Recognizing Marketing’s Finest
Here we present all of this year’s winning submissions, highlighting a different category each week.
DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN /
Atlantic Coast Electric Supply (ACES)
Mike Holt Seminar
ACES recognized a need for professional development within the electrical industry on the topic of bonding and grounding and sought to position itself as a leader in providing educational value. Partnering with expert Mike Holt, ACES hosted an event designed to attract industry professionals and strengthen its reputation for delivering knowledge-driven solutions.
The marketing team developed a content calendar outlining all communications leading up to the seminar; designed eye-catching visuals
and graphics to accompany communications that highlighted key elements of the seminar; and incorporated consistent branding elements across all communications to strengthen brand recognition. Additional efforts included website integration, digital flyers, paid social media advertising, and internal and external email campaigns.
“The ACES campaign to encourage seminar attendance was smart and effective,” said the judges, who noted the use of multiple digital channels to reach targets. “Sending follow-up text messages to the attendees is a simple but very effective way to stay in touch with participants.”
Standard Electric Supply Co.
Littelfuse Surge Protection Device Sample Campaign
The marketing team at Standard Electric Supply Co. developed a campaign aimed at a very focused group of customers and prospects: OEMs,
panel builders, and system integrators. The team built a highly targeted list using data from the company’s CRM and marketing platform, zeroing in on those who had already purchased surge protection products or fuses—people who would immediately recognize the value of Littelfuse’s SPD2 Series.
The approach used a mix of email and social media with each piece focused on one or two product benefits with a clear call to action to request a free sample. Sample requests went directly to the sales reps, who then followed up personally with the manufacturer rep—turning a simple form fill into a hands-on, consultative sales experience.
“All of the ads contain all of the essential elements of a smart campaign, starting with the very specific target audience,” said the judges, who also appreciated the design. “The logo is prominent, a photo of the product is always featured at the top, and the call to action is clear with an easy-to-access link to download the full brochure.”
Border States
Border States Manufacturing and Assembly
When Border States acquired a new facility in the Charlotte, N.C., area that includes a 20,000-square-foot space dedicated specifically to manufacturing and assembly services, the marketing team was tasked with highlighting the significance of the investment. To this end, the team developed a multichannel digital strategy that integrated video content, targeted social media outreach, and a dedicated landing page to drive visibility and generate leads.
A three-week campaign ran across LinkedIn and Facebook, strategically targeting both existing customers and prospects. To further amplify their reach, Border States’s employeeowners were encouraged to engage with and share campaign content across their networks. Additionally, a targeted hashtag strategy was implemented to boost visibility and connect with key customer segments.
“The videos clearly communicate the benefits of Border States’s M&A services,” noted the judges. “The videos look great and hold viewers’ interest while the multichannel strategy brought in viewers. A well-done, effective campaign.”
Intermatic
ARISTA 2024 Product Line Expansion
Intermatic launched its ARISTA Advanced Lighting Control System in 2021 and, since then, has enhanced the ARISTA portfolio with new components that offer additional features and expanded functionality. Because ARISTA was already an established, well-received product in the market, Intermatic’s team sought to find ways to build on its positive standing while communicating the new improvements to the product family.
Working in tandem with the product development and sales teams, the creative team began working on new assets using two primary taglines/themes: “Dynamic Control at the Push of a Button” and “New Components, Greater Control.”
Additionally, the team outlined a comprehensive promotional schedule that lasted several weeks and included a mix of email communications, social media posts, and self-serve digital assets (digital tool kit) and equipped sales reps, agents, and electrical distributors with resources and messages they could use in their own digital/social channels (e.g., videos, draft social posts, images) that complemented Intermatic’s own messages.
“The call to action is clear, with buttons in the digital elements that allow viewers to choose what they want to do. In today’s fragmented and cluttered media environment, it’s smart to make next steps easy for the viewer,” noted the judges, who also appreciated the “strong, benefit-oriented headlines and educational content.”
Eaton—Channel Marketing
Home in Time Distributor Enablement Campaign
Eaton—Channel Marketing’s campaign was developed strategically as part of its Marketing Distributor Advisory Council. Distributors noted that they were in need of marketing messaging that would resonate with the “trunk slammer” customers who frequent their branches, follow them on social media, and attend their events, so the Eaton team set out to create a persona for this demographic. Based on hundreds of contractor interviews, they were able to better understand the interests, family lives, and preferences of the demographic.
The campaign’s product-centric content focused on features and benefits contractors care about, while calls to action focused on driving business through the distributor. Each quarter, Eaton’s distributors gained access to a new Home in Time “theme” that focused on a seasonally relevant message, allowing them to implement the same overarching campaign for a full calendar year but change imagery/themes to keep audiences engaged.
Assets included in-branch and promotional merchandising, videos, a microsite, counter signage, and marketing packages that contained web and e-newsletter banners, on-hold messaging scripts, social media samples, and imagery.
“Eaton really did its homework up front,” said the judges. “The result is an offering that is relevant for contractors outside of the workplace.”
DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN – Honorable Mention
Summit Electric Supply
Summit Gonzales Relaunch
Classic Wire & Cable
Cable Education
Robroy Industries
Plasti-Bond “Killer Innovations” Video Series
Service Wire Company
Tailgate Promo
Tagged with awards, Best of the Best, marketing