MIRRIAD
Breaking through the clutter in the tech space
Digital innovation is changing the media landscape at a breakneck speed. Agencies are helping clients go through their digital transformation process, and going through that transformation themselves, but that doesn’t come without growing pains.
With so many technology vendors crowding the media space, Mirriad needs to break through the clutter and stand out to media agencies and brands. Our campaign objective was defined as driving consideration among media buyers to include Mirriad in their next media plan.
Agency-client relationships going through a period of tension: with ads being seen by bots, not people, a perceived lack of transparency on deals, which is being addressed too slowly for clients’ tastes, and a decision on the part of some clients to bring media buying in-house in the age of programmatic, the relationship between agencies and clients are being tested.
There is increased pressure on media buyers to perform: with the added complexity of technology as a background, there was a 12% increase in the amount of strictly media pitches last year in the U.S., which shows rising expectations and that clients are looking at their options.
Consumers grow ever more empowered and demanding, and brands know they need to keep up: they are inundated with advertising, and as growing numbers of Internet users turn to ad-blocking software and ad-free spaces, marketers have to change tactics and look to engage consumers through storytelling or providing useful information (brand utility).
“Consumers are in charge. Their experiences and journeys have to be supported rather than interrupted.”
“Interruption is friction. Why would I want to be bothered by friction?”
The target audience is the media planners, buyers and innovation heads in agencies. In addition to recommending which ad inventories to purchase, there are many other tasks in their job description: they need to understand the product or service that they are tasked to sell, the target audience, and the campaign goals. They have to understand data and how to use it to inform media plans; the connectivity across ad technologies; and how to unearth insights and optimize campaigns. As you can tell, they have to be experts in a whole lot.
Because of technology, the consumers that they are trying to reach have more choices in where and how to view content. But also because of technology, media agencies can reach consumers in a more targeted way.
In the entire agency-client relationship, the media planners and buyers are tasked as the custodians of innovation. They are supposed to be the most up-to-date to guide clients and their other agency partners.
“Innovation sets us apart. we rely on people in our startup network to bring new things to our clients.”
Under increased pressure to perform and less assurance of results, getting people’s attention feels more like a distant dream than a reality.
Breakthrough without interruption is made possible by Mirriad.
Mirriad bridges brands with high-quality content: brands no longer need to produce their own content to break through the clutter. They can have access to valuable shows, which results in unmatchable quality and reach.
Not intrusive: Mirriad allows brands to find ad inventory within prime time opportunities without disrupting the storyline or having to cut time away from actual content.
Powered by AI: Mirriad’s AI technology makes ads look realistic and seamlessly integrated into the audience’s favorite content.
Simple and fast: clients can have their product integrated into shows in an authentic way, through a much simpler process than regular product placement.
Imagine breaking through the noise.
Imagine having access to infinite opportunities to associate your brand with your target’s favorite content. With the power of Mirriad, ads can appear before your very eyes, wherever you wish to see them.
Brand recognition where it has the most potential is what we do best - see them appear in bright lights at the busiest intersection in the world, materialize down highways, and make the impact you want them to have.
Imagine the Possibilities.
Our campaign was presented as a consumer journey, highlighting the touchpoints where Mirriad reaches media planners/buyers:
Suddenly, your email dings. You’ve got mail. It’s an invitation for an activation at the most prestigious award event in the industry - Cannes. You immediately RSVP.
A few weeks later, you stumble onto an advert for the same event while reading Wired magazine.
We created attractive ads that have a modern feel, using the the same gradient but also have a sense of call to action. We recognized that the format must be intriguing, modern, and visually inspiring.
Now, you’re ready to “Experience the Possibilities”. You walk into a white room, there are chairs facing out, you are hooked up to a VR headset where you view award winning scenes from various TV shows. Each scene has brand placement that originally wasn’t there, but only true fans would know that. In the end we plan to test recall of the peripheral details, “what can of soup did Haley knock over in the Modern Family clip?”
Media buyers are eager to stay on top of trends. If we can be consistent and offer them value, we can cultivate relationships online which will lead to more successful pitches. We also hope to have a lot of UGC from the experiential pop-up to feature on Mirriad’s page.
The experience doesn’t stop there. Through a myriad of email blasts, social media interactions and newsletters, Mirriad makes sure you stay up to date on new AI & AR trends.
Additionally, Mirriad should curate an engagement group that weighs in on new tech trends. Interspersed with that valuable information, Mirriad can position their various use cases.
They will show ways in which they help brands break barriers. They will show that even local brands can afford ad spaces that appear to be in the biggest locales in the world. They can also take viewers on a travel through time by positioning products with long legacies in beloved oldies.
In order for the campaign to live on beyond Cannes, Mirriad will target highly-transited areas where advertising agencies live and create an installation that allows media buyers to “Experience the Possibilities” in a relevant way.
When a passer-byer approaches the mirror it will change into a question, “what do you want most in this world?” Upon answering, the viewer will see whatever they’ve asked for materialized in their reflection. The final take away will say “Powered by Mirriad. Share what it looks like to Imagine Your Possibilities with @Mirriad on Instagram.”
We want to communicate in a modern and approachable way that Mirriad is an industry leader in technology.
We have kept its original color scheme, but opted for language in email and social that is engaging and conversational. For Instagram, we suggest using highlights and a hashtag campaign which targets tech/AI communities.
A 360 campaign with these essential elements will stand out among the crowded landscape of media buying. It is the right solution at the right time, and we believe it just takes demonstrative experiences to get our target to “imagine the possibilities.”
“No one has ever done anything like this before. That’s why it’s going to work.”
Team: Veronica von Wachter (copywriter), Baqiyyah Bent and Yael Safirstein (art directors)