IBM’s Smarter Planet
Challenge
As part of IBM’s “Smarter Planet” campaign, designed to inspire business and government leaders around the globe about the possibilities of making the world work smarter, IBM wanted to tailor its broader message to individual industries and those leaders who see change as an opportunity.
Solution
Ketchum developed and executed a strategy to integrate “Smarter Planet” into influencer dialogues taking place in IBM’s key industries. The approach included identifying influential bloggers in each industry, leveraging social media channels with entertaining yet informative content, and using Ketchum's proprietary news engine to benefit from breaking news.
Result
The campaign quickly reached a very targeted audience of senior executives and influencers in IBM’s key industries. Within two months of launch, two of the viral webisodes drew 60,000 views on YouTube, the Web comic generated 50,000 visits to IBM’s “Smarter Planet” blog, and Ketchum’s use of StumbleUpon drove a triple-digit growth in referred traffic. These efforts were backed by extensive coverage in top-tier business and industry trade outlets, with content that included interviews with IBM experts, coverage of IBM industry surveys, and contributed thought-leadership articles.
How we PRECIPITATE PASS-ALONG
Healthy Choice Progressive Coupon
By developing a Healthy Choice Progressive Coupon, increasing in value as consumers “Like” the brand on Facebook, Ketchum precipitated sharing among online consumers, encouraging over 45,000 people to reserve new product coupons.
Kodak Makes the World a Little Brighter
By taking the Compliment Guys on the road to spread the “It’s Time to Smile” message, traffic to Kodak’s site exploded with over 12,000 visitors.
