The story behind the storybook: Dissecting a truly creative ABM campaign
ABM is a complex and studied process. It requires meticulous planning, strategic direction and a whole lot of calculations. And, having focused on these things, marketers can often fall at the final hurdle by failing to put enough thought into the creative execution. Big mistake.
Creative storytelling is such an important element of any successful ABM campaign. You can find the right accounts, target the right people, but if you don’t then reach them with a creative execution that truly speaks to them, you might as well not bother. Get it right on the other hand, and you’ve got them exactly where you want them.
As an agency, we’ve always recognised the importance of this storytelling within our B2B campaigns. We spend a lot of time considering the story we want to tell, and then, once we’ve found it, executing it to perfection. In doing so, we reach people, creating genuine human engagement and interest in the brands we represent.
And so, to add a little inspiration to your next campaign, we thought we’d dissect one of our own campaigns, with a step-by-step outline of how we came to produce it. With strategy, creativity – and a little magic thrown in – let’s take a look at how we produced a truly creative ABM campaign.
THE CAMPAIGN
This campaign was a unique one for us because it wasn’t for a client – it was for our own brand. It was an ABM campaign about – you guessed it – ABM, and came in the form of a beautifully illustrated ABM fairy tale book.
Here’s what the end product looked like – but how don’t you wonder how we got there…?
THE BRIEF
We wanted to speak about our ABM offering, convincing potential partners of our creative prowess. And how better to do that than with a creative ABM campaign?
Getting it right, however, wouldn’t be easy. We needed to create something truly personal that spoke to each account on a human level, maintaining a thorough grounding in the world of B2B marketing, with references and allusions to the sector. And, we needed to do so in a way that inspired them to get in touch. This was an audition of sorts – our chance to show targets exactly how our ABM campaigns can engage their own audience in the same way that, hopefully, it engaged them.
THE IDEA
And so, with our brief ready, we went about searching for our concept. We wanted to find a theme that could communicate exactly what we could offer for potential partners, and that we could personalise to them.
The theme that kept coming back to us was that of storytelling. This is a great strength of ours, and one we wanted to place at the forefront of our targets’ minds. We were looking for a storytelling trope that would feel familiar yet original – and it was through this avenue that we landed on fairy tales.
We decided we could create our very own ABM fairy tale, personalised to each target and starring them as the protagonist. In doing so, we were hooking them into the narrative, while providing a metaphor for how ABM could help them save the day, bringing better ROI to their marketing.
THE CREATIVE
Next, we needed a style. Something that went with the theme and that could really show off our creative prowess. After exploring a number of avenues, our creative team went with a classical, hardback book style that brought an old-style feel to what was a highly modern offering. This juxtaposition, we felt, could create a real standout.
THE EXECUTION
In ABM, the execution is key. It’s so important to ensure that your core idea is delivered across all collateral and output. So, how did we bring our fairy tale to life?
First, we needed to write the story, for which the messaging tone was absolutely crucial. With our fairy tale theme came a number of risks – it had the potential to come across as childish, or even patronising. To work, it would need to be passed off in good humour, and grounded with B2B terminology and knowledge.
With our story in place, it was time to physically design the book. This was down to our graphic designer Jess, who produced the beautifully illustrated end product we see today. Adopting a charming, ornate illustration style, Jess’s work really brought the story and the concept to life.
Once everything was meticulously in place, we went to print, personalising each of our storybooks to individual targets and sending them out alongside a personalised letter and call-to-action sheet. It was a campaign we were truly proud of, one that personified the care and the creativity that goes into our ABM campaigns and one that – most importantly – got results…
So there we have it. The makings of a truly creative ABM campaign and one we feel absolutely represents our offering. And it wasn’t just a hit with CMOs either…
We hope we’ve got your creative juices flowing. If so, why not check out some other great ABM campaigns for more creative inspiration? Or if you fancy some more tailored advice, get in touch at info@digitalradish.co.uk.