Table of Contents 6 2012 OVATION Awards Winning Entries

stations). UPS wanted to reach both of these targets to inform them about packaging tips and pertinent
shipping deadlines so that customer service complications could be avoided. By educating the target on
the holiday rush, UPS would be able to ensure that more packages would be delivered on time for the
holidays.
GOALS / OBJECTIVES
1. Secure a minimum of two media ride‐alongs with a UPS Driver between Dec. 1 – 22 (Driver ridealongs
were a primary tactic and are clarified under Plans & Tactics)
2. Generate an overall media reach of 30 million between Nov. 25 – Dec. 22
3. Secure placement of the VNR in a minimum of three top‐tier consumer websites and generate an
overall online reach of four million between Dec. 1 – 22
4. Secure placement of ANR and matte stories in at least 10 community newspapers and 5 radio stations
5. Leverage Black Friday survey to secure a minimum of two tier‐one pieces of print coverage in either
the Globe and Mail or Postmedia
6. Achieve an MRP rating score of 75 per cent (Canadian industry standard) and a cost‐per‐contact of
less than $0.03
7. Keep customer call centre volumes down year‐over‐year
SOLUTION OVERVIEW
To get a pulse on media sentiment, APEX took a sampling of mainstream media and local coverage from
Nov. to Dec. 2010, which revealed that the media landscape was saturated with stories focusing on gift
giving during the holiday season. Additionally, the research revealed that more and more Canadians
were gravitating to the internet and social media for holiday‐related consumer advice ‐ a market UPS
wanted to influence. APEX also conducted research into the recent popularity of Black Friday vis‐à‐vis
consumers in Canada. The conclusion was that a strong loonie, coupled with a weak economy south of
the border, and the growing prevalence of ecommerce had combined to create a news angle that would
resonate strongly with media. The research also confirmed that small‐town Canadians were relying on
local media for information and advice. Meanwhile, those who maintained a preference for
conventional media tended to gravitate to news programs, which were conveniently timed around their
busy workdays. However, APEX knew that UPS would have to offer a unique, timely, relevant narrative if
it were to capture the interest of these key media targets.
Given the research findings, APEX knew it would have to offer a different kind of holiday story — one
less focused on what to give and more focused on how to give it — in order to cut through the holiday
media clutter. This included focusing on key UPS messaging as well as recent trends such as ecommerce.
It also meant providing visuals of packaging tips and damaged boxes to complement bulleted lists of
shipping deadlines. Given the visual nature of the packaging tips, the campaign would focus on top‐tier
television news outlets in major urban centres with high concentrations of target audience members.
There was also a strong focus on reaching small market tier‐two media in rural Canada. The strategy
included:
A Black Friday survey to initiate the holiday shipping dialogue
The re‐purposing of a video news release (VNR)
The development of an audio news release (ANR)
The development of matte stories
Targeted local media relations around driver ride‐alongs