Marketing Tips from #HappyDay Campaign
Admittedly, this campaign benefits from the Pharrell Williams touch, but I don’t find it any less motivating. It also just makes me want to dance! Continue on for my musings on this near flawless large-scale, multi-channel, multi-project execution in support of a social issue capturing today's zeitgeist.
Today is the UN's 2nd Annual International Day of Happiness. Pharrell Williams + team have created an awareness and activation campaign around his Oscar-nominated song “Happy” from Despicable Me 2. You can buy it, and nine other songs, on his second solo-album, G I R L.
Despicable Me 2 came out in July 2013. Is this very long-term campaign planning? Or this is clever repurposing of content? Or consistency at its best?
Pharrell's 24-hour music video alone is out-of-the-box creative. And how often are music videos just one shot walking through the streets and buildings of LA? I love the transitions between loops. Everyone, all the dancers, celebs, Pharrell himself, are exuberant and authentic... very happy! Very on message.
The song in of itself serves as a Happiness Day anthem. Doesn't it make you want clap & dance along too? (Of course, I’m listening to it as I write, and yes, I’ve taken a couple dance breaks.)
Inviting people to submit their own video with the hashtag #HAPPYDAY to be highlighted today creates awareness of the International Day of Happiness and gets people to join the movement.
How will they measure the success of this campaign? Donations? Number of user videos? Visits to 24hoursofhappiness.com? Video views? Social posts with the #HAPPYDAY or #24hoursofhappiness hashtags? Downloads of “Happy”? Purchases of G I R L?
I’d answer all of the above even if that's counter to a typical approach to focus on one call-to-action. Yet, it makes sense. He’s increasing awareness of IDoH. In this context, the primary CTA is engagement & submissions. He’s promoting his latest album and current #1 song, so in that context, it's downloads. He’s reminding people of Despicable Me 2. And everything portrays Pharrell as a savvy, socially-aware creative. They all reinforce each other -- and benefit Pharrell. Brilliant.
I'm confident most of us work on a much smaller scale, but I'd argue that means we need to be just as sharp, if not sharper, to break through the cacophony of the digital world to be noticed.
Tips for us marketers:
- have a long-term vision*
- create content that delights** your audience
- re-use & repurpose when it is authentic
- craft a straightforward user experience
- cross-link related projects and channels
- make it shareable***
- invite people to join in
- keep your message consistent everywhere
- execution is in the details!
- BONUS: retarget website visitors to reinforce your message and call-to-action****
Clap along if you feel like happiness is a truth.
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you.
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you want to do.
Happy Happiness Day!
*This campaign clearly spans over a year. Most of us probably plan quarterly, but do we keep an eye on the horizon too?
**Even a new case study template could be delightful!
***Always embed social sharing buttons. Make sure the pre-populated message is optimized. Create a hashtag.
****Pretty sure Pharrell + team aren't retargeting, but it's such a cost-effective way for those of us that need a boost to appear ubiquitous.