As Valentine’s Day approaches, Winnipeg-based online florist Callia has enlisted True Media to handle its first mass above-the-line campaign. And with so many different people buying flowers for so many different reasons, the agency is utilizing as many tools for targeting videos as it can.
The campaign consists of several 15-second videos – created by Toronto-based Humanity – and is a switch from the company’s previous focus on organic, paid social and search.
“Callia believes the time is right to scale up,” says True Media president Bruce Neve. “And they felt driving up awareness was an important goal because they have such a great product.” Callia prides itself on its “five clicks to order” process, same- and next-day delivery and personalization options like video greetings.
To reach what has become a broad and varied audience, the campaign uses a combination of traditional and connected TV ads, using context and emotion detection on a range of platforms to bring awareness to the brand that is not only available in 300 towns and cities throughout Canada, but in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Minneapolis as the company begins its U.S. expansion.
Men are the primary target for this campaign, says Neve.
“One of the insights that we had – just based on research and personal experiences – is that guys wait until the last minute. We wanted to try to get a couple of weeks ahead of the market to try and first, make them aware, and then get them to engage in the five-clicks-to-order process.”
To that end, traditional media buys included sports networks and programs, particularly TSN and Sportsnet, with particular emphasis on the NFL playoffs and local NHL hockey games.
But for younger men, who are less likely to have a cable service but over-index among using smart TVs and OTT systems, the campaign is using connected TV and contextual targeting on YouTube. Then there are the women in the audience mix, who may or may not be participating in “Galentine’s Day,” or just looking to treat themselves.
“You can add on a lot of other layers of targeting,” Neve says. “You can import other data and get down to much more granular geographies and have other audience data to give you more confidence that you’re reaching someone that actually has some intent to purchase.”
To that end, the digital video buy utilizes Amazon shopping data, Mastercard data and Cluep, an AI-powered mobile ad platform to analyzes social media shares and conversations to target ads.
“We are re-targeting people that are posting about looking for an idea gift for Valentine’s Day or finding a restaurant, finding gift ideas, or women that are looking for gifts on Pinterest boards,” Neve says. “It’s not so much about [targeting based on] age, it’s more about capturing intent using AI and data. If you’re posting about your girlfriend or your partner or Valentine’s Day plans or Galentine’s Day or sharing your images or videos, that shows us a trigger that indicates
that you would be a good prospect.”
While there will be no rest for True Media Canada – which has also been tasked with creating a Mother’s Day campaign as part of a pitch it won last year – Neve says his company will be pivoting in and optimizing the Valentine initiative through the length of its lifespan.
“We have the goal and the ability on the digital platforms and in connected TV to toggle and change our dollars and our delivery at a market level and we’re going to be looking at things, probably on a daily basis, the week of Valentine’s Day,” he says.
