solving awareness: mainly, the idea that no one has to suffer through dropped calls, slow downloads, or delayed texts. weBoost would empower consumers by providing them with the knowledge and tools needed to take back their lost cell signal.
To bring “Seize the Bar” to life, we began to identify creators in the digital space who resonated with our audience. We quickly zeroed in on Grant Thompson, YouTube’s “King of Random.” Known for demonstrating a variety of life hacks while explaining the science behind them in a friendly, entertaining way, Grant had developed a connection with audiences that closely aligned with the weBoost POV.
Not only would partnering with Grant introduce us to his 4.6 million subscribers, but it would also put us in front of a large consumer base who is already interested in applying science and technology to solve everyday problems. So, we worked with Grant to create a video titled, “10 Cell Phone Life Hacks for Better Reception.”
The video offers several useful tips for better cell reception—such as rolling down windows, locating your nearest cell tower, and charging your batteries. Near the end of the video, Grant presents a weBoost signal booster as a permanent fix. He explains the technology behind each of his tips so consumers understand not just what to do to improve their signal but also why each solution works. To increase engagement, we launched a giveaway in which users could watch additional video content featuring Grant and then take a quiz for a chance to win weBoost products.
The video greatly exceeded our goals for engagement and delivered the following results:
- Nearly two million views
- 27,425 likes
- 1,947 comments
- On Facebook, within three days: 10,400 views; 330+ likes; nearly 300 shares
- Greatly improved sales through our resellers and on our website.
To further support the campaign, we developed original creative content aimed at educating and empowering consumers. We wrote a blog post on how weBoost technology works, demonstrating that mobile users have more control over their signal strength than they may realize. We also published Facebook and Twitter content addressing a variety of themes that appealed to users’ interest in technology, as well as their emotions. For example, a “Did you know?” theme presented little-known facts about conditions that impact signal strength; a “first responders” theme highlighted the integral role weBoost products in ambulances play to ensure reliable emergency communication. Finally, we implemented native advertising to drive traffic to the “Seize the Bar” assets on our blog, and we launched a retargeting campaign on Facebook.
“Seize the Bar” has been a truly holistic campaign that told multiple facets of a story across channels. In large part, the campaign’s strength depended on a well-developed brand identity—informed by a strong POV and clearly defined communications goals. Additionally, taking steps to understand the motivations and the mind-set of our audience positioned us to develop a campaign that succeeded for one of the best possible reasons: It resonated with consumers on both a rational and emotional level.
So what can other brands learn from our experience? Here are four key takeaways:
- Consider whether the miscommunication with your target audience lies in the dialogue or the delivery.
- Spend time understanding who your target audience is first to inform how to best craft your brand voice.
- Identify influencers who represent audiences that may not know your brand yet, but will be interested in the product.
- Leverage multiple channels to further promote your brand, focusing on those that the audience regularly digests.
About the author:
Jamie Elgie, CMO of weBoost, most recently served as senior director of digital marketing and customer service at Belkin International, where he led the team responsible for driving customer engagement across the Belkin, Linksys, and WeMo brands. His prior roles at Belkin included senior director of platforms division; director of mobile accessories; and senior product manager of laptop accessories. Prior to his more than 10 years at Belkin, Mr. Elgie held positions in product management at Kensington Technology Group and brand management at Procter and Gamble.
