Adtech companies like self-service platform Choozle have revolutionized digital advertising. Choozle’s innovative approach earned it early market recognition and fundraising success. But it still grappled with distinguishing itself from competitors with bigger budgets and more brand awareness.
Choozle’s challenge was not unfamiliar to INK. To increase the company’s brand awareness, INK developed an aggressive media relations program. Integral to our strategy was highlighting Choozle’s tech stack and company culture. We also wanted to focus on developing unique storytelling opportunities to increase media traction and position Choozle as a thought leader.
INK’s attitude and teamwork enabled us to effectively grow Choozle’s brand reputation through high-value coverage.
Megan Sullivan-Jenks
Director of Marketing and Communications, Choozle
Navigating a Crowded Market
Choozle is one of the adtech industry’s first self-service programmatic platforms. While many of its competitors fell to the mercy of behemoths like Google, Choozle was leading the industry’s trend toward self-service. INK saw this foresight along with the company’s early fundraising success as competitive differentiators. But these unique differences weren’t being fully leveraged.
Choozle’s intricate understanding of the adtech industry was one of the reasons the company caught the attention of investors. The next step was to gain the wider industry’s attention. INK began strategizing how to position Choozle as a go-to expert for digital advertising practices. We knew this kind of transformation wouldn’t happen overnight, but we also knew the power of data. So, we decided to use it to create original content and differentiate Choozle from competitors.
Developing an Informed Strategy
INK saw an opportunity to use data to show, not just tell Choozle’s story to the media. First, we launched a survey to learn about how the public viewed digital advertising. Then we developed a second survey focused on consumer sentiment toward gender stereotypes in advertisements. The insights we uncovered provided fresh perspectives on consumer attitudes. Our research and proven media instincts told us the wider industry would feel the same. But we didn’t want to overwhelm readers or make our data the entire story. Instead, we illustrated key points along with stats to help bring the story alive, and shared them via social posts, blog posts, and a webinar.
Because the first survey had already garnered significant attention for Choozle, the second one generated even higher coverage. Not only did we outpace our goal by 150%, but the survey still receives coverage today. Ultimately, we found the perfect mix of data and storytelling to build Choozle’s credibility and trust with customers and the media.
Driving Results That Matter
In the first month of working with INK, Choozle saw its highest recorded number of demo requests. The two consumer surveys INK executed resulted in high-profile coverage. Top-tier, high-value industry outlets such as AdWeek, MarTech Advisor, The Drum, and B&T all featured Choozle’s research.
Throughout 2017, INK placed 131 unique pieces of coverage for Choozle. The increased media attention led to an increase in Choozle’s share of voice, putting it on par with one of its largest competitors. The company went on to double its inclusion rate in industry reports from 2016 to 2017. What was the impact of this? It provided external validation and brand awareness to match the company’s growing reputation and credibility in the industry.
