Making Brexit an immersive experience - Katrina Broster, Head of Consumer Marketing, Evening Standard + The Independent

1. Making Brexit An Immersive
Brand Experience
Katrina Broster - ESI Media

3. The Independent - Overview
● ESI Media - The Independent, London Evening
Standard & London Live
● Award-winning news brand
● Provides for a wide & global audience
● Free-thinking, free of bias, trusted & authentic
● A business successfully diversifying its revenue portfolio

4. The Independent - Overview
● We inspire action. We mobilise.
● 50/50 audience
● 70% ABC1 who engage on the move
● 100m global visitors
● Converting anonymous users into known customers

5. The Independent - Our Team
Head of Consumer Marketing
● A centralised marketing function
● Generate brand awareness for our titles & drive positive
sentiment towards our products & services
● Responsible for driving cost-effective conversion
● We identify, define & implement appropriate audience
segmentation for everything we do

7. The background
In 2018, our Editor In Chief, Christian Broughton launched The Independent’s Final Say campaign
Our view is a referendum on the final deal is right
Final Say was created by us but is for our readers, our society and our future

8. The brief
Devise a campaign that utilises experiential marketing services, that takes leverage from the ‘Final Say’
campaign which will in turn increase brand awareness for The Independent whilst driving acquisition
for The Independent subscription service, Independent Premium
Centre the campaign around the People’s Vote March on 19th October 2019

9. Campaign overview
WHO? 35-54 year / ABC1 / Centre/Centre-left political persuasion
OBJECTIVE? To convince the audience that The Independent is the news brand for them
Increased brand awareness Engagement with The Indy Propensity to subscribe
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
● Develop and grow awareness for The Independent
HALO IMPACT OF MARKETING IMPACT
● Drive direct response for Independent Premium
● Increase in web traffic, app downloads and social engagements

10. Creative approach
● Our creative needed to be provocative
● It had to be accessible to ensure conversation and engagement
● Distinctive enough to make The Independent stand out
● True to our brand purpose and our core values
● Core to championing our journalism
● The Independent as a reliable and truthful news source

11. Creative approach
Inspiration
THE BREXIT DEBATE HAS LEFT THE NATION DIVIDED, WITH PEOPLE PIGEONHOLED AS EITHER
ONE THING OR THE OTHER
Idea description
THE INDEPENDENT OFFERS A MORE BALANCED VIEW OF THE NEWS, SO WE’LL CHAMPION
DIVERSITY OF OPINION THROUGH UNHEARD AND UNEXPECTED VOICES
Creative route

12. Creative examples

13. Media approach
We selected experiential marketing as the driving force of the campaign. Our supporting social and digital
media campaign was intended to drive additional awareness, interest, engagement and conversion
Direct response tactics adopted to drive subscription volume:
● Paid media - PPC, Paid Social, ASA, UAC, Influencer marketing
● Owned media - Display advertising, Social Media, Email, Print, Onsite experiences
Campaign period: Monday 30th September - Monday 4th November

14. The campaign
In partnership with HeyHuman!

15. Pre-March campaign overview
WHO? 35-54 year / ABC1 / Centre/centre-left political persuasion
OBJECTIVE? To hero the unheard and unexpected voices of Brexit
Increased brand awareness Engagement with The Indy Attendance at the March
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
● Encourage consumers to attend the People’s Vote March
HALO IMPACT OF MARKETING IMPACT
● Drive qualified traffic to independent.co.uk
● Increase social following and engagement

17. March Day campaign overview
WHO? People’s Vote March attendees
OBJECTIVE? To have a strong brand presence at the People’s Vote March and utilise heightened awareness and
engagement to drive conversion for Independent Premium
Increased brand awareness Opt-in to The Independent Subscribe to Premium
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
● Convert prospects into Independent Premium subscribers
HALO IMPACT OF MARKETING IMPACT
● Qualified traffic to independent.co.uk
● Increased social following and engagement
● Increased customer registrations

18. March Day campaign

23. Direct Response campaign overview
WHO? People’s Vote March prospects / highly-engaged audiences on independent.co.uk
OBJECTIVE? To convert attendees of the march to the new 3 months for £3 introductory offer
Exchange at the PV March Opt-in to The Independent Subscribe to Premium
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
● Convert prospects into Independent Premium subscribers
HALO IMPACT OF MARKETING IMPACT
● Qualified traffic to independent.co.uk
● Increased social following and engagement
● Increased customer registrations

25. The results

26. Topline results
● 92% of all email addresses captured provided marketing permissions
● This campaign generated 23% of subscriptions and 50% of app installs
● The full funnel conversion rate was 27% higher with email generating a conversion rate of 20%
● Over 12k uses of the campaign hashtags
● We saw a 7% increase in The Independent’s Instagram following

27. Consumer feedback
● 57% of consumers had not heard about Independent Premium but 35% of consumers had heard
about it about itrecently but have yet to subscribe
● 61% of consumers said they would subscribe to Independent Premium
● 71% of consumers would recommend Independent Premium to a friend

28. Recommendations
● Plan in advance whenever possible!
● Undertake a RFP to find the best agency partners
● Activate social and influencer marketing
● Do your homework!
● Consider data capture options & compliance
● Capture qualitative data through surveys

29. Thank you
Contact me:
Katrina.Broster@esimedia.co.uk
Linkedin: /katrinabroster/
Twitter: @KatrinaBroster