Summary
Integrated PR Media and Digital Marketing strategy using social media and Amazon Marketing Services led to multi-million-pound online sales for Blink in 2016, which doubled each year resulting in Amazon buying the business for nearly $100m.
Blink, a US-based company at the forefront of smart home technology, invented an ultra-low power video processing chip which was commercialised by developing it into a battery-powered video camera. Going to market in the US in 2015, the brand set out to disrupt the home security industry by providing consumers with affordable home camera devices.
David Laubner, Head of Digital Marketing & Sales, Blink an Amazon company
“We set out to establish the Blink brand in Europe and brookscomm team has been instrumental in helping us achieve that objective.”
Objectives
By 2016, Blink had achieved rapid growth and penetration of the North American home security market and looked to grow by expansion into the UK and EU.
Blink’s brief detailed the need for integrated and measurable PR and Marketing services. The team were looking for an agency that could:
- coordinate press launch events that notable lifestyle/tech media journalists would attend
- create awareness of the Blink brand in UK tech media by consistent PR outreach activities
- establish and grow online social media accounts for Blink in the UK
- manage UK Facebook advertising and integrate this with Blink’s online sales platform
- utilise the Amazon Marketing Services platform to maximise Amazon sales potential
- scale up the level of activities to support growth and expansion into Germany and France
- to function as Blink’s PR and Marketing “boots on the ground” in Europe
Methodology
The team at brookscomm implemented an integrated PR and Marketing strategy and tactics required to support the UK launch and gain momentum. Media content was created and distributed which showcased the consumer benefits of Blink, positioning the brand as a new disruptive consumer technology provider.
Activities undertaken by the brookscomm team included:
- A major launch event in London attended by journalists and influencers from twenty-four publications including The Financial Times, T3 and the Daily Mail. A press tour was also arranged for other major publications.
- Digital content marketing via the Blink website, setting up and management of Facebook and Twitter accounts, plus Facebook and YouTube influencer advertising campaigns targeted at demographic audiences having an interest in home security.
- Full utilisation of the Amazon Marketing Services platform, with Blink adverts displayed as results for searches relating to home security systems. Listings were optimised and promotional activities such as Lightning Deals, a form of flash sales and “Deal of the Day” were also maximised where possible.
Outcome
A monthly activity and results report was produced with PR and digital marketing outcomes, including news, impressions, clicks, shares and growth. This data was consolidated with Blink’s sales report to enable them to ascertain ROI from the brookscomm activities. Blink achieved multi-million-pound sales in the UK which doubled each year.
Activity and results were recorded in a live online tracking sheet shared with Blink’s management. Press coverage was measured by the tracking the reach figures of each publication and combining this with the sentiment of the coverage. A goal to exceed a UVM figure of 5m per month was agreed and the brookscomm team regularly exceeded this.
Scope of works increased
In late 2017 with products selling well, Blink commissioned the team at brookscomm to guide its expansion in Germany and France, managing PR and digital marketing in these new territories. The brookscomm team employed the same integrated marketing and PR approach with clear planning, measurement and reporting. Just as in the UK, targets were met and exceeded.
The achievements in Europe were a key factor in Amazon’s decision to acquire Blink in 2018. The brookscomm team then continued to collaborate with Amazon Blink.
Highlights
PR: over 230 positive press and media outputs about Blink in the UK from November 2016 onwards including:
- National Press: Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Star, the Metro, the Evening Standard
- Consumer Tech Press: T3, The Gadget Show, Stuff, Gadget News, ZDnet
- Lifestyle Media: British Airways Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Grand Designs, Trusted Reviews
Integrated PR Media and Digital Marketing strategy using social media and Amazon Marketing Services led to multi-million-pound online sales for Blink, which doubled each year resulting in Amazon buying the business in 2018 for nearly $100m.
The Challenge
Blink, a US-based company at the forefront of smart home technology, aimed to disrupt the home security industry by providing customers with affordable, wireless video camera systems.
Blink had achieved rapid growth and penetration of the North American market and sought to expand into the UK and EU.
Blink’s brief outlined the need for an integrated PR and Marketing agency that could:
- Coordinate press launch events with influential media presence.
- Create awareness in UK tech media through PR outreach.
- Develop and grow social media accounts in the UK.
- Develop a UK Facebook profile/advertising and integrate it with Blink's website.
- Utilise Amazon Marketing Services to maximise sales potential.
- Support growth and expansion into Germany and France.
- Function as Blink's PR and Marketing presence in Europe.
The Solution
The brookscomm team implemented an integrated strategy to launch the brand and build momentum. This involved creating and disseminating media content to showcase Blink's consumer benefits and establish the brand as a disruptive consumer tech provider. Their efforts included:
A launch event in London attended by journalists and influencers from 24 publications, including The Financial Times, T3, and the Daily Mail, alongside a press tour for other major publications.
Digital content marketing through Blink's website, including the setup and management of Facebook and Twitter accounts. And influencer advertising campaigns on Facebook and YouTube targeting audiences interested in home security.
Full utilisation of the Amazon Marketing Services platform, optimising Blink's listings and capitalising on promotional activities like Lightning Deals and "Deal of the Day."
The Results
A monthly report detailing PR and digital marketing outcomes, including news, impressions, clicks, shares, and growth, was generated.
This data was combined with Blink's sales report to calculate the ROI from brookscomm's activities.
Blink achieved multi-million-pound sales in the UK, doubling annually.
Activities and results were tracked online, shared with Blink's management. Press coverage was evaluated based on reach and sentiment. The brookscomm team consistently exceeded their goal to reach a UVM figure of 5 million per month.
Further Expansion
In 2017, Blink engaged brookscomm to guide their expansion into Germany and France, managing PR and digital marketing in these new territories. The same integrated marketing and PR approach enabled Blink to successfully expand into mainland Europe.
Highlights:
- Over 230 positive press and media outputs about Blink in the UK.
- Coverage in national press, consumer tech publications, and lifestyle media.
- Deliverables included high-quality digital and print PR, influencer marketing campaigns
- Multi-million-pound Amazon sales in the UK, Germany, and across Europe.
- Dozens of high quality influencer marketing videos published in different languages on YouTube.
- Successful and cost-effective social media customer acquisition campaigns.
- Profitable multi-million-pound sales from Amazon advertising campaigns in the UK, France, and Germany, with an Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS) under 15% (compared to Amazon's 30% average).
- £1m sales in one day on Amazon.co.uk through "Deal of the Day" promotion.
David Laubner, Head of Digital Marketing & Sales, Blink an Amazon company:
"We set out to establish the Blink brand in Europe, and brookscomm's team has been instrumental in helping us achieve that objective.”
Deliverables:
- Digital & print PR – High quality reviews in The Sun, Daily Telegraph, GQ, T3, Good Housekeeping Influencer marketing – detailed product review videos on YouTube, Instagram
- Huge consumer audiences reached - secured media coverage of two billion in a single year and over 50 pieces in a single month
- Multi-million-pound Amazon sales – In UK and Germany and elsewhere in Europe
- Creating awareness and enhancing reputation – growth of brand from niche to mainstream
Digital marketing
- Collaboration with several prominent UK and German tech influencers resulting in dozens of high quality videos about Blink that have generated thousands of views on YouTube
- Effective and on-budget Facebook/YouTube new customer acquisition campaigns
- Profitable multi-million-pound sales from Amazon advertising campaigns in the UK, France and Germany, at an under 15% Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS) (Amazon average is 30%.)
- Over £500,000 sales in one-day achieved on Amazon.co.uk via “Deal of the Day” promotion
