Commentary

Powerful TV Targeting Tools... for Power Tools

Positec Tool -- an older skewing power tools and lawn care equipment brand found at Lowe’s-- was looking for a different media approach for its big fourth quarter selling period.

Instead on focusing on its traditional 35-54 Nielsen demographic and its typical associated cable TV networks -- such as Fox News Channel, and the DIY Network -- it looked at more advanced TV targeting data.

“We were letting the media push our [media planning/buying],” says Lindsay Hendricks, senior media manager of Positec Tool.

Hendricks says for its brand to succeed it needed to expand to young customers “without losing its core”.

For the fourth quarter 2016, it collected first party data identifying, for example, its high valued customers. Then, this was merged third party data from the likes of Simmons in looking at high index Home Depot shoppers --- as well as identifying best TV dayparts.

Ben Zimmerman, president of Media Design Group, which focuses on direct response TV inventory, said the agency also identified micro-targets -- young married couples, for example, working for Fortune 100 companies, with two kids and FICO scores above 700.

From this data, an internal planning tool suggested 75% of its buy for national cable; 15% local cable; 5% on VOD; and 5% OTT. Suggestions were to buy HGTV (locally), Nickelodeon (for parents co-viewing); ESPN (also locally, in part).

One of the biggest changes versus the company’s past media efforts was the shift to spending more on local cable.

In a short six week fourth quarter flight, the results were that four of six of the company’s products reach 95% of its expected sales goal in half the time. For the fourth quarter 2015, the company only got to 68% point of sales results.

Says Hendricks: “It was our most successful fourth quarter in years.”

Next story loading loading..

Discover Our Publications