Launching #MoreThanData to Investec staff

The job at hand was to land the marketing campaign so that staff would not only be aware of and understand it, but also endorse the campaign within their social networks.

Says Kim Nelson-Eckholdt, MD at icandi CQ, “All our data pointed to us using traditional internal communication channels. But it just didn’t fit. If the marketing campaign was about Young Professionals being seen by Investec as being More Than Data, why would we treat Investec staff, who are also More Than Data, any differently? So we decided to use the most engaging and personal medium there is, radio, bring it into the workspace and start a data conversation."

About the campaign

The pop-up station travelled to Investec offices in Sandton, Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban, coinciding with a social media video teaser campaign. And after two weeks on the road, the staff campaign ended with a final radio show and a staff event, where the new advert was finally revealed.

While the pop-up radio station was the central internal communication channel, to ensure reach and longevity a dedicated and secure microsite was built where staff across the country could live-stream the radio shows or download the podcasts after the show. The microsite also provided a platform for engagement with live polls, competitions and a tool called "Ask The DJ". Staff could also visit the microsite to catch up with the latest campaign information.

A critical component was to leverage the power of radio, by engaging staff through relevant content and conversations. This was achieved by including industry leaders as guests on the radio show – leaders that staff would never have gotten an audience with otherwise – as well as social influencers, Investec leadership and even Investec staff. Conversations were centred around data.

From unpacking the role of data in banking, business and society in general, and creating relevance by asking how staff and clients are More Than Data, to creating introspection around how Investec’s culture enables staff to find a way and deliver on this promise to clients.

To further engage staff, hosts of the daily show included Karen Johnston, an Investec employee and up-and-coming young radio personality, Siya Sangweni.

Well-known online radio pioneer, Gareth Cliff, together with Maps Maponyane, Investec Private Banking brand ambassador, also made guest appearances.

Throughout the internal campaign, leading up to the launch of the new ad, every day was “business unusual”. The daily line-up and campaign messages were showcased on plasma screens across all Investec buildings. Staff received branded earphones and information cards. Champions (Investec staff who were brought on board prior to the campaign) created word-of-mouth marketing. Even ambient in-building branding helped create more awareness around the campaign.

The result

The internal campaign was a resounding success and the stats speak for themselves:

The campaign was targeted at approximately 4,000 Private Banking staff across the country.

The pop-up radio station travelled to five regions to ensure maximum reach.

More than 2,700 employees visited the microsite.

63.8% of these were return visitors.

Over 400 employees participated in three competitions.

Almost 600 employees viewed the social media teaser videos on the microsite (over and above all staff being exposed to the videos on plasma screens across all buildings).

The campaign set out to engage staff in one simple idea – that clients and staff are #MoreThanData.

The data says we achieved our objectives. And more. But then again, data doesn’t always tell the whole story...

Says Rue Bateman, Head of Marketing at Investec Private Banking, “The internal campaign has been so well received by all staff. The individual feedback we’ve received from across the business has been phenomenal. The Channel Live provided a platform for deep engagement and authentic conversations while at the same time creating ‘talkability’ both within the building and externally, with staff joining the #MoreThanData conversation and proudly sharing the campaign within their social networks. It was an out-of-the-ordinary approach to employee engagement – a perfect fit for our brand and so suited to the Investec culture.”

If you would like to add creative intelligence to your internal communication and employee engagement mix, contact az.oc.qcidnaci@mik.