Case Study
Fiserv
Payments, retail and financial technology
Digital marketing
Public relations
Website
Content marketing
How many gift cards do you have sitting in a drawer? In your wallet or purse? If research is anything to go by, the answer is more than a couple at the very least.
American consumers purchase more than $170 billion in gift cards every year. But who is buying them? How did they decide what store to buy from? What are they using them for? It’s questions like these that keep retailers up at night and Fiserv’s business humming.
A leader in global payments, Fiserv understands the value of gift cards for retailers. They provide a much-needed source for recuring revenue and engagement, while also simplifying the lives of consumers.
Fiserv wanted to provide its audience with a broader view of gift card trends and how consumers use them in their daily lives. The company partnered with Arketi Group to conduct in-depth research on the topic and then translate those findings into a campaign that positions Fiserv as a trusted expert and industry resource.
Our work commenced with a meeting of the minds between Fiserv’s Gift Solutions division and Arketi’s integrated marketing experts. Together, we identified key pain points and trends Fiserv’s audience would find interesting and exciting – in addition the industry at-large.
We then researched the goings-on in the gift card marketplace to find conversational gaps Fiserv could own. Rather than mimic others, we wanted to help Fiserv develop a one-of-a-kind message and narrative.
From there, we developed a research calendar with six themes to explore throughout the next year. These themes would be translated into 15-question, bimonthly surveys, with the results serving as the foundation for an integrated marketing and public relations campaign.
The six themes for our bimonthly surveys were:
And, to ensure we hit the mark with every question, we established a Gift Solutions customer panel to evaluate our surveys. The customer panel provided valuable suggestions and guidance to ensure we addressed relevant pain points and challenges for retailers.
Each survey was completed by more than 1,000 American consumers aged 18 and older, with the results offering a unique view into how consumers buy and use gift cards.
Our research and insights combined were branded the Fiserv Gift Card Gauge, a collection of marketing assets, including:
Tools in hand, we set out to share Fiserv’s Gift Card Gauge with our target audience. Our goal was to secure at least one earned media placement per survey and more than five new business opportunities throughout the year.
EARNED MEDIA HITS PER QUARTER
INBOUND LEADS PER QUARTER
EMAIL OPEN RATE
TOM NIEDBALSKI
Head of Gift Solution Sales
Fiserv
Each Gift Card Gauge exceeded our goal of one earned media hit, instead averaging five placements with key industry and national outlets, including Forbes and IBS Intelligence. The findings were also posted and leveraged as a resource for members of two leading industry associations – the Incentive Marketing Association and the Retail Gift Card Association.
What’s more, the Gift Card Gauge secured Fiserv approximately 15 proactive, inbound client inquiries per quarter, which well-surpassed our goal of five for the year. Along with increased revenue from new clients, the Gauges provided Fiserv’s sales team with a steady stream of cross-sell opportunities with existing customers.
Finally, Fiserv’s proactive Gauge distribution has benefited from tremendous engagement, averaging a 20% email open rate and 5% click-through rate.
With the smell of sweet success in the air, Fiserv’s program continues to grow and excite key stakeholders. Focusing on emerging industry and economic trends, the Gauge positions Fiserv as a trusted resource for retailers and differentiates the company from the competition with its unique, one-of-a-kind gift card expertise.
WHERE MARKETING GENERATES REVENUE
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