21/01/2020

#PMA20: The Kite Factory on Winning Best Brand Engagement

With the Performance Marketing Awards regular entry deadline today, we caught up with The Kite Factory’s Head of Insight, Strategy and Planning, Rik Moore to discuss their award win last year and innovative campaign within the traditional charity sector for Water Aid.

Why is the Performance Marketing Awards such an important event in the industry calendar year?

Rik Moore: Brilliant performance has always been crucial for clients and agencies alike, but in these uncertain times it’s never been more essential – it’s the difference between keeping their doors open for business or not. Therefore, having these awards as a platform to demonstrably show that you’re one of the top practitioners in the market is a powerful new business tool.

From your experiences, what qualities make an award-winning campaign?

RM: You’re looking for something that has brought a spark of creativity to performance, delivering compelling engagement that results in a tangible uplift.

Tell us about winning the Best Brand Engagement award?

RM: We were over the moon to win. We’re really proud of the WaterAid #Untapped campaign that we worked on with the client and our friends at The Good Agency, and we know it’s a strong case study, but when you look at the quality of the brands we were up against, you’re just flattered to be nominated. So, to win amongst that peer group was a massive accolade.

What challenges did you face in your campaign and how did you overcome them?

RM: #Untapped took a different approach to fundraise, with a fresh approach to the traditional charity sector direct response call to action. We engaged potential supporters earlier in the funnel, using outreach and immersive digital content to bring the issue closer to home, and only then making the ask. The earlier engagement meant potential supporters felt a connection, so the ask was more efficient.

Has anything changed for your company since winning the award?

RM: Despite a tough market, we’ve had a strong 2019, winning new clients, and cementing our position in the top 10 of the Campaign new business table. Our award wins, with the PMA included, are really useful for endorsing the quality of our work during RFI processes.