Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?
Bose needed to keep demonstrating its differentiation and value, during a time of lockdowns and economic recession and no in-store experience – a key touchpoint for a Bose customer journey.
We realized home offices were loud-something that Bose’s Noise Cancelling headphones can tackle.
Instead of running a promo and paint Bose as opportunistic, we created a playful, yet rewarding experience: the louder your home, the larger your discount.
We created a touchpoint for customers to measure their home noise with Bose’s Noise-O-Meter on the mobile website and experience Bose’s technology. We then allowed them to convert everyday decibels into discounts.
Background
The in-store experience has always been a differentiating factor for Bose. Given the premium positioning among fierce competition, the physical product experimentation and the luxury in-store service have always been crucial selling factors for Bose.
Then came 2020 with its Covid19 lockdowns. Bose was forced to close nearly 120 stores world-wide, including the Middle East – a region where such elements of the customer journey play a significant role as a proof of value.
Bose needed a game changer solution to keep consumer interest high, continue to demonstrate its differentiation and ultimately recover sales via digital channels.
We needed to find a way to connect Bose to challenging consumers and prove the brand’s value more than ever – all so in a meaningful way in the context of the pandemic.
But how could we turn a high-end product appealing during an economic crisis?
Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)
We spoke directly to consumers dealing with the struggles of working from home in noisy ambiences, sharing the workspace with the rest of the family. By developing the Noise-O-Meter, which converts everyday decibels into discounts on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
It uses a first-of-its-kind algorithm engineered to interpret sound data and ambient noise levels in different settings, instantaneously generating proportionate eCommerce discount coupons based on everyday decibels. In short: The louder your home office, the larger your discount.
It was also designed to be easily accessible via a simple swipe up from targeted Instagram Stories, creating a seamless journey from checking the noise to generating and redeeming coupons. The UX and design were optimized for smartphone screens; while the algorithm was engineered to work with and tested across diverse microphone sensitivities.
Describe the strategy (20% of vote)
Our strategy was anchored on a series of insights.
As a product, Bose has is perceived as premium with a price justifiable by the higher quality demonstrated in-store. We also learned the importance of the in-store experience for the Middle East in particular-an element lost during the lockdowns.
For office workers, the recession brought by Covid19 triggered cash constraints. It also changed their work reality to home-office.
Our strategy thus focused on addressing both Bose’s and customers’ new realities and challenges.
We realized home offices were loud-something Bose’s Noise Cancelling headphones can tackle.
Instead of running a promo and paint Bose as opportunistic, we created a playful, rewarding experience: the louder your home, the larger your discount.
We created a touchpoint for customers to measure home noise with Bose’s Noise-O-Meter on the mobile website and experience Bose’s technology. We then allowed them to convert everyday decibels into discounts.
Describe the execution (30% of vote)
We spoke directly to consumers dealing with the struggles of working from home in noisy ambiences, sharing the workspace with the rest of the family. By developing the Noise-O-Meter, which converts everyday decibels into discounts on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700!
It uses a first-of-its-kind algorithm engineered to interpret sound data and ambient noise levels in different settings, instantaneously generating proportionate eCommerce discount coupons based on everyday decibels. In short: The louder your home office, the larger your discount.
It was also designed to be easily accessible via a simple swipe up from targeted Instagram Stories, creating a seamless journey from checking the noise to generating and redeeming coupons. The UX and design were optimized for smartphone screens; while the algorithm was engineered to work with and tested across diverse microphone sensitivities.
List the results (30% of vote)
In less than a month, the Noise-O-Meter achieved over 7 million impressions, measuring more than 7000 home office noises and converting 400,000+ decibels into discounts.
Most importantly, there was an incredible 37.5% increase in the average weekly online sales of the high-end Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700! Multiple retailers are now keen on adapting this in other markets.