BOOKWORLD IN THE REAL WORLD

Short List
TitleBOOKWORLD IN THE REAL WORLD
BrandBOOKWORLD
Product / ServiceONLINE BOOK RETAILER
CategoryC01. Integrated Media Campaign
EntrantIKON Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Media Agency 2 IKON Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Entrant Company IKON Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Media Agency IKON Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
James Kirk Ikon Communications Director
Kim Noble Bookworld Marketing Manager
Amanda Porritt Ikon Sponsorhip Manager
VCCP Additional company
Adshel Additional company
Subnine Additional company

Results and Effectiveness

Business results were beyond all expectations. With a flat year-on-year budget sales increased a massive 44% on 2012 results (vs the 25% objective), and the business saw its first million dollar week. We drove a 200% increase in account signups, and a 150% increase in Facebook likes. People live in the real world. By bringing the Bookworld experience into the everyday, we could express our point of difference from online competitors and build a meaningful connection that would ultimately boost sales.

Creative Execution

Tapping into the fuzzy feelings people have about small bookstores, we created a bespoke media first that transformed bus shelters into bookshelves. Across Sydney and Melbourne bus shelters were filled with real books, with the spines arranged in the shapes of Christmas trees for that extra festive touch. In addition, we organised for Bookworld promotional teams to give away nearly 6,500 books with a 20% off redemption offer across Sydney and Melbourne. Additionally, this activity was supported by an OOH campaign surrounding commuter routes and a select magazine buy amongst titles that our older skew female audience rely upon, culminating in a “Literary Lunch” partnership with Australian Women’s Weekly featuring a guest novelist. To capture and convert the interest generated in market, we executed an inside out approach to performance digital channels, building profiles of our existing audience and optimizing to CPA goals.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

After only 18 months in market, online bookseller Bookworld required a brand awareness campaign to cut through the highly competitive Christmas retail period and increase sales by 25%. Books are a Christmas gift favourite and online bookselling has revolutionized how Australians shop. However large competitors like Amazon can seem distant, impersonal, and carry the risk of late delivery at Christmas. In contrast, Bookworld offers as large a range, have a price guarantee and free delivery. But most importantly, they’re run locally, meaning they can be personal and tangible. We needed an approach that would cement Bookworld as a viable local option by positioning itself as uniquely Australian and cut-through with bold tactics that encouraged participation. To do this we aimed to remind people of what the local bookstore experience can feel like – taking Bookworld into the real world in a way that got book lovers talking.