InMarket utilized its consumer intelligence and real-time activation capabilities to help leading brands drive engagement in the new normal

InMarket, the leader in 360-degree consumer intelligence and real-time activation, released an overview of its top-performing Breakthrough Moments winners for the second half of 2020. While the first half of 2020 required marketers to adapt and evolve to the changing demands of consumer behavior during the early months of the pandemic, the latter months were defined by anticipating consumer needs as they settled into the “new normal.”

The H2 2020 Breakthrough Moments report highlights winners who effectively “adapted to change”– those who understood the importance of creating engaging experiences that appealed to the unique priorities which arose due to the pandemic. These factors included consumers desire to cut costs, the prioritization of exercise and self-care to manage stress and anxiety, and the increasing demand for chocolate and alcoholic beverages to lift spirits in difficult times. Winners effectively combined timing, relevance, and context to spark brand moments that drove exceptional viewability and click-through rates as high as 8.34%, or 13.9x higher than the industry benchmark.*

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“InMarket’s Breakthrough Moments illustrate the ways in which consumers are adapting their priorities to meet the demands of the pandemic,” said Todd Dipaola, Founder and CEO of InMarket. “The first few months of the pandemic upended conventional thinking and marketers were put to the test to appeal to consumers in a highly unprecedented time; however, after we weathered the first wave of COVID-19, consumers learned how to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and therefore their demands once again changed. Leveraging InMarket’s technology, the H2 Breakthrough Moments winners were able to identify these new demands and curate relevant and thoughtful brand moments for their target audiences.”

Winners of the New Normal

The number of COVID-19 cases spiked twice between July and December, causing consumers to settle further into the new normal. Knowing that the pandemic caused consumers to become increasingly price conscious, many brands utilized InMarket’s Moments to create targeted and innovative ads, which bolstered consumer engagement. The five brands that saw incredible success by utilizing InMarket’s technology were Ocean Spray, Nair, A2 Milk, CLIF BUILDERS Protein Bars, and Prairie Organic Spirits.

Ocean Spray

Amid an increase in snacking and simple indulgences at home, Ocean Spray utilized a call-to-action that incorporated information about the product’s exact location in a shopper’s local convenience store. Highlighting both the alluring imagery of the product itself and key product information, Ocean Spray’s creative ad piqued the interest of viewers, amassing a click-through rate of 7.54%, which is 12.6x higher than the industry benchmark. The brand also experienced at 10.03% behavioral lift during the campaign.

“This campaign gave us a really fun opportunity to marry the Ocean Spray message to the unique medium. We were able to tell consumers that ‘the best of nature is closer than you think’ by literally bringing the bog into the convenience store aisle. We used an engaging graphic look, decadent food photography, and forced perspective to make the snacks jump right out of the frame into consumer’s hands,” said Carolyn Oppenheim, EVP, Director of Strategic & Creative Insights, KWG. 

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Nair

Nair recognized that consumers were avoiding in-person salon appointments, but still wanted to maintain beauty treatments. With that in mind, the brand re-created and repurposed a classic moment: spa day. Nair deployed a retro, salon-inspired Moments campaign which directed consumers to the exact location they could purchase these products for their “at-home spa day.” In doing so, the ad produced a click-through rate of 8.23%, which is 13.7x higher than the industry benchmark. 

A2 Milk 

Milk sales increased 8.2% year-over-year at the height of the pandemic, as consumers became more conscious of their diets and sought to strengthen their immune systems. A2 milk is one of the fastest growing milk segments with a CAGR of 15.8% because it is void of A1 protein and is typically easier to digest. The A2 Milk Company’s ‘Love Milk Again’ campaign took advantage of this growing trend, promoting the brand’s healthy line. Using Moments, The A2 Milk Company targeted consumers with an engaging full-screen experience as they walked into select grocery stores. For a product that needs little explanation, the success of this creative was in its simplicity, with a click-through rate of 6.81%, which is 11.4x above the industry benchmark. The creative also garnered a 15% sales lift.

CLIF BUILDERS Protein Bar

CLIF leveraged Moments to promote the newly rebranded BUILDERS protein bar, targeting healthy consumers and athletes when they entered select retailers. The eye-catching creative utilized a bold color scheme, contrasting colors, and iconic typography to reach shoppers while in the purchase process, resulting in strong engagement. The campaign garnered a 8.34% click-through rate, which is 13.9x above industry benchmark.

Prairie Organic Spirits

Amid the soar in alcohol sales and the trend of virtual happy hours, Prairie Organic Spirits served up a timely advertisement that used a swipeable Moment to showcase a recipe for at-home cocktails. The ad proved to be a smashing success, as viewers spent an average of 11.6 minutes on the creative and the brand saw a 21.92% behavioral lift.

“As unexpected events shifted consumer behavior in uncharted ways, we quickly had to adapt our holistic campaign to meet consumers where they were — largely at home,” said Morgan Wagner, Brand Manager at Prairie Organic Spirits. “To help budding home bartenders and seasoned mixologists alike craft delicious, sustainable cocktails from their own home bar carts, we pivoted toward a timely, geo-targeted approach to inspire their next well-planned shopping trip.

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