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16 Oct 2019

A quick trawl through the internet will soon reveal a host of cat videos and memes, but it may also uncover a host of marketing campaigns from start-ups hoping to take their brand to the next level.

Some of those campaigns are better than others, which is why Startups.co.uk has recently highlighted some of the best contenders for this year.

From mortgage-induced piranha attacks to a man wrapped in bubble wrap, 2019 has seen some amazing small business digital marketing campaigns. Here are three which we think you’ll agree hit the digital branding nail on the head.

Cuvva – Bubble Man

YouTuber Thomas Gray is perhaps best known as ‘Stag Do’ Guy, but is reincarnated as Bubble Man in Cuvva’s comical campaign. Taking advantage of Gray’s humour (as well as his 40K+ subscribers), Cuvva was able to reach its target audience of millennials who enjoy travelling and being smart with their cash.

The aim was to increase awareness of Cuvva’s recently launched single trip travel insurance among Gen Zers and millennials. In the video, Gray chooses not to buy travel insurance before his trip to Lisbon, so instead wears a bubblewrap suit to protect himself.

According to Cuvva, the video got more than 20,000 views across platforms, and other supporting creatives had over 10 million impressions.

Cuvva worked closely with Imagine That, a team of creative freelancers who came up with the Bubble Man concept and executed the campaign.

Habito – Hell or Habito

Habito’s Hell or Habito campaign is a loud, colourful and funny take on the generally dull world of mortgage-related advertising. It pits the confusion, cost, time and stress usually associated with applying for a mortgage against the simpler, less stressful experience offered by Habito.

One clip sees a man feeling so anxious he’s seen drowning in a piranha-infested pool of his own sweat. In another, a woman is crushed by tentacles that emerge from a pile of remortgage paperwork. The campaign vibe is unashamedly weird and was run in partnership with the agency Uncommon.

Abba Newbery, Habito CMO explained the aim of the campaign was to “build a brand in a category (mortgage broking) that has almost no brand recognition for any player in it.”

In contrast to previous Habito campaigns, this one draws on a shared human experience – the stress of buying a home – to help build the brand.

Farillio – Let’s Get You To Brave

Farillio’s #Let’sGetYouToBrave campaign is sleek, stylish and leads viewers to want to find out more about its service (helping change the way small business do law). This is Farillio’s first foray into the world of video and the campaign positions the company as a guiding light for those pursuing their dream of setting up their own business.

Engaging and motivating, the campaign was created to reach entrepreneurs who lack the experience and know-how needed to start a new business venture. Preceded by a series of teasers, the full video was launched via Farillio’s partner brands’ social media channels to reach a wider network of people.

The campaign was created by an external agency, before being run in-house. Speaking about the campaign, Gregory Zulmat from Farillio’s marketing department said: “The video drove more people to take action. This means that our website traffic, social media engagement, and customer sign-ups all increased.”

So what makes a successful digital marketing campaign? Judging by these three examples, it’s got to be a combination of:

  • Humour: e.g. making light of serious ‘grown-up stuff like mortgages
  • Seasonality: e.g. a video about travel insurance that coincides with the summer months
  • Influencers: e.g. reaching a wider audience through an influencer’s pre-established following

Are you an agency or start-up looking to recruit the best creative and marketing talent? Why not brief us on a role today.

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