Top 11 Content Campaigns from 2011
Since content creation is still a relatively new discipline, most marketers still spend a lot of time looking for models to apply for their own businesses. With that in mind, we pulled together a list of the most successful content campaigns we worked on with clients in 2011.
In addition to successfully engaging with their target audience and supporting demand generation goals, there are several traits that made these content campaigns worth reviewing, including:
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Presenting content in a variety of formats and platforms--We’ve discussed here frequently the growing trend that people consume content differently, requiring marketers to distribute their messaging beyond the traditional blog or PDF. Many of the case study examples below feature core content messaging, which was extended across a variety of mediums.
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Repurposing or refreshing existing content—The low-hanging fruit many companies miss in content creation is breathing new life into the content they already have on hand. The case studies below show how companies successfully converted webinar presentations into E-books or other formats to drive new leads or support lead nurturing efforts.
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Addressing Time & Attention Deficits--Long-form formats such as white papers are being repurposed into shorter video white papers or other interactive mediums.
These case studies not only demonstrate several options to help companies connect with prospects, they also extend the life of the content and helped these companies optimize the resources and bandwidth needed to research and create the campaign.
So let’s dive into Content4Demand’s Top 11 Content Campaigns of 2011 (in alphabetical order):
AisleBuyer
Title/Campaign Type:
Mobilizing The Store—Webinar & Research 
Details: In an effort to provide benchmarks around the massive trend to bring mobile devices and applications into the retail store environment, we worked with this solution provider on a research initiative that kicked off in mid-November and was tabulated and presented within a 4-week timeframe. By developing proprietary data around an area of massive interest, the company was able to engage with Top 100 retailers and also support its brand positioning at a major trade show.
LINK: SLIDE SHARE OF WEBINAR
Citrix
Title/Campaign Type:
The New Formula for Generating High Quality Leads in 2011 — E-book & Video White Paper
Details: Well known for their GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar platforms, Citrix been no stranger to content marketing of all types ranging many formats. Earlier this year, they debuted this E-book sharing best practices for generating qualified leads (sample), which was expanded into a full campaign, complete with an accompanying webinar (on their platform, of course) (sample), and a video white paper, which gave busy executives a quick overview.
LINK: E-BOOK
Eloqua
Title/Campaign Type:
Building the Business Case for Marketing Automation—E-book & Regional Event
Details: A pioneer in the areas of both marketing automation and content marketing, Eloqua went back to the basics in this E-book to help new clients and prospects clearly understand the value proposition this technology delivers. The piece was featured in the company’s online buying center, which helps prospects self-educate and self-navigate the research phase, and also became a core piece of sales enablement collateral. Building on the success of the E-book topic, Eloqua followed up with a series of successful regional events sharing research and best practices with new clients and topics in key markets.
LINK: E-BOOK
LINK: REGIONAL EVENT INVITE
Enkata
Title/Campaign Type:
A Clear View Of Healthcare Claims - E-Book 
Details: Enkata, a leader in cloud-based customer experience analytics and workforce optimization software, used this E-book to support its unique solution for the key vertical of healthcare providers. Helping to support the company’s new paradigm positioning and unique solution for optimizing health care claims management, the E-book helped bring-to-life the significant gaps in back-office processing and presenting business cases for how much these inefficiencies were costing insurance providers.
LINK: E-BOOK
GoodData
Title/Campaign Type:
Measuring Lead To Cash: Data To Dashboard In 30 Days -- E-Book, Webinar & Video
White Paper
Details: Much like the Citrix example, GoodData decided to take the time and resources they were dedicating to creating an E-book and extend that content for both lead generation and thought leadership. Before the E-book was even published, a webinar on the topic was presented, and then as a follow-up touch to the campaign the company offered a video white paper which summarized key points in a short interactive format, and then linked back to download the E-book.
LINK: E-BOOK
LINK: BRAINSHARK
Junction Solutions
Title/Campaign Type:
Shifting Shopper Preferences – White Paper & Infographic
Details: Junction Solutions, is a single-source provider of vertical-specific applications and consulting services, conducted custom B2C research to display how cross-channel shopping is changing shopper behavior, as well as customer expectations in retail. They presented these findings in a white paper, and then followed up by displaying the data in an informative infographic. By tapping into this fast-growing, fun way to display data surrounding a topic without demanding too much time from the reader, Junction Solutions maximized the visibility of the data via social media and other viral channels.
LINK: WHITE PAPER
LINK: INFOGRAPHIC
Manticore Technology
Title/Campaign Type:
Blueprint For Using Content To Connect With Buyers – White Paper & Custom Research
Details: Manticore partnered with DemandGen Report to survey early adopters of marketing automation and used the new data to highlight the growing relationship between content and success driving dialog with prospects. The white paper presented the findings with specific data supporting the importance of building buyer personas, conducting content audits, mapping content to specific buyer stages, creating assets that feed nurturing campaigns, and measuring the success of content campaigns.
LINK: WHITE PAPER
LINK: SLIDE SHARE OF WEBINAR
Oracle
Title/Campaign Type:
The Store: The Intersection Of All Channels — E-book Refresh 
Details: Revisiting one of the most successful content pieces in its library, Oracle’s retail division partnered with Retail TouchPoints to take a fresh look at the central role the store still plays with today’s cross channel consumers. After maximizing the lifespan of the original E-book, which drove thousands of leads and was translated into several different languages, Oracle revisited the topic with new data and a refresh on case studies and has seen similar success with the new piece.
LINK: E-BOOK
Qvidian
Title/Campaign Type: 
5 Steps to Increase Win Rates and Improve Pipeline Performance — Webinar and White Paper
Details: Presenting fresh strategies and approaches to help companies deal with current economic challenges, this webinar featuring a well-known author and expert on sales optimization techniques generated more than 1,500 registrants. The accompanying white paper shared case studies and insights into how leading companies are using playbooks and analytics to accelerate deal velocity.
LINK: WHITE PAPER
LINK: SLIDESHARE OF WEBINAR
Richardson
Title/Campaign Type:
The Roadmap to Scalable & Sustainable Sales Transformation — E-book, Use Cases & Brainshark 
Details: After driving more than 1,000 downloads of this groundbreaking E-book, the leader in sales training and coaching followed up with shorter case study snapshots presenting three use case scenarios from leading firms who were already embarking on transformation initiatives. To continue to build on the momentum, Richardson also used the content and key points from the Roadmap E-book to create an interactive video white paper, which has fueled further lead nurturing initiatives.
LINK: CASE STUDY
LINK: BRAINSHARK
Salesforce.com/Fujitsu
Title/Campaign Type:
Driving Customer Engagement and Loyalty With Social Clienteling — Ebook & Executive Brief
Details: Salesforce & Fujistu helped introduced the model for Social Clienteling in the retail and consumer products sectors with this E-book. The two companies then followed up on the piece with an Executive Brief offering a closer look at how the two partners were helping to implement this new strategy at major retailers around the globe.
LINK: E-BOOK
LINK: EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Obviously, these are just a few examples of the great content campaigns created in 2011. Please feel free to share any examples of powerful campaigns you’ve created or seen this year.
We look forward to another great year of content in 2012!