Nissan Employs Separate Keywords to Monitor ROI

To match the fun and youthful vibe of the eye-catching Nissan Cube, the automaker rolled out a successful mobile campaign this summer to engage current and potential customers. Consumers could text in to gain access to Cube-themed music, wallpapers, TV commercials, Cube info and more fun goodies.

(Waterfall Mobile powered the mobile aspect of the campaign for our client TBWA \ Chiat \ Day, the agency of record for the Nissan Cube.)

One groundbreaking element of this campaign? Nissan’s use of 11 different SMS keywords. The company assigned each media platform a different keyword, thus making it easy to track where individual consumers were coming from – and, by extension, which ad channels were providing the most impactful ROI.

Nissan used the following outlets and keywords in the campaign:

Cable TV – CUBE
Dealer Letter – NISSAN
Direct Mail Piece – CONNECT
E-Newsletter – SHARE
Facebook fan page – FANS
Mobile – MOBILE
Nissan Headquarters – HQ
NissanUSA.com – MOBILEHUB
Print – NISSANCUBE
Prospect email – PERSONALIZE

The majority of the keywords went live on June 1, and over 10,000 people had texted in to the short code by the end of July. When consumers sent a text with one of the keywords to short code 44144, they received a reply with a web link that allowed them to get more information on the Cube’s features, sign up for Cube updates, or download the available MP3s, wallpapers and videos.

The results: cable television (keyword CUBE) has driven nearly 56% of the texts, while Nissan’s print ads (keyword NISSANCUBE) contributed to 36% of the texts received. The remaining 8% were split across the other platforms.

The campaign is still live. To download Cube-centric content or get additional information on this hot summer ride, text any of the above keywords to 44144.

KITS-FM LIVE 105 Mobile Campaign

Every month, the campaigns that we power at Waterfall Mobile range from small test promotions to massive ongoing programs, and we often encounter marketers new to the mobile industry that are surprised at how effective targeted regional mobile promotions can be at building mobile subscriber lists and extending brand awareness.

One recent example that demonstrates the power of a targeted local promotion was a mobile campaign for KITS-FM LIVE 105, an alternative/modern rock radio station based in San Francisco. The campaign was conducted over five days as part of a give-away promotion that offered five weekend getaways stays at The Resort at Squaw Creek in North Lake Tahoe.

KITS-FM wanted to grow its mobile subscriber list and engage listeners with the brand on alternative platforms – in this case via its growing mobile marketing efforts.  Squaw Valley USA & The Resort at Squaw Creek hoped to get information on North Lake Tahoe out to listeners and encourage them to visit the area.

Together, the companies prompted listeners via on-air call-outs to text in the keyword of the day for a chance to win the “Woody Show Field Trip Package.” Each text received a reply with information on North Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley and was enrolled into the radio station’s mobile subscriber list to receive further information from the station.

After the winner was selected each day, a text message was sent notifying other entrants they did not win and a second text offered additional information about North Lake Tahoe.

By the end of the campaign, KITS-FM’s recorded its largest-ever response to an on-air mobile promotion: nearly 200,000 texts received over the course of the five-day program. Listeners engaged each day with the radio station, which was able to further build its opportunity to interact with avid fans in the future (over 14,000 unique users were added to their subscription list), and KITS found a convenient way around typical phone contests that often greet callers with a non-interactive busy signal. The station’s partner, The Resort at Squaw Creek in North Lake Tahoe, also received a significant number of impressions and drove wide awareness of its brand across a major metropolitan market area.