MWW: Real-Time Marketing

BEST PRACTICES IN EXECUTING A REAL-TIME MARKETING CAMPAIGN

While most people were huddled around their TVs to watch the Super Bowl, we were watching the big game from behind our laptops, elbows deep in developing a series of Super Bowl-related Instagram videos for Tri-State Area McDonald’s. These videos were then shared out in real-time, dictated by the key plays and updated scoring throughout the game. This form of content, known as real-time marketing, is more than just a passing fad; instead, it’s now an integral part a brand’s content marketing strategy and represents a huge opportunity to be timely, relevant, and helps to create an emotional connection to the brand.

OUR OBJECTIVE To create engagement and connections between the brand and consumers by leveraging proprietary assets.

OUR STRATEGY To create quick, bite-sized, stop motion videos that were optimized for sharing on Twitter and Instagram, and would engage with customers during the Big Game on “the second screen.” Videos were created using NFL Rush Zone Happy Meal Toys reenacting pivotal scoring moments.

“A textbook case of real-time marketing in action” -PRNewser Results: Over

7 million national impressions TO VIEW ALL THE VIDEOS CLICK HERE

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KEY TAKEAWAYS: Hashtags and Keywords

Real-Time Etiquette

The MWW digital team conducted real-time tracking of hashtag usage to determine relevant opportunities to capitalize upon within existing conversations. To offer the best possible reach for the videos, various keywords and hashtags were considered and tracked to organically leverage our content; we even researched how people were referencing the teams on Twitter (using #SEA versus #Seattle). Our messages were adjusted accordingly throughout the game as we saw opportunities and usage skewing towards other keywords.

We didn’t post just for the sake of posting, but rather, timed our posts based on plays that unfolded during the game. If you’re going to react to something that’s happening in real-time, make sure your response is posted within the first few minutes, not hours later. Also, make sure what you’re posting is relevant both in timing and subject matter.

Be Agile Within four days we conceived, shot and posted the videos throughout the game. We didn’t overthink the production value, and opted to subtly integrate McDonald’s product and branding rather than shouting our message to consumers, which ultimately would have overshadowed the execution and turned off viewers.

Keep the Team Small Our team consisted of four people, encompassing social, creative and content development, in addition to a video production team. We built a small set in the office, shot and edited on-site, and ensured that the process didn’t get bogged down with too many opinions.

Don’t Overkill the Idea Keep the execution and language simple. This is not about high production values or long-winded content; it’s about simplicity and allowing the idea or message to shine through.

Your New Home Page: SEO and Social If you think about the crucial things that connect all aspects of a content marketing ecosystem, it’s SEO and social. They are the key to being heard, raising engagement, and, of course, sharing. Everything we do includes some form of search engine optimization from the outset.

Don’t Lose the Brand or Product Relevance As with any content marketing, it’s all about ensuring that the text, image or video is creating an emotional connection to the brand by being useful, informative or simply entertaining.

Do more with less The marketing spend doesn’t have to be significant to generate ROI for real time marketing. Being authentic is critical for engagement and consumers are always looking for opportunities to interact with brands.

2014 PR New’s Digital PR Award Winner Most Engaged Brand

To learn more about content marketing strategies that will benefit your brand, please contact us.

For more information, please contact:

Alissa J. Blate

EVP, Global Consumer Marketing Practice Leader 212.704.9727 | alissa.blate@mww.com | www.mww.com Twitter: @alissablate

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