Background
Adidas is one of the leading online clothes retailer seeking to optimize its digital advertising efforts by implementing a full funnel approach across Search and Programmatic Display & Video. The goal was to engage audiences at every stage of the customer journey, increase brand exposure, drive engagement, and boost conversions using their new data management platform
Objective
We will translate our segmentation strategy into actionable steps to achieve important benefits. Firstly, by leveraging adidas' data and third-party partners, we can maximize the potential of our data and tech ecosystems. Secondly, we can adopt a consistent approach across all media channels, ensuring focused messaging to audiences. Lastly, we aim to deliver relevant content tailored to our audience's needs and interests, effectively connecting with consumers.
Strategy
The strategy involved utilizing a comprehensive audience planning framework that considered 2 key consumer attributes: brand affinity and being in-market. This framework is a quadrant matrix that defines distinct stages in which we can identify different groups. The framework identifies audiences in 3 disctinct stages: (1) Awareness serving long-term buyer base and drive mass appeal, (2) Consideration aiming to increase brand affinity and (3) Conversion driving in-market conversions.
Implementation
In order to support the full funnel approach, a strong data infrastructure and flexible ecosystem were established, utilizing platforms such as Google Analytics, Salesforce, DV360, Meta, and TikTok. Custom first-party segments were developed by leveraging CRM and/or site behavior data, seamlessly integrated with Google buying tools. The CRM, housing e-commerce data, played a key role in creating new audience models that were then deployed across various media platforms. Paid social channels effectively utilized custom and lookalike audience targeting capabilities. Leveraging audiences using existing historical data was simple but newly formed custom segments, required 30 to 60 days to accumulate sufficient data for activation.
Results
We determined priorities between different selections within a quadrant across all consumer stages. Our quarterly brand lift reveals a 9% increase of familiarity with Adidas new collections where frequency testing played a major role in our awareness campaign. Consideration campaigns were measurement through Quality Site Visits using Click, Dwell Time and Bounce Rate metrics: site interaction increased by 12% when applying specific variables segmenting our audience further. The conversion campaigns resulted in a substantial boost of 13% in Sales and Average Order Value after utilizing our new Dynamic Creative Optimisation tool matching creative and audience segments
Analysis
The implementation of the full funnel audience strategy successfully drove engagement and conversions by delivering personalized messaging at every stage of the customer journey. Utilizing data analytics enabled us to continuously optimize our campaigns and achieve improved performance. A primary focus was to prevent overlap, particularly as we ran price-based and product level remarketing promotions separately. By utilizing the combined audience builder and weekly segment overlap reports, we effectively reduced overlap by 43%, ensuring targeted and efficient advertising. The halo effect of brand campaigns was assessed through assisted-clicks and conversions reports, revealing YouTube as the primary driver of success.
Conclusion
Adidas achieved their objective of engaging audiences at every stage of the customer journey using their brand new data management platform. The strategic use of audience planning frameworks, specific campaign types, and a robust data infrastructure proved instrumental in driving brand exposure, engagement, and conversions. The results highlight the importance of a comprehensive and tailored approach to digital advertising, ultimately leading to increased revenue and overall success
