Finding Incremental Reach for Watches of Switzerland

Finding new customers by trialling new Microsoft campaign tech

Watches of Switzerland Group wanted to drive more conversions efficiently during their peak trading season. They briefed Kinase to explore Microsoft’s new campaign type, Cost per Sale Shopping.

Plan

Kinase created new Cost Per Sale (CPS) Shopping campaigns to supplement existing shopping campaigns to expand reach.

Implementation

Launched CPS campaigns with five brands that saw immediate uplift in clicks and impressions.

Accelerated the CPS campaigns to include 24 more brands, thanks to the impressive results.

Results

The CPS campaign results were outstanding:

• Watches of Switzerland Group received an additional 3.2K clicks compared to their base target ROAS campaigns at an 84% lower Cost Per Click. 

• Generating over £12K of revenue since October, WoS Group achieved a 16x ROAS on tROAS campaigns.

Lasting Impact

Watches of Switzerland Group is continuing to scale by increasing budgets and target CPS to further expand

• Because of the campaign’s success, WoS x Kinase have continued the rollout to cover the majority of inventory

The campaign proved that reaching incremental revenue via trials and experiments with new campaign types can yield results, when managed and targeted expertly.

"Launching CPS campaigns during the peak period drove incremental revenue at a very favorable ROI. This was a welcome boost to our online performance during a very competitive period."

— James Thompson​, Group Digital Marketing Manager at The Watches of Switzerland Group

For the full case study, see Microsoft’s case study page

The Impact of Video Unlock For Reed.co.uk

Find out how Kinase doubled Reed.co.uk's average watch time and achieved a 43% view rate using Video Unlock.

Challenge

Reed.co.uk had consistently experienced engagement rates exceeding industry norms over an extended period, boasting view rates of 20% and CTRs of 0.18% on YouTube. However, following the findings of a brand lift study, which revealed that a significant portion of users were already well-acquainted with Reed.co.uk, there emerged a pressing demand for compelling creative content. This need became particularly apparent after almost a year of using nearly identical assets.

Solution

Kinase proposed Video Unlock as a solution. Currently in a testing stage, Video Unlock is an opportunity for advertisers partnering with Google to receive a custom YouTube-first video ad that follows YouTube best practices.

Video Unlock not only generates highly effective assets but also leverages Google's capabilities, enabling the client to adapt and repurpose these assets across various social media platforms. This not only results in cost savings but also significantly boosts cross-channel synergy for the client.

Results

As part of Video Unlock, there was a minimum spend commitment with Google which was already within Reed.co.uk’s media plan. Due to this they received the assets at no added cost. This strategic move led to a significant surge in view rates, enabling Reed.co.uk to fully leverage their creative refresh.

The results were remarkable, with a view rate of 43%, tripling the industry average, and doubling the average watch time. Moreover, over 50% of viewers engaged with the content until the very end, showcasing the effectiveness of this approach.

Testing AI to Measure Overall PPC Impact for Lovehoney

Kinase collaborated with Lovehoney's digital attribution partner to propel Lovehoney forward as the leading global brand for sexual happiness.

Challenge

To grow revenue by using Lovehoney’s data in a more intelligent way. 

Solution

We partnered with Lovehoney’s digital attribution partner to optimise paid search to multitouch data-driven attribution using their AI-powered Cubed solution. This offers considerably more touchpoints than those available in Google Ads or Google Analytics. The model incorporated standard user data such as device, location, time, and so on, as well as rich on-site performance data such as dwell time, page depth and basket behaviour to provide a superior model to that available through competing tech.

Because the Cubed model operated across many touchpoints and all channels, it allowed us to focus in on search terms and targeting that drives the most incremental value to the business.

We used a tool developed by Skai called Impact Navigator to conduct a robust geo-split test. This used historic data to determine two comparable (99% correlation) location groups, and measure the impact of bidding to the Cubed revenue data vs last non-direct click data at an overall business level. 

Using the location data, we split the UK into three; two groups of comparable locations (A and B) and a third group of outlier locations (C) not suitable for the test.

London was the only location specifically excluded from the test, all other areas were assigned to group A or B, while group C targeted the entirety of the UK with location exclusions for the test areas, covering London as well as any cracks between targeted areas. This third group made up approximately 20% of UK volume, while the other two accounted for around 40% each. 

We triplicated our existing campaign structure, implementing the location targeting changes outlined above to create the 3 groups of the test. We adjusted the conversion action for the test group of campaigns to use the imported Cubed data as the conversion value to optimise towards. We put each campaign group in its own target-ROAS bidding portfolio, with a 10% lower target for the test group as we were initially seeing around 90% of the revenue tracked in GA through Cubed (when optimising towards GA revenue). 

Results

The test segment drove an additional £59,548 revenue (total GA) over a four week period compared to our control segment, exceeding our initial target of £50k. We saw this revenue gap improve the longer we ran the test. 

On a granular level, spend was moved and assumptions based on Google Ads last click data were disrupted.

For example, product categories such as Essentials & Better Sex, Bondage, Lingerie and Sex Toys saw reallocated spend levels. Cubed data also challenged some core beliefs around strategies such as bidding on Lovehoney’s competitors and upper funnel query terms, both of which Cubed data values less than Google. Meanwhile Cubed sees more value in seasonal (Halloween, advent calendar etc) terms, and lingerie.

Integrated Brand Awareness for the Watches of Switzerland Group

Kinase drove Watches of Switzerland Group’s brand awareness in the US by optimising video and display for the Anytime Anywhere story - more than doubling revenue year on year

Challenge

Watches of Switzerland Group wanted to increase brand awareness in the US. The retailer needed a digital campaign to engage a new audience whilst also doubling revenue year on year.

Solution

Taking a set of distinctively British brands and devising a campaign to achieve measurable break-through in the US market over six months was a brief which needed a flexible strategy based on clear targeting of audiences and channels.

Search, YouTube, Discovery and Display were selected to cover the range of formats and funnel stages needed to portray the Anytime Anywhere story. 

Kinase’s International Growth team used in house data and Google’s Market Explorer tool to map out channel reach across each US region. This was cross-referenced against indices of Brand and Category penetration. This enabled the budget plan to be split across regions, platforms, and audiences, ensuring that all were in line with the biggest opportunities for brand growth.

To make the biggest impact, 13 key states were shortlisted for the geographical reach of the campaign - rather than spreading campaigns too thinly for real brand awareness across the whole of the US at once. 

Ensuring that the budget was then intelligently placed, a combination of Google, Skai and the agency’s own machine learning and automation was used to tie each ad auction and placement to the campaign’s branding and sales KPIs. Over the course of six months, this optimisation process at scale had plenty of data to refine and push performance as the period culminated in Thanksgiving and then Christmas gifting periods.

Results

The campaign achieved a 596% increase in year on year conversions.

264% increase in revenue (breaking through the target of doubling revenue).

25% of the market was reached, with a total watch time of 11.7 years.

As a measure of the impact the campaign had for Watches of Switzerland Group's brands in the US, Google’s Brand Uplift study of the campaign returned 1 million lifted users (defined as ‘new users who are now actively considering your brand or product after seeing your ads’). The cost per lifted user scored a best in class level against Google’s benchmarks for a new integrated brand awareness campaign.

Watch ‘Anytime. Anywhere’ By Watches of Switzerland

Eight luxury timepiece brands, eight change makers at the pinnacle of their craft, captured in eight different locations across the great American landscape to form the most extensive, multi branded timepiece campaign the industry has ever seen.

“Working with the digital team as early as the storyboarding stage allowed us to get the most from YouTube platform and ensure our creative was best in class. This was reflected in the results of the campaign with engagement metrics well ahead of industry benchmarks.”

-James Thompson, Group Digital Marketing Manager at The Watches of Switzerland Group

Connecting Margin to Real Time Bidding to drive Toolstation’s Online Growth

Kinase helped Toolstation improve Smart Bidding by integrating margin into target ROAS - delivering 3x profit year on year.

The home improvement and DIY sector experienced increased demand in 2020 and Toolstation ensured they were able to capitalise on this trend and grow their share of the market during a period of rapidly changing customer behaviour.

Challenge

Toolstation tasked Kinase with improving the return on PPC spend by optimising more closely to margin data. With over 20 thousand products covering a wide range of margins there was an opportunity to increase true ROI and the scale of activity.

Solution

Kinase proposed testing a novel use of Google Smart Bidding combined with Kenshoo’s signal enhancement solution to pull margin data into Google Ads. Smart Bidding’s machine learning would then optimise to imported ROI data in real time to drive increased profit. The test was run with a 50/50 split.

Kinase deployed a bespoke combination of Kenshoo’s signal enhancement and Google’s smart bidding. Product margin data fed into Kenshoo is then passed to Google as a signal to layer into the existing smart bidding real time solution. Kinase worked closely with Kenshoo on this data connection to ensure that the combination with Google would work and that Toolstation data would be processed smoothly.

Results

The results were conclusive; compared to a standard tROAS implementation ROI increased by over 10% for the test group with search campaigns driving a 72% increase in margin revenue. The strategy was then fully adopted for November’s peak period, driving a 168% increase in ROI and 333% increase in profit year on year.

For Kinase as well as Toolstation, the most important learning from the test was that innovative use of data is the key to unlocking the potential of digital channels to help businesses grow faster and more efficiently. At a time when channel specific tools like smart bidding are levelling the playing field for many advertisers, this shows the importance and value of continuing to innovate in search of competitive advantage.

“Kinase devised and delivered an excellent initiative for Toolstation’s paid search by connecting our rich margin data to real time bidding in advance of our peak trading. Whilst we anticipated good results and that lots would be learned in what had been an extraordinary year in our digital growth, the results were exceptional and particularly interesting around our Search campaigns. The ROI impact was notably better than we expected and we were happy to roll out Signal Enhancement x Smart Bidding across our entire account once the test had concluded.”

— Ryan Hill, Head of Digital, Toolstation

Relaunching Sharps Digital

How Kinase worked with Sharps to connect revenue data to optimisation for leads, increasing ROI by 20% and lead volumes by over 56%.

Challenge

Sharps Bedrooms is a UK-wide leading specialist in fitted bedrooms and home offices. The company was founded in 1970. Its brand recognition was built through TV advertising, and the expansion of a network of 78 showrooms.

Sharps recognised that the audience they were speaking to was narrowing - and that their existing digital activity needed to be refreshed.

Sharps turned to Kinase to overhaul and relaunch their digital marketing channels. Sharps challenged Kinase to drive a full funnel, omni-channel strategy. The core of it would be to form a new and innovative way of delivering ads which would drive leads with a better conversion rate to revenue.

Sharps briefed Kinase to prove and improve: prove new digital channels and audience reach, and improve the quality of leads which digital drives for the business.

Kinase worked with Kenshoo campaign management platform to work out how to use Sharps’ database of leads, home visits and revenue. At the core of the brief was to find a new technical solution which could drive a reporting and optimisation process to drive revenue and transform Sharps digital marketing.

Solution

Kinase drew up a strategy to connect and select: connect data points and optimise to select the right leads for the business. With joined up data we could increase audience reach while confidently deriving new, path-breaking KPIs.

Kinase knew that we really had to prioritise the further scope for brand awareness and performance remarketing to amplify digital reach - YouTube’s relaunch with new action orientated ads became a clear top priority.

To address the core development brief of connecting revenue data back to leads and to campaigns, we worked with Kenshoo and Sharps on their Salesforce implementation in order to track clicks to leads, and then return the status of the leads through to sales and revenue.

Results

Tracking and optimising to revenue across channels led to ROI increasing by 20%, with the volume of leads up 56%.

The success of the ‘connect and select’ strategy for using data and driving up return on digital spend has led to a more dynamic and transparent media planning strategy at Sharps. The Kinase team has also expanded to deliver more campaigns and development in 2020, with all new channels including YouTube now switched to ‘always on’. The team has also led the omni-channel drive in the agency, with other clients also joining up their data and working in partnership with Kinase on KPI workshops to ensure that they are focusing advertising budget where it can reach new audiences and drive up sales.

“Sharps digital marketing is transformed. Crucially, Kinase provides transparency in their reporting, so we can make decisions about a complex landscape of channels and revenue data quickly and with confidence.”

— Jared Andrews, Digital Marketing Manager, Sharps

Catering Restart - Driving ROI For Nisbets

Helping Nisbets reconnect with businesses after lockdown, leading to 70% ROI growth.

Background

Nisbets are Europe’s largest supplier of catering equipment. Nisbets develop, make and supply equipment to a diverse range of businesses including restaurants, cafes, schools, and hotels. They supply their own brand goods and third party products, and sell online, via mail order, and through physical retail outlets.

Working closely with the Nisbets team, Kinase has transformed the Nisbets b2b and b2c search strategy and performance by restructuring search campaigns, rolling out into new territories, and combining Kenshoo and Google intelligent bidding to grow Nisbets digital overall.

In February of 2020, COVID-19 became a global health concern and by March / April social distancing and then lockdowns on social and business activity were in effect across all of Nisbets’ key trading markets. Its core business customers - restaurants, cafes, schools, hotels - had to close their doors. The business began trading only online and by catalogue, focusing on the b2c side of the business which still saw some demand.

At the end of May, the UK government suggested that restaurants and hospitality could re-open from ‘early July’. Nisbets and Kinase needed to relaunch b2b strategy and campaigns quickly but flexibly to address the end of the UK’s first pandemic lockdown, and help the industry get back on its feet.

Challenge

The brief was to maximise b2b ROI for paid search in a very volatile UK market. The existing strategy and expectations clearly wouldn’t fit the new landscape. Three strategic objectives were:

1. Quickly track where business customers were coming through in the search account.

2. Understand how business customers could be targeted quickly and effectively as new trends and peaks emerged

3. Implement optimisation tools and practises could be put in place to ensure a performance-led ROI driven campaign was delivered.

Nisbets tasked Kinase with delivering more revenue at a higher rate of return year on year, while also driving new customers beyond the existing business customer base.

Solution

The strategy had three elements: reconnection, growth, and scale.

1. Reconnection

Aim: to reconnect with business customers during lockdown, there was a need to update audience targeting to understand the fast moving location and keyword trends for business customers preparing for re-opening.

For targeting and to refine bids, Kinase used customer match lists and Nisbets internal data to segment the search accounts for which keyword and interest areas were driving business customers.

2. Growth

Aim: focus on growing Nisbets market share by amplifying reach to increase the number of new b2b customers ordering.

Leveraging the first party data Nisbets had was crucial to this tactic. Building new audiences to amplify and extend the reach of the reconnection strategy - forming new connections to similar catering businesses to existing customers who had either never engaged with Nisbets before, or who had never had an online-first approach to sourcing business supplies before.

3. Scale

Aim: use a new layered bidding strategy to both stabilise and scale activity.

Kinase needed to reactivate activity from a standing start, and quickly apply learnings at a faster than previous rate. We needed a combination of bidding and optimisation mechanisms which could be layered to deliver ROI. We chose Google’s Smart Bidding x Kenshoo’s Budget Navigator to optimise to ROI from small data sets and real time reactions to sudden shifts in demand across every targeting type - keywords, audiences, time of day, locations, demographics, devices, ad unit selection.

Results

Amazing ROI Growth in Difficult Times

For June, the campaign delivered an ROI of 6.2. This ROI was up 70% year on year.

Optimisation and scaled up portfolio bidding delivered much lower CPCs year on year, enabling the campaign to find business customers efficiently and at scale despite the standing start and difficult market environment. This growth ensured that Nisbets was in a prime position to grow and capture the changing demands and needs of the catering sector.