pH7 Communications - Youth Marketing Campaign of the Year

Company: pH7 Communications
Company Description: pH7 Communications is an agile strategic communication agency in China. Founded in Shanghai and with a branch in Guangzhou, pH7 quickly adapts to new challenges and embraces new ideas. In the past two years, pH7 has been the recipient of over 15 awards for innovation in marketing communication.
Nomination Category: Marketing Campaign Categories - Specialty
Nomination Sub Category: Youth Marketing Campaign of the Year

Nomination Title: Vans Encourages Creative Expression Among Chinese Young Generation with #OH My Vans Challenge

Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched: Campaign Period: Apr 15, 2020– May 15, 2020

Challenge

1.The communication approaches were limited during the Covid-19 outbreak, and the social media attention all focused on the epidemic situation.
2.During the height of the Covid-19 epidemic, people were less willing to purchase non-essential products,especially footwear and clothing apparel.

Opportunity

1.Social media with short video content break out in China. Young people, in particular, are actively creating short videos to express themselves. People are eager for positive content and entertainment to participate during the outbreak.
2.The shopping habit of Chinese consumers is further shifting toward online shopping.

Vans decisively turned to social communication and short videos during the unexpected epidemic.

Insights

1.Chineseyounger generation(late Gen-Y and Gen-Z) hold great purchasing powerand represent 44% of the consumption in China market.
2.The Younger generation is willing to embrace creative expression on social media.Theyarethe most digital-orientedand enthusiastic but havelimited attention span.
3.The authenticity of influencers is more accepted by the younger generation.

Objectives

1.Deliver Creative Self-expression brand spirit to more youngsters and enhance Vans’ leading position in youth culture.
2.Drive traffic to Vans e-commence store T-mall to boost online business.

Strategy

1.Platform Strategy – Cooperate withTik Tok Challenge Gameto maximize the influence among youth and inspire their engagement.
a)80% users of Tik Tok are young people.
b)Most of the contents on Tik Tok are entertainment, fashion and trend related.

2.Content Strategy -creative and fun content bonding to the “Self-expression” brand spirit
a)The campaign theme #OH My Vans = On Head, My Vans. Vans literally went to people’s heads!
‘On Head’(上头which means‘addicted to something’in Chinese) is a hot word for youth, expressing addiction, enthusiasm, and love for something. Vans created the main campaign video of #OH My Vans (#我对VANS上头了) by combining literal and emotional meanings.
b)Inspired by the ‘waffle’sole of Vans shoes which can provide stability, Vans created astraightforward and accessible challenge formin which the users try to balance the shoes on their heads.Everyone can do it in different ways at home as long as they have Vans shoes.

3.Influencer Strategy
Leverage influencers to break through the emotional barriers, and to impress the audience with more fresh and creative content, so as to stimulate everyone's interest to participation.Incorporate T-mall product linksinto influencers’ content to drive traffic to the online store.

Activities
Refer to the attached video.

Result

1.Campaign participation
a)Leveraged 12 influencers and harvested almost 60,000 high-quality user-generated content videos.
b)The campaign video views and engagements exceeded 490 million.

2.Drive traffic to T-mall
a)350,000 people logged on to the Vans official store on T-mall via the Tik Tok challenge page.
b)157,000 new brand followers increased on T-mall during 18April to 28April campaign period, daily increased 148% vs a normal day, and engagement on T-mall increased 124% vs a normal day.

3.Vanstoned upits creative expression brand image among a younger group of consumers
a)Thousands of Tik Tok users commented that the #OH My Vans campaign made them truly feel that Vans is a brand full of creativity. “Vans is truly a young, top-notch and trendy role model, which always engages us to think out of the box.” Consumers commented. (Sourced from social media)