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Craftsman
Interactive Experience - Garage of Knowledge
Industry
Hardware / Tools / Storage
Brand
Craftsman
Description
As part of its brand re-launch, Craftsman sought a reinvigorated web presence to support its core brand attributes. The Garage of Knowledge (GOK) invites and engages users to explore the brand, its products and value-added content. The GOK is divided into different rooms: Featured Products (multi-page showcases of new products), Video & Knowledge (brand, how-to and product videos and articles) and Club & NASCAR (Craftsman Club, the customer loyalty program and NASCAR sponsorships). Rooms also highlight main product groups: Hand & Power Tools and Yard Equipment. Total number of users and time-on-site increased significantly from previous versions.
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Craftsman Garage Of Knowledge 1
Craftsman Garage Of Knowledge 2
Craftsman Garage Of Knowledge 3
Craftsman Garage Of Knowledge 4
Craftsman
Viral Campaign - Halloween
Industry
Hardware / Tools / Storage
Brand
Craftsman
Description
Craftsman sought to build on the success of the previous year’s Halloween disruptive viral campaign. ARS developed a multi-media experience utilizing existing brand characters in collaboration with a viral marketing vendor. Users customized characters by uploading a photo and selecting accessories and a background. They chose a text-to-speech message or created their own to send to friends or post to social or personal web pages. According to the viral marketing vendor, the experience garnered some of the highest site engagement, e-mail and page post numbers for a short-term viral campaign in their history.
Craftsman
Interactive Holiday Gift Guide
Industry
Hardware / Tools / Storage
Brand
Craftsman
Description
Craftsman requested a gift guide experience to educate potential gift givers and engage potential gift recipients. Using Craftsman brand research, personas were created based on gift recipient product interest. An easily navigable, user-friendly interface was designed that incorporated a wish list application, allowing users to create, print and e-mail their wish lists to friends and family. Multiple links drove product purchases to Sears.com and allowed for wish list additions. Site interaction time, wish list usage and e-mail totals far exceeded client expectations.
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Craftsman Holiday Gift Guide 1
Craftsman Holiday Gift Guide 2
Dollar General
Website
Industry
Convenience Shopping
Brand
Dollar General
Description
Dollar General had primarily used their website to provide basic corporate information. With more of their consumer base migrating online, they decided to transition from a corporate identity tool to a targeted, consumer-focused resource. In addition to changing the style and design to more closely reflect other consumer communications, an enterprise content management system was implemented. This allowed the client to make his or her own site updates as needed.
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Dollar General Website 1
Dollar General Website 2
Dollar General Website 3
Dollar General
Email List Acquisition Program
Industry
Convenience Shopping
Brand
Dollar General
Description
Dollar General wanted to begin a dialogue with consumers via e-mail. ARS implemented a sweepstakes program, coordinated with Dollar General’s NASCAR sponsorships, which drove email list signups with a Grand Prize to attend a race as a VIP. Highly successful, the list grew exponentially in just 4 months.
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Dollar General Email List Acquisition Program 2
Eureka
Site Redesign
Industry
Floor Care
Brand
Eureka
Description
Eureka wanted to re-envision its website to more directly serve the needs of users and increase customer satisfaction. To meet those goals, in-depth research was conducted into the online inclinations and activities of Eureka’s target users. Prototypical user personas were developed to guide the information architecture. This process yielded a design that offers multiple points of entry and intuitive and interconnected pathways to browse and search for products. A user-friendly product selection application optimized content management; additional navigational and search functionalities enhanced the site experience.
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Eureka Redesign 1
Eureka Redesign 2
Eureka Redesign 3
Gladiator
Social Marketing Campaign
Industry
Hardware / Tools / Storage
Brand
Gladiator
Description
Gladiator GarageWorks wanted to enhance brand awareness and promote the Unveil Your Garage Sweepstakes using popular social media sites and blog seeding. Matching the appropriate social media with Gladiator GarageWorks' specific objectives, a Flickr site and Facebook page were created and moderated, while the strategic blog seeding component allowed them to both engage existing niche audiences and explore new ones. These three social media components correctly equipped Gladiator GarageWorks with a versatile platform, giving them the right social media tools to interact with their consumer audience, grow their brand and explore new marketing and customer service engagements.
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Gladiator Social Marketing Campaign 1
Gladiator Social Marketing Campaign 2
Gladiator Social Marketing Campaign 3
Kenmore
Interactive Make It Spectacular Suites
Industry
Home Appliances
Brand
Kenmore
Description
To encourage users to purchase one of six coordinated groups of Kenmore brand appliances, products were bundled into price-driven, designer-inspired suites, supported by design tips and advice and shown in lifestyle settings. The rich experience utilizes brand ambassadors to present value-added content, employs the first Flash Omniture tracking and was the first major video integration for Kenmore.com. Time spent on page is much higher than the site average.
Images
Kenmore Make It Spectacular Sweepstakes 1
Kenmore Make It Spectacular Sweepstakes 2
Kenmore Make It Spectacular Sweepstakes 3
Kenmore
List Acquisition Sweepstakes
Industry
Home Appliances
Brand
Kenmore
Description
Kenmore brand sought to grow its email list, create new relationships and enhance loyalty among existing customers. A high-value sweepstakes drove newsletter signups and helped create a stronger relationship between new and existing consumers and the brand. The sweepstakes combined kitchen design advice from Kenmore's brand ambassadors with the chance to win a suite of Kenmore brand appliances plus a cash prize. Home-page registration augmented the effort to gain new signups. A large number of new email addresses were acquired.
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Gladiator Social Marketing Campaign 1
Kenmore
Email Marketing Program
Industry
Home Appliances
Brand
Kenmore
Description
To enhance dialog between consumers and the brand, ARS helped Kenmore launch a monthly email newsletter program. The newsletter draws its content from monthly articles written by brand ambassadors for the site. The articles and emails present value-added content that focuses on home design, cooking and recipes, family management and appliance advice. A survey performed at the one-year point showed 85% of respondents rate the email newsletter content as "good" or "excellent."
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Kenmore Email Marketing Program 1
Kenmore Email Marketing Program 2
Kenmore Email Marketing Program 3
Kenmore
Interactive Experience Center
Industry
Home Appliances
Brand
Kenmore
Description
The Kenmore Experience Center brings product innovations to life in the online space. It utilizes rich content to demonstrate features and is a platform for new product launches. It strengthens consumer understanding of new product features and technology using benefit-driven copy, video, detailed animations, and lifestyle images that help consumers visualize appliances within the home.
Images
Kenmore Interactive Experience Center 1
Kenmore Interactive Experience Center 2
Kenmore Interactive Experience Center 3
Kenmore
Interactive Experience – Grills
Industry
Home Appliances
Brand
Kenmore
Description
ARS created an interactive micro-site to showcase two important new product launches. Part of the experience showcases the flexibility of designing your own outdoor kitchen with a drag-and-drop design function; a running calculator shows pricing as the layout builds, and the user can print the layout to take to the store. The other element highlights convenience features of an all-in-one grill through video clips and voiceover. A section with buying tips and recipes completes the user-friendly experience.
Images
Kenmore Interactive Grilling Experience 1
Kenmore Interactive Grilling Experience 2
Kenmore Interactive Grilling Experience 3
Kmart
Super Kmart Grocery Site
Industry
Food & Grocery
Brand
Kmart
Description
With hundreds of affordable and customizable cakes and deli items, Super Kmart Grocery entered the online marketplace offering customers a simple and engaging online experience. Site visitors select from hundreds of customizable cakes, then order online and pick up at their local store. Fifty store locations were set up with back- and front-end user interfaces to collect and process orders to provide a seamless transition for store staff.
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Super Kmart Grocery Site 1
Super Kmart Grocery Site 2
Kmart
Online Promotional Ads
Industry
Retail
Brand
Kmart
Description
From home page to micro-sites, we create over 50 promotional ads weekly for Kmart.com. We use A/B testing and our extensive knowledge of user behavior to write, design and manage each ad unit to meet its objective. This allows us to know and understand the value-based purchase decision of each Kmart consumer. With each promotional objective, we use a full-service approach – marketing, interactive experience and technology development – to produce consistent conversion results.
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Kmart Promotional Ads 1
Kmart Promotional Ads 2
Kmart Promotional Ads 3
Kmart
Online Destination – Puerto Rico Anniversary
Industry
Multilingual Retail
Brand
Kmart
Description
Kmart wanted to speak to its Puerto Rican audience in a market of 23 stores across the region. Spanish-speaking customers learned about the fiftieth anniversary of Kmart stores in Puerto Rico through an informative and culturally relevant experience. Our approach used analytics, interactive design and technology to create an intuitive experience rich with consumer-centric content. Customers received a schedule of weekend in-store events, including concerts, celebrity appearances and vendor-sponsored promotions. The experience garnered 1,300 page views during the first two days of anniversary events and continues to grow.
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Kmart Puerto Rico Anniversary
Quill
Home Page Re-Architecture
Industry
Office Supplies
Brand
Quill
Description
ARS was asked to redesign the Quill home page to increase performance, time on site and conversion rates. We conducted usability with Quill's online customers. Combining study results with industry best practices, we redesigned the home page to offer greater ease of use, and emphasize features and categories most important to users. Flash animation was used for multiple marketing messages. Links were placed closer to the top of the page based on user feedback. The client saw great improvements in all site metrics.
Images
Quill Home Page Re-architecture 1
Sears
Holiday Gift Destination Site
Industry
Boutique Retail
Brand
Sears
Description
ARS created ReadySetHoliday.com, a unique online gifting experience for Sears, Kmart and Lands' End, to attract a new audience and drive purchase consideration. The "keystone mom" was identified as a capable woman in control of the family's holiday but still looking for shopping solutions that make the holiday easier. Two campaigns – Daily Deals and Weekly Wrap – featured strong promotional offerings and value-added content, respectively. A mom-to-mom viral component, e-cards and kids' games, tips and recipes engaged Mom and drove purchase consideration. The businesses gained new insights and attracted a new market segment.
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Sears Holiday Gift Guide Desintation Site 1
Sears Holiday Gift Guide Desintation Site 2
Sears Holiday Gift Guide Desintation Site 3
Sears
Seasonal Campaign Website
Industry
Retail
Brand
Sears
Description
Reimagineyou.com presented a destination for both product and value-added content celebrating the renewal of spring in apparel, outdoor living and lawn & garden. Emotional triggers helped to evoke the yearning to reimagine yourself, reinvent your look, refresh your home and rediscover Sears. Further, the experience provided a way to shop from home for fashion solutions presented in Hearst magazine editorials and on Sears.com through dynamic category pages. The site enjoyed high levels of user engagement, helping to elevate the brand and attract new visitors.
Images
Sears Seasonal Campaign Website 1
Sears Seasonal Campaign Website 2
Sears Seasonal Campaign Website 3
Sears
Interactive Experience – Snow Thrower
Industry
Hardware / Tools / Storage
Brand
Sears
Description
Sears noticed customers were returning their snow throwers and voicing frustration with maintenance issues at higher-than-expected rates. A Flash experience with product selection tool, product showcase and helpful tips helped educate users on choosing the right snow thrower for their circumstances. Additional sections described parts, accessories and maintenance tips. Client and vendor reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The client saw strong increases in site engagement page views and product sales.
Images
Craftsman Snow Thrower 1
Craftsman Snow Thrower 2
Craftsman Snow Thrower 3
Sears
Online Experience – Ultimate Football
Industry
Electronics
Brand
Sears
Description
Sears entered into a season-long sponsorship of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, focusing on the superior service and selection of its HDTV offerings within a single destination for promotions and assortment. A fully interactive stadium environment was created within the Sears.com framework. Banners and scoreboards featured brand stories and promotions. An online sweepstakes was conducted and displayed within a light box. Total page views, interaction time and sweepstakes entries far exceeded the campaign benchmarks.
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Sears
Interactive Mix & Match Experience
Industry
Apparel
Brand
Sears
Description
To increase purchase consideration of fashion apparel on Sears.com, ARS created an interactive and engaging way to shop for special-occasion ensemble solutions. We brought existing apparel "to the top" by showcasing it in a trend-right format. Users interact with four product categories, selecting components to build an outfit on the dress form, and seeing complete product details for each ensemble. This format offers variety, enables a preview before ordering and delivers a fun, fashion-forward experience. User response was overwhelmingly positive. The client sees the experience as a tool that not only lifts sales but also elevates the brand.
Images
Sears Mix & Match 1
Sears Mix & Match 2
Sears
Interactive Jean & Pant Finder
Industry
Apparel
Brand
Sears
Description
The user-friendly Jean and Pant Finder experience provides a single destination for size and fit options in an organized, easy-to-use experience. Each size is divided into leg and waist fit attributes, allowing for easy navigation and a direct product link for details and pricing. Since its launch, the experience serves as the ideal landing page for denim messaging as well as a supporting shopping tool for multichannel messaging and Sears.com shopping advantages.
Images
Sears Jean & Pant Finder 1
Sears Jean & Pant Finder 2
Sears Jean & Pant Finder 3
Sears Jean & Pant Finder 4
Sears
Blue Climate Crew Destination Site
Industry
Service Industry
Brand
Sears
Description
Sears needed to develop an experience that communicated their new home energy solutions service. Since the program was being tested in a select region of the country, we applied comprehensive analytics to the creative execution. The design concept speaks to three distinct sub-sections of the target demographic. Focusing equally on consumer engagement and bottom-line objectives, the online experience promotes the new service by combining both value-added and promotional solution components.
Images
Sears Blue Climate Crew 1
Sears Blue Climate Crew 2
Sears Blue Climate Crew 3
Sears
Online Promotional Ads
Industry
Retail
Brand
Sears
Description
From main site to micro-sites, we create over 150 promotional ads a week. We use A/B testing and our extensive knowledge of user behavior to write, design and manage each ad unit and deliver on objectives of increasing online conversion rates for high-consideration consumers. Each promotion integrates our marketing, interactive experience and technology development services. And our approach produces consistent conversion results.
Images
Sears Online Promotional Ads 1
Sears Online Promotional Ads 2
Sears Online Promotional Ads 3
The Great Indoors
Retail Website
Industry
Home Furnishings
Brand
The Great Indoors
Description
The Great Indoors, a brick-and-mortar home furnishings and remodeling retailer, presented ARS with the challenge of launching a fully functional retail site within a 60-day time frame. Using aggressive internal timelines and agile development methods, ARS built a fully transactional, visually engaging site that presents high-end products in an elegant format. The project included building an online product catalog of 22,000 SKUs. The site investment paid for itself in three months, and the site consistently outperforms.
Images
The Great Indoors Retail Website 1
The Great Indoors Retail Website 2
The Great Indoors Retail Website 3
The Great Indoors
Email Marketing Program
Industry
Home Furnishings
Brand
The Great Indoors
Description
To grow the retailer's email list and increase conversion, a promotional banner designed to look like a coupon was prominently positioned on the home page to capture attention for the "10% off when you sign up" offer. The banner was repeated at the top of the email signup form and a call to action to "shop now" was added to the thank-you page. To maximize conversion, the final piece of the series, the welcome email, repeated the offer code. Email signups, revenue and conversion skyrocketed.
Images
The Great Indoors Email Marketing Program 1
The Great Indoors Email Marketing Program 2
The Great Indoors Email Marketing Program 3
The Great Indoors
Online Media Campaign
Industry
Home Furnishings
Brand
The Great Indoors
Description
The Great Indoors sought to drive in-store traffic during a three-day post-holiday period. Online media banners, which ran for only three days, presented a challenge to increasing foot traffic and conversion. By optimizing the campaign creative using A/B testing, we doubled the industry-standard conversion rate from .07% to .14%.
Images
The Great Indoors Online Media Campaign 1
The Great Indoors Online Media Campaign 2
Sears
Promotional Campaign
Industry
Retail
Brand
Sears
Description
ARS created a multi-faceted campaign for Sears to establish an identity for its commitment to eco-friendly products. From program name development to the look and logo, ARS established the copy tone and brand guidelines for how the program is presented and implemented.
Images
Sears Promotional Campaign Eco-Friendly 1
Sears Promotional Campaign Eco-Friendly 2
