10 ways to use personalized video to help consumers go back to school

BEYOND BACKPACKS AND CRAYONS

Each year it seems the final school bell has barely rung before we’re inundated with ads for notebooks, pencils and the latest sneakers.

The back-to-school season isn’t just about grade-school students, though. There’s a much larger opportunity for brands across industries to engage college-bound students and parents of school-aged children.

Back-to-school is one of the largest consumer shopping holidays: National Retail Federation forecasts total spending will reach $68 billion this year.

This means there’s a lot of marketing clutter and brands that want to win business need to stand out.

HOW DO YOU BREAK THROUGH THE

NOISE?

There’s no more effective way to stand out than individually engaging consumers with personalized messages relevant to the timely events in their lives, whether they’re heading off to college or preparing their child to return to school.

Choosing an engaging communication medium like video only enhances the experience and captivates audiences.

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Here are 10 ways brands in varying industries can use personalized video to deliver a relevant, 1-to-1 experience to consumers and help them prepare for their – or their child’s – return to school.

HOME GOODS RETAILERS Back-to-school shopping is heavily pushed by discounts and deals. Retailers eager to attract shoppers should extend their ad messages beyond price-cuts.

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Mix useful advice like small-space decorating ideas or organization tips into personalized video campaigns, or show students their closest store location and an offer to shop in-store and pick up at the store near their college.

HOME GOODS RETAILERS As college students leave, parents find themselves with an empty nest.

2Target new empty-nesters with videos full of inspiration and furnishing options for converting their college student’s bedroom into an office, yoga room or craft room, based on their interests.

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ELECTRONICS RETAILERS Students of all ages rely on the latest laptops, tablets or smartphones to stay ahead in class.

Use personalized video ads to tell a story relevant to the viewer’s stage in life – for example, how a young student aces an exam after studying on his tablet, or how the newest smartphone helps a college student navigate around campus – and showcase the product’s features and real-time price.

BANKS Whether a college student needs a local bank close to school, or it’s time for a child’s first debit card, banks have an opportunity to foster loyalty with customers who are new to the bank – and new to managing their finances.

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Welcome new customers with a personalized video that explains their account or card benefits, shows nearby ATM locations, emphasizes online banking tools and offers personal finance tips.

INVESTMENT FIRMS Each year the back-to-school period reminds parents that their child is one year closer to heading to college.

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Engage 529 plan holders with a recap of their current savings compared to projected tuition rates. The personalized video can also show how increasing contributions now will greatly impact savings and reduce financial stress when their child heads to college.

CABLE OPERATORS One of the first priorities for students living off campus is to set up their Internet and cable service.

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Use personalized video to detail the installation process and help new customers get the most out of their service by offering on-demand specials or explaining how to create new accounts for roommates.

HEALTH INSURERS As health insurers now sell directly to consumers, they need to boost member engagement and build loyalty.

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Engage parents of school-aged children with helpful advice and guidelines for physical activity and wellness reminders, then point them to an online resource center with recipes for school lunches or healthy after-school snack ideas.

HEALTH INSURERS A healthy lifestyle is important at any age, especially for college students living on their own for the first time.

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Remind college students to get their annual physical with a video that explains how to find an in-network physician near their college, while offering tips to avoid the “freshman 15” with healthy options at the dining hall or in the dorm room.

AIRLINES Out-of-state college students book several flights to and from school throughout the year, giving airlines an important opportunity to gain loyal travelers.

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Use personalized video to offer students real-time fares for busy travel times such as Thanksgiving and the end of the semester, and include a message about building frequent flier miles to use for a spring break trip later in the year.

HOTELS While parents helping with college move-in might reminisce about their own college days, they’d rather stay in a hotel than in a dorm room.

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Target personalized video ads to these parents offering a special “college move-in” package. Continue the experience with a post-booking video that provides directions to campus, highlights nearby stores for last-minute dorm shopping and recommends nearby restaurants.

Smart brands know that tailoring their messages to their audience on an individual basis is the best way to break through the back- to-school marketing noise.

These are only a few ideas to tell compelling stories through personalized video; brands have limitless possibilities to engage customers throughout the lifecycle and foster long- term customer relationships.

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SundaySky’s personalized video marketing platform, SmartVideo Cloud, enables brands to deliver scalable one-to-one video experiences that foster long-term customer relationships. The SmartVideo Cloud empowers marketers to easily create, manage and optimize real-time personalized video programs throughout the customer lifecycle. AT&T, Comcast, Allstate and other industry-leading brands partner with SundaySky to engage prospective and current customers, resulting in higher revenue, lower costs and deeper loyalty. SundaySky is headquartered in New York with offices in Tel Aviv, London and Tokyo.

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