We hate to start out with a marketing buzzword, but we promise – this is relevant. Every solid marketing strategy starts with understanding your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). What does your customer want? What does your business do well? What is your competition doing? Your USP tells us what you offer as a brand – but at MDR, it’s only the first step to creating a fully customized solution based on your diverse needs.
This can mean targeted digital ads, engaging social media, blending traditional and digital media, or leveraging a full-funnel approach. In today’s digital and media landscape – if you don’t have a strategic approach, you may as well shout about your brand’s USP into a void.
Here’s a look at three clients with very different challenges – but consistently remarkable results. With MDR’s personalized strategies, you can see how a little customization goes a long way.
Dealermart
THE CLIENT:
Dealermart
Dealermart is an automotive dealership in Corpus Christi that stands out by defying traditional industry norms. They offer preowned, well-maintained vehicles at competitive prices, prioritize transparency, and provide hassle-free financing options.
THE CHALLENGE:
Stand out from the crowd
Dealermart came to MDR looking to highlight their individuality in a highly competitive market while achieving short-term lead and sales growth.
Their key goals included:
- Increase brand awareness and consideration in Corpus Christi and surrounding areas.
- Boost vehicle sales through dealership visits and online leads.
THE PROCESS:
Tailor the tactics
We initiated our collaboration with Dealermart by conducting a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of their brand, web presence, and key media channels. Our process included:
- Industry and Competitive Analysis: Understanding market dynamics and identifying competitive positioning.
- Audience Segmentation: Creating detailed brand personas to align with the target audience’s needs and preferences.
- Interim Brand Repositioning: Refining the brand messaging to resonate with key audience segments.
We then analyzed the media consumption habits of our target audience, set benchmarks based on past campaign performance, and crafted a media strategy that combined targeted digital advertising with social media campaigns.
THE APPROACH:
Adapt and deliver
Over the course of nearly a year, our strategic media approach delivered remarkable results.
The Media
- Google Ads:
- Paid Search: Allocated a significant portion of the budget to target bottom-of-the-funnel audiences actively searching for used vehicles, using responsive search ads and keyword optimization.
- Google Merchant Center: Integrated inventory for dynamic Performance Max campaigns to showcase vehicles directly in search results.
- Facebook and Instagram Ads:
- Social Media Campaign: Promoted available inventory with engaging content to drive traffic and generate online leads, focusing on increasing web traffic to the pre-qualification form.
THE RESULTS:
- Lead Volume: Increased from 593 to over 800 monthly leads, with peak months exceeding 1,000 leads.
- Inventory Turnover: Enabled an increase in the number of vehicles on the lot from 70 to 120.
- Sales Growth: Boosted sales and improved cost efficiency through optimized ad spend.
Driscoll Children's Hospital
THE CLIENT:
Driscoll Children’s Hospital
Driscoll, a renowned pediatric healthcare institution in Corpus Christi, recently opened a new children’s hospital in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV)—the region’s first free-standing hospital of its kind. Driscoll Children’s Hospital RGV delivers top-notch, accessible pediatric care to a region in need of these specialized services.
THE CHALLENGE:
Attract top tier talent
In MDR’s partnership with Driscoll, we played a key role in generating buzz for their new hospital, providing end-to-end creative services and completely rebuilding the Driscoll Health System’s websites.
One main initiative was recruitment. The goal was to fully staff the new hospital by its opening, aiming to hire over 600 employees across a multitude of roles to ensure smooth operations from day one. More specifically, we aimed to:
- Generate Awareness: Drive traffic to a custom microsite to raise awareness of the new hospital and job openings.
- Increase Application Starts: Use targeted digital campaigns to encourage qualified candidates to apply.
- Fill Critical Positions: Fill all essential roles three months before the hospital opens, leaving only specialty positions.
THE PROCESS:
Dig, gather, and implement
Our insights-driven approach began with extensive market research to understand the availability of prospective employees within the local market. Key steps in our process with Driscoll Children’s Hospital included:
- Market Research: Analyzed the local job market to identify potential candidates, focusing on healthcare professionals and administrative staff.
- Parameter Establishment: Defined role-specific parameters with Driscoll Children’s Hospital, including qualifications, experience, and job titles.
- Employee Count Analysis: Acquired total employee counts by job title to assess the candidate pool.
- Campaign Development: Developed a campaign to generate excitement for the new hospital, prioritizing hiring as the main call-to-action.
THE APPROACH:
Mix it up
We employed a mix of traditional and digital media to generate awareness and attract job candidates, ensuring the hospital opened fully staffed.
The Media
- Traditional Media:
- Broadcast TV, Billboards, and Radio: Created awareness for the new hospital and its job openings, focusing on high-need roles.
- Targeted Digital Campaigns:
- Data Partners and Targeting: Used data-driven targeting for specific job titles and competitive conquesting and geographic targeting.
- Look-a-Like and Contextual Targeting: Employed look-a-like targeting and active search/keyword strategies to build contextual targeting models.
- Multi-Channel Media Activation: Employed Facebook Ads, Google Ads, CTV/OTT, digital audio, and display ads for comprehensive reach and engagement.
THE RESULTS:
Spanning 15 months, our strategic media yielded huge results.
- Microsite Traffic: Generated over 304,586 visits on the dedicated microsite MDR constructed (driscollcareers.org).
- Application Starts: Produced 41,423 application starts, leading to timely staffing of all critical positions three months ahead of schedule.
NEC Co-op Energy
THE CLIENT:
NEC Co-op Energy
NEC Co-op Energy is Texas’ sole cooperative electricity provider and is known for being a non-profit that offers transparent, cost-effective power with profits returned to members.
THE CHALLENGE:
Maintain the momentum
In our strong 20-year partnership with the company, our goal has been to highlight NEC’s community-driven identity and expand its membership base. Over the past three years, our specific goals were to:
- Increase Leads and Membership: Attract new members to the cooperative.
- Expand Market Footprint: Grow NEC’s presence in outer Texas markets.
THE PROCESS:
Dig, gather, and implement
Building on our long-standing history with the company, we tapped into a wealth of historical data to shape our strategies. Here’s how our data-driven approach came together:
- Historical Data Analysis: Analyzed year-over-year performance metrics to identify successful strategies and areas for improvement.
- Market Research: Researched market dynamics, consumer behavior, and emerging trends in the energy sector.
- Innovative Media Practices: Integrated new media types and practices to stay ahead of trends and optimize campaign performance.
THE APPROACH:
Cover all the bases
For NEC Co-op Energy, our media strategy was built on a full-funnel approach, encompassing both brand awareness and conversion-focused tactics.
Media Approach
- Brand Awareness:
- Broadcast TV and CTV/OTT: Utilized traditional and digital video ads to build brand recognition and reach; focused on premium inventory, such as live sports and top-tier shows on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Peacock, capitalizing on trends that show higher audience engagement, increased brand safety, and viewability.
- Retargeting and Data-Supported Tactics:
- Rich Media Ads: Engaged users with interactive ad formats.
- Facebook Ads and Google Ads: Implemented full-funnel strategies with targeted ads, including high-level geographic layering and conquesting for higher conversion rates.
- Display Ads: Focused on re-engagement and conversion optimization with advanced targeting techniques, such as look-a-like targeting.
THE RESULTS:
Over three years, we made a lasting impact for our seasoned client.
- Total Meter Growth: Achieved a 20.2% increase in meters, expanding the customer base.
- New Meters and Leads: Gained approximately 20,400 new members through 140,000+ zip code lookups.
- Website Traffic: Generated 719,317 sessions, boosting brand engagement and conversion.
- Conversion Rate Optimization: Improved conversion rates, effectively turning visitors into members.
- Enhanced Brand Awareness: Increased brand presence in both primary and new markets, positioning NEC Co-op Energy as a trusted provider.
Request for Partnership:
Smart media planning and execution can tackle different client needs, whether it’s boosting sales, recruiting employees, or growing membership and market presence. By combining thorough market research with strategic media and targeted approaches, each client achieved great success in their respective fields.
If your organization is looking for data-driven growth, let’s discuss how we can design a strategy as unique as your brand.