USB-IF Case Study

Maximizing an Online Communications Strategy


Client and Challenge:

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) is a non-profit organization formed to provide a support system and forum for the advancement and adoption of USB technology.

In 2006, USB-IF renewed its year-old advertising efforts in 17 of the leading U.S. university newspapers to reach young adults with an affinity for technology and a large percentage of disposable income. The 2006 campaign proved effective, but Nereus concluded that the program could be even more efficient in 2007. The challenge was to reach this target audience without facing continuous insertion and invoicing issues that were negatively impacting the ROI of the campaign's advertising budget.


Solution:

Nereus recommended launching a viral advertising campaign in 2007. The viral campaign would be much more cost-effective than placing ads in college publications, and would reach a wider audience encompassing young adults, creative professionals, technology professionals, computing and technology media and social media.

Nereus reviewed best practices of effective Web-based viral campaigns to determine how to organize the campaign and capture the intended audience. Nereus also gathered ideas from previous research from top research firms. Nereus then led the effort to build the campaign including:

  • Project Management: Nereus supervised scheduling, budgeting and resource delegation for the entire campaign.
  • Concept Development: Portland-based design house Zoom Creates partnered with Nereus to create an interactive campaign to best reach the target audiences. Through creative sessions, brainstorming and storyboarding Frank's Cubicle was born.
  • Video production: Nereus' partner HungerStrike provided video production and concept direction.
  • Advertising Creative Development: Zoom Creates created three short video (LINK) clips that ran online in lieu of traditional banner ads.
  • Advertising Placement: Nereus selected a mix of previous and new partners to reach USB-IF's target audiences.


Results:

Frank's Cubicle launched on Aug. 15, 2007. This innovative campaign reached the target audience by using new media not previously used in the client's portfolio. The campaign proved very cost-effective for both the agency and client, while reducing the management costs and headaches from the previous campaign. Warm receptions from editors, technology pundits and executives garnered greater validation than even the most detailed quantitative analysis could provide. FranksCubicle.com lives on today with no need for agency management and will continue to do so as long as it remains beneficial to the USB-IF.

Statistics from the campaign included:

  • Total Impressions: 15,062,459 impressions secured from the following partners: PCWorld.com, MaximumPC.com and Myspace.com.
  • Web site visitors to-date (Jan. 30, 2008): 112,465
  • Interactive feature users: 21,459
  • Email blast click through: 10,817 (6.56% click through rate and the best-performing blast in PC World history to-date)
  • Cost per visitor: $1.51
  • Editorial pick-up in top-tier technology and gadget blogs: Gizmodo.com, Digg.com, EverythingUSB.com, GetUSB.info.