Leveraging Momentum from a Successful Marketing Campaign

The marketing team is celebrating. Months ago, in a meeting, a concept for a campaign was floated around the conference table. The idea had all the right ingredients: it was daring, edgy, attention-grabbing, and emotive. After a few more strategy meetings, the campaign really began to take shape, and the Chief of Marketing was excited to launch it.

And it went off without a hitch. The campaign, starring a prominent basketball star, went viral. Thanks to the clever integration of a community impact story, together with just the right music, graphics, and hashtags, the campaign seemed to grow legs of its own. Soon, everyone was talking about the brand.

But what happens next?

Rather than resting on laurels, it’s important not to let the momentum of a successful marketing campaign go without finding ways to utilize its success in the future. After all, consumers are finicky — and they have short attention spans. What is seen as a viral success one week may be all but forgotten the next.

How does a brand capitalize on the momentum garnered from a hot campaign? A brand wants to have long-term results, not just “flash in the pan” viral moments. However, those viral moments are often what catapults a brand into the public eye. How the brand manages this newfound attention is instrumental in any future success it has.

Plan Ahead for Success

First things first, when a new campaign is in its infancy, plan ahead. If this campaign is a success, even a viral one, how can the brand best use the momentum? Create a hashtag with staying power — don’t only rely on what’s trendy or currently happening.

Create content that can be held back and used later on, after the initial push for the campaign is over. Using a long-form video in the campaign? Consider adding in shorter versions or “unreleased” versions to post on the brand’s platforms later on.

Find People Impacted by the Campaign

An effective marketing campaign has an impact; it prompts consumers to take action after seeing it. Whether that action is to purchase a product or to make a donation to a nonprofit, the end goal is consumer behavior. Additionally, a campaign that has a true impact on consumers often makes for a great story to tell.

Let’s use the example of the basketball campaign in the intro of this article. Perhaps this campaign prompted someone to pay it forward to a nonprofit in their community, or perhaps they finally made a decision to pursue a passion project after seeing the ad. Whatever happens, there is a story to tell.

By asking consumers to share their stories of how the campaign affected them, new material can easily be generated. This could include a follow-up video or even a “challenge” issued to consumers to continue the concept of paying it forward.

A great campaign doesn’t have to just fade away. After all, a great campaign makes a lasting, far-reaching impact, which means there are countless ways to keep that momentum going. Don’t let viral success prompt you to rest easy — there is always work to be done to ensure the ongoing success of a brand. Using momentum gained from an effective campaign makes long term success easy if steps are taken to leverage this momentum going forward.