How to reach more than 5,000,000 customers via social media and become the star of Blesk? (Case study)

07. 10. 2020 Autor Diana Zadáková

Introduction of the client and their needs

The hotel company Courtyard by Marriott in the Czech Republic was looking for a suitable partner to provide a one-off campaign to expand awareness of the hotels in the local market (specifically the Czech Republic with an overlap to Slovakia).

Campaign objectives

• Increase awareness of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel chain in the local market (in the Czech Republic),
• Create a “whispering” in the local market,
• Pointing out the attractiveness of the locations where the hotels are located (Prague, Brno, Pilsen),
• Introduce the hotel and its services.

The design of the specific concept ofthe campaign and the management was in our hands.

The client wanted a campaign in the form of a photo contest on social media. We developed a pilot campaign proposal for the client based on the brief as part of the tender process. We won the tender and threw ourselves into the collaboration.

In our agency, we rely on systematic and transparency. In the first phase of cooperation, it is crucial for us to understand the client’s business their needs and set mutual expectations.

We handled the entire campaign from A to Z. We created it step by step:

1. Explicit specification of objectives and measurable KPIs (in cooperation with the client),
2. Detailed definition of target groups (in cooperation with the client),
3. Developing a creative concept for the campaign (“big idea”),
4. Creating a communication and promotion strategy,
5. Creating a timetable,
6. Creating an action plan,
7. Evaluation.

Presentation of the campaign and creative concept

We knew that we had to take a comprehensive approach to the solution. The result would not be one competition entry that gets lost behind the hashtag #content in a series of others. Moreover, this approach would certainly not meet the objectives.

We built the campaign relying on the motives of the target group – why they actively or passively use social networks.

A little theory never hurts.

Generally speaking, people use social networks to communicate (with loved ones and friends), get new information (get inspired), have fun (stave off boredom), preserve their own memories by sharing, get attention (get praise).

Everyone could support #kouzloceska, get inspired and be a co-creator

The basis of the social media campaign was the inspiring #kouzloceska contest, whichinvited the audience to share travel tips in the Czech Republic via an Instagram profile.

In the #kouzloceska campaign, people were the content creators themselves. Everyone had the chance to become a guide to the Czech Republic. To show its magic. To inspire, be praised, and, with a bit of luck, be rewarded (with a stay in a hotel).

Communication channels

After a precise specification of objectives, KPIs, target groups, and the creative concept’s design, the next step was the communication strategy. We defined the channels through which we communicated the campaign to the target audience. In our case, these were:

• Special microsite
• Social networks
  • FB pages of Courtyard by Marriot hotels in Prague, Brno and Pilsen
  • Instagram profiles of Courtyard by Marriot hotels in Prague, Brno and Pilsen
  • Instagram profiles of the contestants involved
  • Relevant FB groups focused on travel
• Influencer marketing
  • FB pages and Instagram profiles of online creators

#1 Special microsite

We have created a special microsite www.kouzloceska.cz where people can find all the information about the campaign and the competition. Influencers also linked to this microsite in their Instagram feed posts and Instagram Stories.

To support the locations of Courtyard by Marriot hotels (Prague, Brno, Pilsen), we have prepared experience maps for each city.

The maps depicted the most exciting places in the mentioned cities. They were prepared in three versions reflecting our target groups, and included the “Family”, “Photo,” and “Romantic” maps.

• Romantic: a map with romantic places for couples,
• Photo: a map with tips on places where you can take an attractive photo (for photographers, friends),
• Family: a map for families with places suitable for children.

Everyone could choose and download the map that is closest to them and discover the city’s beauty.

#2 Social Networks

We have comprehensively managed the Facebook profiles, and Instagram accounts of Courtyard by Marriott hotels on the Czech market (i. e., hotels in Prague, Brno, Pilsen) during our cooperation. The profile management consisted of regular presentation (content creation and sharing), community management and management of paid campaigns (Facebook Ads).

On social media, we communicated both the competition campaign and the services and USPs of the hotels. At the same time, we were able to link the hotels’ communication with the influencers’ communication.

#3 Influencer marketing

The overall reach of the #kouzloceska campaign was supported by influencer marketing. Our main criterion when selecting influencers was their relevance to the target group and the hotel’s positioning. We were mainly looking for influencers focused on: travel, life-enjoy and food.

How to communicate with influencers and some practical tips

We recommend reaching out to influencers via e–mail, notInstagram, where your message may get lost. Create a unique e–mail tailored to the influencer based on their creation. It’s important to mention why you have chosen them, introduce the idea of the campaign, and outline the financial framework of the collaboration.

If the influencer is interested in the outreach e-mail and offer, the next step is sending a campaign brief, including a contract. The brief should detail the expectations from the collaboration, the required deliverables, specific timelines, remuneration, and reporting method.

What an influencer brief should contain:

• Brand/product story (must catch the eye!),
• Campaign concept,
• Goals and expectations,
• Setting of remuneration,
• Links, hashtags, tags, voucher codes, etc.,
• What should/should not be mentioned in connection with the product.

What should a contract with an influencer contain:

• The subject matter of cooperation, number of outputs, duration of cooperation,
• Remuneration, maturity,
• Exclusivity to the competition,
• Content rights,
• Protection of brand reputation, confidentiality of information,
• Processing of personal data,
• Transparency of cooperation,
• Approval of contributions,
• Reporting.

Influencer Cooperation Agreement

What should it contain?

1. Content of cooperation

What services do you order?

Number of outputs

Social networking platforms

Duration of cooperation

Dates of outputs

Approval of contributions

• Reward

What is the reward for cooperation?

Paid versus barter cooperation

Maturity

Remuneration for specific outputs

• Rights

What are the legal obligations?

Exclusivity in competition

Content rights

Protecting the brand’s reputation

Processing of personal data

Transparency of cooperation

• Reporting

How will the evaluation take place?

Method of reporting

Deadline for sending results

When arranging cooperation with an influencer, we recommend a phone call or a personal meeting. Pass on any confusion. However, confirm all the agreed information in writing.

Tip: Are you familiar with the Fair Influencer Initiative and Code of Conduct, encouraging brands and online creators to collaborate transparently?

Influencers involved in the campaign

For the KOUZLO ČESKA (Magic of Czechia) campaign, we selected a total of six macro-influencers whomet the required focus on travel, life-enjoyment and food. We were able to significantly reduce the investment in the campaign as 5 out of 6 macro-influencers agreed to work on a barter basis.

The influencers involved were tasked with:

1. Getting the campaign into people’s consciousness and introducing the idea
2. Show the hotel environment and attractions in the locations. We accommodated the influencers in Courtyard by Marriott hotels in each city. We prepared a day full of experiences based on the designed maps.

In addition to these macro-influencers, we also involved 6 micro-influencers in the campaign, who were invited to the hotels for breakfast, lunch or dinner on the principle of barter cooperation. In this way, we supported the whole campaign and made the hotels’ services more visible.

The campaign for Courtyard by Marriott hotels has reached more than 5,000,000 users via social media. A total of 12 influencers were involved in the campaign (11 of them on a barter basis), and we have gained even 2 media mentions (without the involvement of a PR specialist). Currently, there are more than 2,000 images on Instagram under the hashtag #kouzloceska.

What to take away?

• Always start creating a marketing campaign by clearly defining the objectives, KPIs and target group specifications (use our step by step marketing campaign cheatsheet),
• Only then do you get down to the creative design and promotion strategy,
• When working with influencers, pay careful attention to the brief and the collaboration agreement (download the influencer brief cheatsheet and the cooperation agreement),
• Create transparent influencer marketing campaigns (use the influencer code of conduct),
• It has worked well for us to have one designated place where the target group can find all the necessary information about the campaign (in our case, the microsite),
• Add something extra for the client (the client received dozens of professional photos of the exterior and interior of the hotels thanks to the involvement of the photo-influencer and media mentions).

Our team of specialists can help you with your social media marketing too.