In the early days of the internet, a good digital marketing plan was mostly about making fun videos and putting ads in the right places.
But today, that's not enough. A good digital marketing plan now needs to have lots of videos, be active on social media, have a good plan for search engines, have well-written content, and be mentioned in popular media and blogs.
The world of digital marketing has become much more complicated. It's harder to give customers what they want, and things like feeling honest and real are really important.
To be successful in today's digital world, you need a whole new set of skills and tools.
What is a Digital Marketing Campaign?
A digital marketing campaign is a strategic and organized activity that is centred on creating awareness about a brand, service or product to a target audience through online channels. This utilises various strategies including
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC), social media marketing, email marketing, and content marketing.
Digital marketing campaigns are mostly carried out by local business marketing agencies, social media agencies or brand awareness platforms.
Need some ideas? Here are five good digital marketing plans that have worked well over time - you might even learn from some of them!
5 Best Creative Digital Marketing Campaigns
Barbie
Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, spent a lot of money, around $150 million, on their marketing plans. Here are some of the cool things they did:
- They created a website where fans could make their own Barbie posters
- They partnered with an insurance company called Progressive
- They worked with Airbnb to make a life-size version of Barbie's Malibu dream house
- They made a special pink burger with Burger King
- The marketing plan for the new Barbie movie uses different digital strategies to get people excited, keep them engaged, and get them to buy tickets.
The campaign used a lot of different platforms, like social media, YouTube, the Barbie website, and email, to reach a lot of people. They had really engaging content like trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, and fun AR filters that fans loved.
They also worked with social media influencers that fans really liked and knew were fans of Barbie too. They encouraged fans to create their own content using hashtags, which helped make them feel like they were part of the Barbie community.
They kept in touch with Barbie fans through email, giving them special offers and getting them to stay engaged. The campaign also made people feel nostalgic and proud of Barbie as a strong and timeless character.
Apple
During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies made a lot of new and creative digital marketing plans, designed to fit the new way we were living. Apple made a long video ad that showed the challenges of working from home, especially when trying to work as a team on a new project.
The ad showed how Apple's devices, like MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, can be used to easily do work tasks while also being part of daily life. It showed features like FaceTime for video meetings, apps like iWork and iCloud for sharing files and working together, and how the devices are powerful enough to handle difficult work.
This ad stands out as one of the best ads made during the pandemic because it shows how messy and unpredictable our lives were, but it also makes you laugh.
The ad also showed how Apple's products have features to help people stay healthy and balanced while working from home, like fitness apps, meditation guides, and tools to manage screen time.
Airbnb
Airbnb is a company that helps people find unique places to stay, like artist lofts in Brooklyn or castles in Scotland. It has become a very popular company around the world.
A big reason why Airbnb is so successful is its digital advertising strategy. This strategy uses content made by real people, like photos, videos, and travel guides. This approach has helped Airbnb become one of the most successful companies in the world. Their social media campaigns focus on people's desires to travel and visit new and interesting places, making Airbnb more than just a place to book a stay.
Airbnb uses content made by real users to connect with its customers. When people see real experiences from other users, they trust the brand more, just like they would trust reviews or testimonials. Airbnb encourages its customers to share their experiences and uses tools to listen to online discussions about the brand. This helps make the brand feel more real and reliable.
Uniqlo’s Touch of Experiential Marketing
Taking digital marketing to the next level means going beyond just the digital world and finding new ways to get customers interested.
Uniqlo, a clothing company from Japan, did this with a really cool digital campaign that was meant to change how people saw their brand.
Uniqlo launched a special global ad campaign that was connected to 100 of their physical stores. Customers were asked to take pictures of billboards that had moving images on them. These billboards had special 5-digit codes that people could use on the campaign website to get free clothing samples.
By using these special billboards, the campaign felt like a fun event for customers. The campaign also got people to share photos on social media, which encouraged their friends to join in the promotion too. This new and creative approach reached over 4 million people and helped Uniqlo get 35,000 new customers.
Slack’s Innovating Solutions in the Market
Slack is not just a software company, it is also a leader in its market, with Microsoft Teams as its main competitor that offers a similar product.
Both Slack and Microsoft Teams focus on helping teams work together better, but Slack has something special that sets it apart.
Slack has features that are different from its competitors, like real-time messaging between employees. Unlike other programs, Slack doesn't need to be installed on your computer - it just works through your web browser.
This makes Slack easy to use, even when you're travelling. Slack also lets you customize the app to look the way you want and add other programs you use.
A big reason for Slack's success is that it uses open standards, which means it can connect to and work with many other apps and programs. This makes Slack a very versatile tool that can do a lot of different things.
Conclusion
Creative digital marketing plans connect with people in a personal way by using content that makes them feel something and is interesting. These plans focus on listening to customers, responding to their feedback, and leaving a lasting impression.
Making content that is real and useful is very important for a successful plan. If you need ideas, look at old social media posts - they can inspire you. Using nostalgia can be a strong way to connect with early fans and show how you've grown together.