2013 Gold Business to consumer

Client blinkbox

Other Contributors RSA – Production company

How did the campaign make a difference? This campaign railed against the accepted principles of the category, leveraging insights from the family target audience. Whenever entertainment peril struck, blinkbox came to the rescue. Sales doubled, with 2.5 times more new customers each week, plus increased average purchase frequency and average order value, for an overall ROI of 5:3.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? This campaign provided a compelling alternative to movies via subscription, by offering the latest releases with no strings. It engaged its audience with targeted, integrated and category-defying communications. blinkbox is a UK-based video-on-demand (VoD) service that can offer the latest movies and TV shows without subscription. For the first few years of its life, blinkbox used these product points, plus tactical offers and deals, and its business grew slowly but steadily among the hi-tech cognoscenti. To push past the hardcore few who watch one or two titles a week, and reach out to the neglected many who watch one or two a month, the campaign targeted families who had the tech but weren't always using it, and addressed their emotional needs.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? The creative strategy was brave, bold and purposeful. Rival communications are filled with movie clips and functional features so this focused on the audience and emotional benefits. It engaged the audience with integrated, innovative and interesting communications that ensured blinkbox always came to the rescue at a moment of truth. TV and VoD won hearts at home by announcing blinkbox had arrived to rescue anyone at any time. Digital, print and press targeted people on the way home, thinking about the evening ahead. Drive-time radio sponsorship promised to save listeners facing empty evenings at home. And in Tesco stores, car park and trolley ads saved shoppers who had the meal but not the movie, with a blinkbox bus offering the full experience at larger stores. On Twitter it cheered up the bored with random acts of kindness. A promoted tweet campaign targeted high-chatter TV programmes like Come Dine With Me and I'm A Celebrity...where TV ads were also running.

Results The campaign drove more new registered users than blinkbox had previously had in its entire life. Revenues doubled and conversion rates almost doubled. And average order values increased, along with average purchase frequency. Research also showed the campaign had a broader impact, with 51% of respondents strongly agreeing that it made them think Tesco – blinkbox's parent company – is more innovative, and 36% strongly agreeing it had improved their perceptions of Tesco overall. And significantly, blinkbox's awareness shot up from 14% to 35%.