National Geographic and Jacaranda FM combined forces to place the earth agenda right in front of consumers via a converged radio and online strategy ad campaign crafted for NatGeo by the radio station. It was an enormous success.
The National Geographic ‘I Love Earth’ initiative was one of the first multimedia’ campaigns implemented by Kagiso Digital in collaboration with Mediamark. It blended radio and digital assets into an integrated campaign that delivered high value and better interaction than either medium would on its own.
“With more than 1.8 million listeners, Jacaranda FM was already a powerful platform in its own right for National Geographic,” says Ian Drummond, head of the converged sales unit at Mediamark. “But National Geographic realised that combining on-air sponsorships and content with digital assets would help it to take interactivity and engagement to the next level.”
National Geographic provided the video and photographic content for the site, which profiles the majesty of earth’s environment and provides practical advice to readers about how they can play their part in conserving the planet. These elements combined, enabled National Geographic to align itself to a topical and meaningful cause.
“We are thrilled that the campaign was such a success – it confirms our belief in developing 360 degree campaigns and with our strong focus on increasing our digital marketing footprint, says Thandi Davids, Africa regional director for National Geographic Channel.
Kagiso Digital and Mediamark helped to create an environment that spurred interaction. This interaction was driven by a sponsored on on-air feature about environmental issues three times a week on Jacaranda FM which drove fantastic listener interest, thanks to the way that Barney Simon engaged with the content. Online polls and other interactive content also helped to stimulate interest.
The campaign achieved an average click through rate (CTR) of 0.81%, compared to an industry standard for the entertainment sector of 0.12%. The highest performing placement was a 300×250 display ad in the content hub with a CTR of 2.12%.
“This campaign is a powerful example of how contextual relevance and harnessing the power of different mediums in a multichannel approach can drive better return on investment,” says Drummond.
“No channel operates in isolation, so it is wise to consider the synergies between different media and how they can be used to reinforce each other to create optimum awareness,” says Attila Bernariusz, divisional head at Kagiso Digital.
“Kagiso Digital in collaboration with Mediamark has developed a series of topical opportunities similar to the ‘I love earth’ package, which are being actively taken out to market” says Bernariusz.
Listen here: We love Earth 9 April
Podcast: Play in new window | Download