Cross Media Marketing is a concept that’s still evolving. Yet, Amana brand and partner ARS Advertising & Interactive took the initiative to define what this concept can be and created a set of tactics that tells a story. By capitalizing on the capabilities of point-of-sale, mobile, apps and online media, the partners found an opportunity to change the way people shop for appliances.

The story starts in-store with point-of-sale signage placed next to Amana appliances, which are a gateway to the mobile campaign. By using QR codes to engage customers, shoppers are served up short, fun videos featuring comedians talking about Amana® appliances. They are also directed to our “Help Me Choose” experience—an app, mobile, and online tool that makes looking and shopping for appliances fun, and more importantly, simple.

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Today, retailers have already begun to adjust to the emergence of mobile shopping. The mobile retail market is predicted to see an annual growth of 24% over the next four years, reaching $12 billion in 2014. This also includes an industry shift in the production and shipping of more smartphones than traditional cellular phones. So what’s your mobile strategy?

On January 10th and 11th at the NRF Big Show, ARS Interactive and CellPoint Mobile will be unveiling the only fully integrated mobile retail shopping solution available in the United States.

The partnership brings together ARS’s over 30 years of retail eCommerce shopping experience, together with CellPoint Mobile’s industry-leading enterprise mobile solutions. CellPoint Mobile is also the architect of the National Retail Federation Mobile Commerce Blueprint.

ARS Mobile powered by CellPoint will be the only fully integrated mobile retail shopping solution in the United States that combines product information, coupons, customer loyalty and mobile payment into one experience. This will give customers complete shopping control directly from their mobile phones, while providing retailers with a constant customer touch-point inside and outside the store.

The major breakthrough in the ARS Mobile solution is mobile payment. Currently, it is offered through a secure, PCI DSS compliant, web-based program interface that can use both 1-click remote payment and proximity mobile payment. This classifies ARS Interactive and CellPoint Mobile as one of the first companies in the United States to offer Near Field Communication (NFC) based mobile payment. This allows customers to “tap-and-pay” at the register through their mobile phone wallet, once NFC technology is adopted universally in the United States.

Where’s your retail business at when it comes to mobile shopping? Join ARS for the NRF Show in New York at booth 3251 in the Mobile Pavilion for a live demonstration. Get full details

Learn more about ARS Mobile

Need a refrigerator? There’s an app for that. We at ARS love opportunities, especially when it comes to creating innovative ideas using new media. So when Kenmore agreed to have us pioneer the very first iPhone app for a major appliance brand, we couldn’t wait to get started!

As an authorized app developer, we took our experience with the Kenmore brand and created a free interactive app where customers can research products, read the Genius Blog featuring a panel of home experts, and get an inside peek of the Kenmore Live Studio. We’ve even included “What’s on Sale” and “Where to Buy” features, allowing users to see all of the latest deals and find their nearest shopping location.

Get your app on! Check it out in the iTunes store.

The runway better get wider because here comes Kmart. With a new line of trendy, fashion-forward apparel launching this fall, Kmart challenged ARS to develop an interactive shopping experience to complement their upcoming direct mail launch. We simply replied – it’s a walk-off!

Based on Kmart’s “It’s True” fashion campaign, we went to work on some fierce new looks that rocked the Internet. The grand finale broke the shopping mold with a Flash experience that moved users through the new Kmart fashion styles with an animated black ribbon. Add edgy copy and contemporary photography, the site embodies the future of Kmart fashion. It gives shoppers the glamorous feeling of being “on set” with an opportunity to view a behind-the-scenes video of Kmart’s “It’s More” photo shoot.

See it for yourself. Click Here

“Holy awesome, Batman!” As you can imagine, we were pretty geeked when ARS was asked to partner with DC Comics to create an online shopping experience celebrating their 75th anniversary on Kmart.com.

Our creatives were flying around the office. Leaping chairs in a single bound. Knocking out ideas left and right. And when all the “BOOMS” “WHACKS” and “POWS” settled, ARS developed a Flash experience that paid homage to the superheroes everyone knows and loves, while promoting Kmart’s back-to-school campaign. From a fan-centric trivia quiz to historical comic tidbits to a blockbuster back-to-school shopping page, DC Comics and Kmart both needed their own thought bubbles because they were speechless. “Wow!”

If you were to ask Tony Stark how comic book fans could look cool while saving the world, he’ll probably say “it’s all in the suit.” So we took his advice and teamed up with our interactive and social ally Votigo to help Kmart launch the Iron Man 2 Suit Up @ Kmart Photo Contest.

Fans can enter the contest by building their own Iron Man suit and then upload a photo of it to the contest gallery where others can vote for the best suit. The Grand Prize winner goes to London to visit the set of Captain America and also receives airfare and hotel accommodations, plus spending cash.

You can check out the contest at suitup.kmart.com

To help Kmart get the word out about the new Kenny Chesney Summer In 3D DVD, we created a fan-centric and multi-media interactive experience.

Our goal was to capture the essence of a Chesney rock concert and the chilled-out tropical island vibe of his music. In addition to giving fans an exciting glimpse of Summer In 3D’s storyline, the experience also offers fans free downloads, links to Chesney’s “No Shoes Radio,” exclusive trailers and a chance to win a trip to see the country music star live in concert.

The DVD & Blu Ray is being sold exclusively at Kmart stores and on Kmart.com.

Check out the experience at kmart.com/kennychesney

Vist the new site

Kenmore’s strategic initiative for Summer 2009 was to generate buzz among its core target. Given Kenmore’s non-presence in the social media arena and shrinking share of voice versus key competitors, it was imperative to create a dynamic program that could jolt consumers into rethinking Kenmore appliances.

Solution

ARS Interactive developed an interactive program with “full-funnel integration” via YouTube and Kenmore.com. The disruptive social media program leveraged Kenmore dishwashers and laundry appliances that make everyday chores easier and less time consuming.

• Targeted online media hit the mark with a pure entertainment focus
• Kenmore utilized Amy Clark, a well-known mommy blogger, as host
• Agency launched a social media outreach and seeding campaign with popular mommy bloggers
• A user-generated video contest showcased crazy cleaning confessions submitted by people who had challenges with their laundry or dishwashing routines
• Contest was divided into four phases: Video Submission, Selection of Finalists, Voting and Winners Announcement
• Agency seeded the contest with sample video confessions to kick off the submission phase
• An engaging companion website hosted by Amy Clark showcases the benefits of high-efficiency laundry and dishwashers
• Kenmore had real families put Kenmore appliances to the test by sending them appliances to “reform” their dishwashing and laundry habits

Results

• At least 180% above-target performance on all engagement metrics: brand channel visits, video views and user comments
• 52 entertaining video entries with over 2 hours of user-generated craziness
• Most popular videos included product-related video posted by the brand
• Overwhelmingly positive user comments and natural viral buzz

Takeaways

• Active seeding with bloggers is probably the most important component, especially at the initial stages of a user-generated content (UGC) campaign.
• Leverage the advanced contextual targeting available on YouTube. General ad placements do not generate click-through.
• Real families – Real results was the most rewarding tactic because:
• It had a pure UGC feel but was on message
• It was introduced at the right time (during phase 3 – Voting)
• It was featured at the right spots (in response to contest entries)