adage-small agency awards submission (2010)

LACED Interactive AgencySubmission for Small Agency, Category 1-10 people

Campaign of the Year~ 2010 UTI Social Media Response Campaign

LACED Interactive AgencySmall Agency Category (1-10 people)

Award Submission | 2010 Campaign of the Year

LACED Interactive AgencySubmission for Small Agency, Category 1-10 people Award Submission | 2010 Campaign of the Year

Client: Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) is a nationwide provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians.

Through their nationwide campus-based school system, UTI offers specialized technical education programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI), Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI).

UTI is the industry’s choice for training because they set the standard for technical education, lifelong learning and employment services.

Website: http://www.uti.edu

http://www.uti.edu/


Back Story (90) Days Prior to 2010 CampaignHaving Successful ran Phase 1 of UTI’s Social Media Campaign in late 2009 (consisting of • limited 1-way broadcast communications to announce

social media presence only,• listening, • learning…

– LACED Interactive was ready to commence Phase 2 of UTI’s on-going Social in accordance with the agency’s proven social media process.


Campaign: 2010 Social Media Marketing – The Response Campaign

The 2010 Response CampaignThe Response Campaign (aka Phase 2) would consist of Engagements, Interactions, and an overall UTI response to their users in social media, based on what we learned by listening during Phase 1.

The Response Campaign ran from 1/5/2010 to 8/31/2010.

2010 (SMM) CampaignThis Campaign utilized Steps 05, 06, & 07 of our digital agency process for social media.

A conservative, budget-concise, results-driven, performance-driven approach to social media that ties marketing spend to ROI.

This approach was custom designed by the Strategic Digital Marketing team @ LACED Interactive Agency.



Find and build communities on passion

Propel campaigns through listening

Track & Activate Advocates

Answer questions in UTI’s field

Uncover content the community needs

Find and resolve customer complaints

Track Resonance of Issues

Push leads into the funnel

Campaign Goals:


Find and build passionate Auto, Moto, & Marine sub-culture communities within social media

Propel campaigns through listening (social media is the ultimate focus group and the feedback is almost immediate)

Push leads into the funnel (users are raising their hands with interest!)

Track & Activate UTI Advocates (Alumni are sharing their stories with other users asking questions! Leverage this.)

Nurture & Cultivate Prospective Pre-Leads

Immediate Focus Group Feedback for initiatives

Identify Leads & Push them to Sales

Identify Passionate Students & Alumni

Campaign Goals: Translates to…


Answer questions to the audience at large in social media; from enrollment to campus locations to relocation support. Direct pre-leads, leads, and enrollees to the right uti.edu support center or support rep via phone/instant chat.

Uncover content the community needs

Find and resolve customer complaints

Track Resonance of Issues

Support Enrollees, Leads, and Pre-Leads

Support Enrollees, Leads, and Pre-Leads

Campaign Goals: Translates to…


Phase 1 (2009) What We Learned

1) Students want to connect with other students within their local areas • announcing what campus they are going too and seeing who else is going• Connect for roommates

2) Peer Referral: Kids are talking to each other but the “real deal” with UTI. They want to hear what UTI is really like from other students like them that already went. They ask a lot of questions on walls about this, and seek advice from other peers as they don’t believe UTI is genuine or authentic or transparent with their advertising.

3) Graduation Announcements: students talk about when they are graduating, and most reviews of their time at UTI are favorable.

4) Request for more courses: They usually request more courses in a particular area (like more Performance Courses)

4) Several postings from international students looking to attend UTI - asking others in the community how they can get started. Lead Gen Channel Possibility??

5) Tuition questions: how can I afford UTI? Its too expensive..etc..

6) UTI BRAND AWARENESS needs work: not a lot of kids are familiar with UTI’s programs or services. A lot of questions about that.

Crafting Our Response Campaign @ Relevancy


Phase 2 (launched Jan 2010)

Challenges / Hurdles

1. No Social Media Policy Approved.

2. Unable to begin engagement and interactions within social media to address what we learned and ultimately drive brand reach, and successful relationships with pre-leads and leads.


Wrote scripted social media guidelines until social media policy was settled in legal processing and approved. > > Unable to get these approved either due to a lengthy internal processing @ UTI

Proposed “social seeding” for Events and used that opportunity to begin engagement / interactions with the social community by only talking about UTI events and driving traffic, interest, users to UTI Campuses and uti.edu.

This way LACED was able to still begin UTI engagement and UTI interactions during Phase 2 and measure something to begin a baseline for UTI in social media - and ensure UTI was not left behind by their competitors within this new media channel. Client approved this, as an “Interim” Response Campaign.

Phase 2 (launched Jan 2010)

Solutions / Work-Arounds


UTI Goals & Measurements of Campaign Success

UTI Business Goals;• Increased “Social Status” – brand visibility, brand awareness• Lead their direct competitor in brand mentions in the social space• Grab a significant market share of brand mentions in the social space from

secondary competition.

UTI Measurements of Success;1. Increased Followers on (4) Platforms2. Increased Facebook “LIKES” 3. Increased Facebook “Post Feedback” combo of Likes/and commenting

(aka Engagements)4. Increased Brand Reputation5. Increased % of brand mentions in social space against competitors.

Optional Goals;Prove social media is a viable pre-lead/sales channel for initial customer service

and funneling by tracking a social media #800 specific to UTI Social Media.


Setting Baseline for 2010 (SMM) Campaign Efforts- Measuring UTI social media marketshare against direct competitor

01/08/10

UTI

Media Specifics

Blogs # 14

% 4.00%

MicroMedia # 94

% 26.90%

Forums # 7

% 2.00%

Forum Replies # 21

% 6.00%

Mainstream News # n/a

% n/a

Images # n/a

% n/a

Other # n/a

% n/a

WYO TECH

Media Specifics

Blogs # 46

% 13.1%

MicroMedia # 21

% 6.00%

Forums # n/a

% n/a

Forum Replies # 136

% 38.90%

Mainstream News # n/a

% n/a

Images # n/a

% n/a

Other # 8

% 2.30%

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETSHARE39.7%



Wyotech vs. UTIBrand Mentions in Social Space

Jan 8, 2010 Baseline Measurement

COMPANYMARKETSHAREWyotech: 60.3% UTI: 39.7%

Competitors vs. UTIBrand Mentions in Social Space

Jan 8, 2010 Baseline Measurement

COMPANYMARKETSHAREDeVry: 64.8%ITT Tech: 22.3%UTI: 8.4%Lincoln Tech: 4.4%


EVENT SPECIFIC ONLY

Post Events Info

Ask Students from each Campus to give shout-outs on whether they are attending the local event (connecting students locally in social media)

Asking Students to share their UTI event pics & stories.

Realized we would need more “tools” to work with in order to achieve business objectives within messaging constraints.

Phase 2 “Interim” Response Campaign (launched Jan - March 2010)

Messaging


1. LACED Aligned with UTI Events department. 2. Got approval from UTI Marketing Executives to Engage audiences in social media as long as

it was events-specific only.3. Obtained events calendar and began posting events info in social media. User responses

came pouring in.4. Realized MMI was sponsoring the MotorCross Championship in Anaheim, CA on 1/9/2010.5. Quickly re-allocated our limited social media budget towards some video production to take

advantage of upcoming local event in CA. (our offices are in CA) and shoot UTI Grads on camera, in the raw, telling their stories in their own words in an effort to build transparency and authenticity for UTI.

6. UTI was not sold on the idea – and didn’t want us shooting / uploading video that was not a commercial or a manufacturer specific video.

7. LACED Interactive offered to shoot footage in CA on 1/9/2010 during a campus Pre-Party for MMI SuperCross Anaheim Event with DirtLab to prove our video skills. Client agreed. We did not charge them.

8. We had a 2 man crew to handle video, editing, and digital optimization. We shot the video, edited it, and had it live by Monday, Jan 11. Responses poured it by users, and by 3pmMST it was clear this was working. Client approved digital videos for Main Supercross Event on 1/14 in AZ immediately.

9. LACED planned a Twitter Promo in conjunction with the event (under Hashtag #mmiphx114) to promote both UTI Brand Awareness as well as event attendance using social media. We had 1 week to make it all work.

LACED Interactive AgencyStrategic Digital Partner | 2011Creating Content That Matters To The Community


1/9/2010 Anaheim Video was a huge hit with audiences, and helped get twitter hashtag promo #MMIphxSX114 for AZ 1/14/2010 Event rolling – as well as promote authenticity for UTI’s brand and transparency, and trust.

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/36/x6yQTxzB1Sw

LACED Interactive AgencySubmission for Small Agency, Category 1-10 people Campaign Creative

LACED Deliverables Phoenix, AZ 1/14/2010 Event;

• Wrote official rules for give-a-way and had them approved by UTI

• Designed printed banners• Coordinated efforts to have them printed and

set up at event with outside vendors & managed client budget to ensure no overages occurred.

• LACED designed all online seeding materials for UTI Twitter Promo as well.

• Launched, Seeded, and promoted hashtag #MMiphxSX114 online in social space (MySpace, Facebook, Blogs, Forums, and Twitter) from Jan 11 until Jan 14 furiously !!!

• Sent 2 staff on-site to Phoenix (1 to manage live twitter feed from a laptop to projector/manage live give-a-way to winner, and 1 to shoot video footage)

• a 3rd Staff member continued tweeting from the LA office, and monitoring hashtag user tweets to select the winner and communicate that to LACED staff on site to announce.

LACED Interactive AgencySubmission for Small Agency, Category 1-10 people Campaign Creative

663 total tweets for the Hashtag: #MMIphxSX114

Massive Brand Exposure in 4 days !!

Winner!@Ziggyroze199 Tweets


After initial Twitter Hashtag promo (#MMIphxSX114) was a success, UTI green-lit budget for additional Twitter Hashtag promotions in conjunction with social media efforts, and the “Interim” Response Campaign through the end of March 2010.

Promotion & Production with Digital Videos was green-lit as well.

LACED Interactive AgencySubmission for Small Agency, Category 1-10 people Campaign Creative >> Digital Video

Digital “Raw” Videos of UTI Grad Testimonials on-site;

1. Increased engagements with users during Jan – March 20102. Gave UTI something to engage & respond too during Jan – March 20103. Increased Authenticity, Transparency, and Trust in Brand

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/36/x6yQTxzB1Sw

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/35/egP-7LvdzJI

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/34/zwtrDYPY6Lc

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/33/BGHm5V2lrqU

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/32/8Q3YuaNBdMY

http://www.youtube.com/user/utivision%23p/u/31/mvICtys8WfE


RESULTSSOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING “Interim” Response Campaign

Jan-Mar 2010


LACED used Twitter Hashtag Promotions for UTI Events (since this was the only thing we were allowed to respond too at that point), from Jan 2010 through March 2010 to increase Twitter reach, influence, popularity, engagement, trust, and the overall UTI “social status”.

Jan 8, 2010 – • 197 Followers• 20.3% Influence• 34.3% Popularity• 22.4% Engagement• 13.1%Trust

March 2010 – • 330 Followers• 28.4% Influence• 37.6% Popularity• 27.0% Engagement• 16.8%Trust

Twitter

Increases across all category

measurements !


By March 31, 2010 – UTI had gained 14.8% market share for brand mentions in the social media space from their direct competitor.


Gain of 14.8%


Loss of -14.8%



Pulled week of March 31, 2010

COMPANYMARKETSHAREWyotech: 45.5% UTI: 54.5%


Pulled week of March 31, 2010

COMPANYMARKETSHAREDeVry: 57.9%ITT Tech: 31%UTI: 8.6% Lincoln Tech: 2.5%

Gained + 14.8% in Direct Competitor market share

Gained + 0.2% in Secondary Competitor market share


SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETINGThe Response Campaign

April - August 2010


Phase 2 (continuing April 2010 through August 2010)

1. Budget Reforecast in April 2010 cut budgets in spite of social media, and event marketing results.

• Twitter promotions were gone.

• Event tie-ins with social media were gone.

• Digital Video production was gone for UTI Grad stories.

• Social Media budget was reduced overall by HALF!

2. Good news was UTI approved a formal Response Campaign, and the Social Media Policy. We were now allowed to respond to the social media community we had built.

3. Although, we had to find another way to continue Engagement, Interactions, and building brand reach without these resources and with a limited budget.

2nd Set of Challenges / Hurdles


Messaging StrategyTwitter – #FF, and follow all followers, and retweet relevant auto/moto/marine news – push

events UTI announcements when we can. Drive users to uti.edu

MySpace – losing community, re-tooled sweepstakes headers to drum up interest in community, but it was limited at best.

YouTube – Without new video content, the channel began to dip…We decided to keep commenting and sharing other’s relevant videos on our channel to maintain the community we had built, but all in all – it was challenging.

Facebook – UTI wanted to focus reduced budget on this area only for engagements and response measuring, and analyzing.

1. Respond to every relevant post where we feel UTI can add value2. Build engagement through polling, crowd-sourcing ideas/opinions, issues,

etc..3. Build interactions through sharing urls to other relevant sites

(manufacturers, existing videos, etc..)4. Try to get Users to share more UTI specific-stories so we can capture them

in photo albums monthly.5. Post user pics/videos.6. Track & screen capture lead questions – build a case for trackable 1-800#


Recap of Goals & Measurements of Campaign Success

UTI Business Goals;• Increased “Social Status” – brand visibility, brand awareness• Lead their direct competitor in brand mentions in the social space• Grab a significant market share of brand mentions in the social space from

secondary competition.

UTI Measurements of Success;1. Increased Followers on (4) Platforms2. Increased Facebook “LIKES” 3. Increased Facebook “Post Feedback” combo of Likes/and commenting

(aka Engagements)4. Increased Brand Reputation5. Increased % of brand mentions in social space against competitors.

Optional Goals;Prove social media is a viable pre-lead/sales channel for initial customer service

and funneling by tracking a social media #800 specific to UTI Social Media.


How Would LACED handle the UTI community user responses ?

LACED Interactive AgencyStrategic Digital Partner | 2011The LACED Interactive Social Media Approach

(SMM) Communications & Messaging Process

Designed for 2010 UTI Response Campaign

Retooled Creative for MySpace


Example of Messaging Strategy in Facebook

April 2010


Listening to the UTI Facebook Audience in April 2010, we determined a need among users for what the referred to as “THE REAL DEAL”. While they appreciated UTI congratulating Enrollees they expressed a need to hear from grads more. UTI Facebook Users expressed a concern about job placement and the value of the investment in UTI – they wanted to hear what their peers (fellow UTI grads had to say vs. UTI it’s self).

Creating Authenticity, Transparency, and Trust through the UTI Facebook Community

- Monthly Edition of UTI’s “The REAL Deal” in May 2010- Graduation pics (call to community to post/tag)


What is Alumni: Volume 1 “THE REAL DEAL” ?

Posting a Negative Story vs. Removing It. (Building Trust)


Responses from UTI Community were amazing!1. The user comments clearly showed how the

community appreciated UTI’s transparency and fairness

2. UTI took it’s first steps in building TRUST in the UTI Facebook community


Cadency1. Continuing to

build trust, 2. Relationships

with community


STUDENT SHOWS ENTHUSIAM FOR UTI BY USING A SWEAR WORD WITHIN UTI COMMUNITY: Addressing Issue with “Coolness Factor” Resonates with community and grows more TRUST.


SALES LEADS: Tracking Potential Students’ Inquiries with a 1-800 specifically set up to track leads from UTI Social Media


Summary of Creative/Tactical Executions:

1. Strategizing around a slew of hurdles and budget challenges throughout campaign

2. Scheduled a series of Twitter Promos (online to on-site Events – all design element & coordination involved with that)

3. “Raw” UTI Grad Videos – produced on site at Events & uploaded to social. 4. Polling / Crowdsourcing Relevant Content to Community5. Coming up with new content every day, week, month, based on community

feedback (Extreme Problem Solving)6. Daily Seeding in social media7. Re-Tooling Creative Header for MySpace8. Tracking/Measurement every day9. Reporting per week (Jan-April)10.Switched to Reporting per month (April – Sept) with budget cuts11. Analysis & Recommendations to Client per month


RESULTSSOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

The Response CampaignApril-Aug 2010


With reduced budget, limited resources, we retweeted all relevant content we could to the community – borrowing content from manufacturers and partner sites. We responded when appropriate to users. Due to a lack of fresh content within context, our popularity began to decrease – as did trust and overall engagement. This response campaign ran from April 2010 through Aug 2010. All in all, we think we did accomplish the main goal which was to increase UTI’s “social status” and brand reach through followers and influence.

April, 2010 – • 330 Followers• 28.4% Influence• 37.6% Popularity• 27.0% Engagement• 16.8%Trust

Aug 31, 2010 – • 528 Followers• 32.1% Influence• 36.5% Popularity• 26.7% Engagement• 16%Trust

Twitter

Increase in Followers, and Influence only

Slight Decreases in Popularity, Engagement, and Trust


By Aug 31, 2010 – UTI had gained another 18.2% market share for brand mentions in the social media space from their direct competitor.


Gain of 18.2%


Loss of -18.2%



Pulled week of Aug 30, 2010

COMPANYMARKETSHAREUTI: 72.7%Wyotech: 27.3%


Pulled week of Aug 30, 2010

COMPANYMARKETSHAREDeVry: 52.2%Lincoln Tech: 16.4%ITT Tech: 14.9%UTI: 11.9%Wyotech: 4.5%

Gained + 18.2% in Direct Competitor market share

Gained + 3.3% in Secondary Competitor market share


RESULTSSOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

The Response CampaignJan - Aug 2010 summary results


Aug 31, 2010Facebook10,496 Total Fans

MySpace2,387 Friends

YouTube174 Subscribers

Twitter528 Followers

Summary of Campaign Results:

Jan 1, 2010Facebook5,408 Total Fans

MySpace1,943 Friends

YouTube95 Subscribers

Twitter197 Followers

Increased “Social Status” / Brand Reach


August was one of the BEST months this summer for interactions and user engagement

UTI saw the largest growth in response and engagement for Facebook over those last 3 months (June/July/August 2010) due to the Response Campaign.

Summary of Campaign Results:Increased UTI Brand Visibility

Increased Engagements & InteractionsJan. 2010 – Aug. 2010


Summary of Campaign Results:Increased UTI Brand Visibility

Increased Engagements & InteractionsJan. 2010 – Aug. 2010

58.5% increase in Quality Relationships in Facebook Community


LACED Interactive Agency

Small Agency (1-10 people)

2010 Campaign of the Year

Against all the (hurdles, budget reductions, lengthy process approvals, and unforeseen challenges) – LACED managed to end their campaign with outstanding results, accomplishing more client goals than they set out to meet initially.

1. Scalability

2. Elasticity

3. Adaptability

4. Extreme Problem Solving Abilities

Today’s Digital Agency Partner

LACED Interactive AgencyStrategic Digital Partner | 2011

That Digital Agency Partner is…


Allowing DIGITAL to be at the core of your marketing strategy strengthens a brand's ability to improve, even transform,

their businesses at the same speed as today's evolving consumer.


Today's interactive agency must be leaders in adaptive marketing;

utilizing the best ideas, interaction, and intelligence to meet the

constantly changing landscape of consumer need while delivering the

competitive edge to clients.

Here are some of ours…

LACED Interactive Agency114 S Catalina Ave, Suite 103Redondo Beach, CA 90277Office: 310.316.1962 ext25Web: http://www.lacedinteractive.com

Contact: Natalie V. Cupps | VP Digital Marketing & SalesEmail: [email protected]

Connecting with LACED InteractiveLACED Interactive Agency

Strategic Digital Partner | 2011

About LACED Interactive AgencyLACED Interactive | A Strategic Digital Agency, building brands in the digital space.We Connect Consumers To You — Digitally.

Delivering a range of holistic service offerings that include strategy, brand development, engagement, mobile, social media, direct response, and lead generation– LACED’s agency model is built to meet the needs of today’s evolving consumers.

Services specialize in adaptive marketing; utilizing great ideas, creative interaction, and intelligence. LACED is committed to helping clients build great brands with loyal enthusiast followings. The Agency creates and deploys interactive solutions; carefully crafted to reach, engage, and influence audiences to interact with their clients’ brands, products, and services in ways that resonate. Areas of agency services include digital advertising, mobile, video, retail, out-of-home experiences, social media platforms, and complex technology development and solutions.Founded in 2002, LACED Interactive is privately held –with offices located in Redondo Beach, CA and a satellite office in Chicago, IL. For more information on LACED Interactive, visit their website at http://www.lacedinteractive.com.

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adage-small agency awards submission (2010)

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