1.3MillionThe ads at Reagan National Airport were viewed by more than 1.3 million ticketed passengers throughout October, 2015. | 10ThousandTo date, more than 10,000 individuals and businesses have submitted comments to the FCC docket and over 45 articles have been written about the campaign. |
7Million ImpressionsThe 30 bus stop ads garnered more than 7 million impressions and 5 bus ads circled the National Mall around the clock. | 1.1Million ViewsThe campaign's videos saw more than 1.1 million views. |
The Need.
Today, American businesses pay nearly $10 billion in taxes annually for special access broadband. COMPETIFY needed a campaign that would simplify the complicated issue of price regulation in special access broadband markets. COMPETIFY wanted to influence the FCC and power brokers in Washington, D.C. by generating buzz and collecting comments in support of restoring broadband competition.
The Process.
The COMPETIFY campaign pushed Engage to apply our proven process to requests and challenges we had never seen before. This included developing out of home ads, animated and live action videos, and data-driven strategy. Throughout the duration of the campaign, Engage partnered closely with our client to develop content that was not only informative, but also fun and engaging to the everyday user. Our creative direction was a lesson in teamwork and collaborative ideas and our refinements were driven by insights gained from our performance online. The free flow of information between Engage’s members and the clients was what took this campaign to the next level.
The Solution.
Engage rebranded special access as “high-capacity broadband” and developed a campaign that parodied pharmaceutical marketing, creating new language to discuss the problem, its effects, and the cure. The campaign took a three pronged approach. Ads were purchased around Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan International Airport, at 30 bus stops around the city, and on 5 double decker buses. Videos mimicking sappy pharmaceutical ads were developed and targeted at tech influencers both inside and outside of Washington. Finally, a website was developed. As the front door of the campaign, TryCompetify.com provided education material and collected comments for submission to the FCC all while maintaining the funny, lighthearted messaging of the COMPETIFY campaign.
The Result.
Ultimately the campaign generated unprecedented interest in this public policy issue. At the campaign’s kickoff, the site saw thousands of visitors thanks to earned media and an ad-buy in the New York Times. The ads at Ronald Reagan International Airport were seen by 1.3 million ticketed passengers, the bus stop ads garnered more than 7 million impressions, and 5 bus advertisements circled the National Mall around the clock. Additionally, the campaigns videos were viewed over 1.1 million times on YouTube. To date, more than 10,000 individuals and businesses have submitted comments to the FCC and over 45 articles have been written about the campaign and our partners. On March 2017, the campaign earned a silver Pollie Award for Best Digital or Internet Campaign for the Public Affairs Division.
