With the premium automotive segment facing strong competition, particularly in entry-level vehicles, INFINITI’s challenge was to generate new demand. To stand out and engage users, the INFINITI team knew that they needed truly meaningful ads. Working with Google Marketing Platform and OMD, the INFINITI team decided to use dynamic creatives powered by the innovative use of data through the Google Marketing Platform. This approach resulted in the cost-efficient production of 432,000 ad variants.
GOALS
Generate new demand
Build a personalized online user experience to capture and engage potential car buyers
Deliver traffic to INFINITI website with maximum cost efficiency
APPROACH
Dynamically adapted display ads’ creative messaging through the Google Marketing Platform creative tool, Studio
Tailored ads to eight countries, nine models, four unique selling points, five user profiles, two languages, three calls to action and ten creative sizes
Created granular user segments to drive these personalised messages, through Studio and Display and Video 360
RESULTS
Generated 432,000 ad variants using dynamic creatives
Increased click-through rate by 167%
Drove 139% more clicks to site
Reduced cost per click by 63%
Every month, the OMD team was responsible for manually rolling out 1,440 creative display ad variants covering nine vehicles across eight markets in two language and ten creative sizes, as well as fresh promotions and pricing. As a result of this volume, all audience segments for each vehicle were served the same ad.
“INFINITI was already running a mature, always-on digital approach covering the full spectrum of online channels and the new dynamic creative strategy with 167% increase in CTR strongly supported our consideration marketing,” said Karsten Jankowski, General Manager Marketing and PR.
Display accounted for over 30% of spend and drove a significant amount of overall website traffic, particularly lower-funnel users who were starting their purchase journey.
A Personalized Approach Based on Data
OMD analyzed INFINITI's website traffic and identified a wide range of behavioral segments that had previously converted on the INFINITI website. The range of different users, interests and motivations that the research uncovered convinced the INFINITI team that they could no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all approach to messaging. To stay one step ahead of their online competition, they decided to test data-driven personalization.
Dynamic Creatives Targeted to The Right Audience
OMD developed a strategy to use dynamic creatives to deliver the most meaningful message to anyone who might be interested in any of INFINITI’s vehicles. With nine models, each with an average of five target audience segments identified through Google Analytics data, INFINITI created a total of 45 target segments. Each of these 45 target segments was matched to four unique selling points, based on the car features that were most likely to appeal. These signals were built into a customized feed in Studio, resulting in 180 different combinations provided the scope for A/B testing in DV360. This would allow the team to refine the messaging over time.
Next, they drew on first-party data to identify consumers who had been on the INFINITI website before. Based on this interaction, one of three different calls to action was used to encourage that individual to take the next logical step in their purchase journey. The team also factored in information like location, creating eight different backdrops for the creatives – one for each target market – to deliver greater resonance. By linking Analytics 360 with Display & Video 360, OMD were able to leverage 1st party audience data and drive personalization depending on where the user is in their purchase journey.
Surpassing Benchmarks
With this approach INFINITI was now capable of delivering 86,400 different creative variants. With a new pricing offer every month, to date they have delivered 432,000 unique creatives tailored to multiple distinct data points in an eight-layer decision tree that pieces ads together on the fly.
Even though digital display had always been an integral – and very successful – part of INFINITI’s always-on communications plan, the final results were significantly stronger than the high benchmarks that had been established.
By personalizing communications based on actual behavioral data and leveraging the Google Marketing Platform integrations, INFINITI increased the click-through rate by 167% and drove 139% more clicks through to the site. The increase in consumer traffic in turn reduced the cost per click by 63%. These shifts add up to real cost efficiencies and significant increases in interest in the INFINITI brand in a challenging market.
