Why hyperlocal brand activation campaigns are the need of the hour

Gitanjali Singh, Vice President-Marketing, Select Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd writes about why hyperlocal marketing is the need of the hour and how it can be executed to drive maximum results.

Even as the globe gets more connected, our world shrinks to a smaller version of itself. Brands and marketers across the world are waking up and smelling the coffee brewed very close to them, as hyperlocal marketing has slowly but surely evolved to be one of the most effective ways for brands to speak to their consumers’. There has been a seismic shift in how technology is now affecting consumer behaviour as people look for faster, easier, and more convenient ways to access brands, malls, and locations they like. According to published research, the hyperlocal market exceeds ad budgets of 2300 plus crores already within India, while globally it is growing at a CAGR of almost 18%.

Why We Need To Start Thinking Hyperlocal!

The question one would ask is why is hyperlocal here to stay? In a country as richly diverse as India, where language and culture can change every few kilometers, hyperlocal makes the most sense. To understand this, we need to see a very brilliant example by one of our most trusted brands- Tata. Tata Tea, once known for campaigns that ran on large national scales, soon woke up to the need for a hyperlocal brand campaign strategy. They found that even blends changed across regions, so from a platform of ‘National Pride’, they shifted to one of ‘Regional Pride’.

The hyperlocal campaigns were rolled out for specific blends across specific regions, displayed in the media matrix, the packaging as well as the messaging. The result was for all to see. Another example of commendable hyperlocal marketing was the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign which began in 2011 in Australia where 150 names were printed on bottles and shared. The campaign was so popular that it was adopted in other countries like Israel and China as well, where China even printed nicknames on the bottles to make it an even more personal campaign.

It's All About RoI

As we shift to an increasingly digital world where search and aggregator apps will now dictate consumer behaviour. To begin with, people searching ‘near me’ queries will always have a higher purchase intent than casual browsers. It is also music to the ears in terms of ROI, one of the most important three letters for marketeers. Hyperlocal campaigns reach out to a well-defined audience suited to the brand’s needs, hence lowering budgets across platforms of outreach. It is more affordable and lends you more leads. Research conducted to calculate the efficacy of hyperlocal campaigns shows that 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day, and nearly 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information.

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Instant Identification

Another strong reason, which works very well, is ‘Identification’. Consumers are not just purchasing a brand anymore but are looking for a strongly identifiable narrative. It always makes sense to create content that appeals to the localised area when you plan your hyperlocal campaign. This has become even stronger in a post-Covid world where localised heroes stepped in to help across cities. Our recent campaign at Select CITYWALK celebrating the local Covid heroes featured many people who selflessly came to help the citizens of Delhi in times of dire need. The campaign thus resonated far greater with our audiences than using a national-level celebrity would have.

Successfully Executing A Hyperlocal Campaign

The primary focus of any hyperlocal marketing campaign should be to reach out effectively to a well-defined audience without diluting or cluttering the message.

Incorporate your business into the community, where it appeals to the community to be a part of it. Consumers in different regions have unique preferences, so tailor-make your campaign towards that, have a well-defined audience profile in mind and while we rely heavily on digital spends, don’t be afraid to go traditional. Look at all formats from social, to print as well as OOH options to execute it.

However, like every good brand campaign out there, local, hyperlocal or national, ultimately, content is king!