The challenge
Pinkoi, an ecommerce platform for designer brands, entered the crowdfunding market with a new programme and launched a crowdfunding product with a creative brand. The biggest difference between crowdfunding and ecommerce is the deadline: a campaign only moves forward if it meets real demand. The campaign had two main phases: a pre-launch survey to gauge demand and the product’s appeal, then sales pressure after launch, since hidden products could only be unlocked if targets were met. Generating a strong response in a short time was the challenge.
Media strategy
After studying the crowdfunding market, CloudAD found that the response and sales at launch decide whether a campaign succeeds. Rather than the usual two waves split by goal, leads then sales, CloudAD planned three stages, the survey stage, the unlock stage and the countdown stage, each with its own optimisation goal, audience mix and creative angle to keep the campaign moving and reach its goals faster.
How we did it
- Stage 1: survey. The survey measured support for the product and, just as importantly, built a remarketing list of early supporters for launch. CloudAD targeted the brand’s first-party audiences and their lookalikes, such as members, page followers, website visitors and people who viewed the SurveyCake form, using Facebook lead ads and SurveyCake traffic ads to grow the early-bird list. Creative told the brand story, values and product in video and image formats, reaching existing customers and building affinity with potential buyers.
- Stage 2: unlock. Hidden products unlocked as funding milestones were reached, so a quick rise in backers was key. From CloudAD’s experience, whether a campaign creates buzz and orders in its first three days has a major impact on the result. CloudAD concentrated budget on the first three days, targeting the stage 1 remarketing audiences plus Pinkoi platform audiences and their lookalikes. We used Pinkoi collaborative ads (CPAS) to show the product catalogue, alongside conversion ads with gifts and the milestone unlocks as the message.
- Stage 3: countdown. By now most of the brand’s and Pinkoi’s audiences had converted, and campaign feedback showed which messages and products they preferred. CloudAD expanded to outer audiences interested in illustrated puzzles, design goods and creative products, extended the best-performing creative and added reviews and urgency to persuade new people to learn about the brand and back the campaign.
Results
- 542% of the funding target
- Return on ad spend above 10
If you have questions about planning data-driven integrated marketing, get in touch.
