Category: Financial Products & Services
Advertiser: CITIBANK
Product/Service: CREDIT CARDS
Media Agency: MEC INDIA, Noida, INDIA
: Team Citi
Media placement: Print - DNA, Mid Day, Hindustan Times, Mumbai Mirror - 9th October, 2011
Insights, Strategy & the Idea
India is the land of festivals. Most festivals are between September and November. Desirability for consumer durables is at its peak during this time. However, the fear of overspending is a major dampener
Citibank was offering consumers the option of paying in interest-free, equated monthly instalments (EMI).
Our objective was two-fold. We had to ensure disproportionate share of spend for Citibank. We had to revive at least 10% of our dormant card users.
Print is an especially high involvement medium during the festival season. Consumers are scouring for the best deals on their dream products.
Our insight: Especially during the festival season, consumers equate advertising of consumer durable with high-involvement content.
Our strategy: Chase this content and place the Citibank EMI ad alongside.
Creative Execution
We demonstrated creativity by viewing festival-offer advertising not as advertising but as content. For the first time ever, we extended the concept of contextual placement of advertising (an online phenomenon thus far) to print. When the consumer saw a festival-offer print ad of a durable brand, he would see the Citibank EMI (equated monthly installment) ad placed right next to it.
By being seen next to the product of his dreams with a purchase-enabling solution, we were able to establish a deep emotional connection with the consumer.
Results and Effectiveness
EMI value increase by 185%, volume by 52%, average transaction value by 88%.
11% of dormant cardholders were reactivated.
Brand preference up by 4 points - Q4 2011 v Q3 2011.
Traffic to the EMI product page on the Citibank website increased by 42%.
Through our unique placement strategy, we derived disproportionate return on our media investment.