Seeing the Forest for the Trees

During the first discussions, the clients often point out their most aching pain points where they need help. In this case, the Highlights team’s request was to take over social media management and ensure an organised and transparent workflow of a highly complex seasonal roadmap. 

Despite our strong enthusiasm for the Highlights of Hungary project, we couldn’t say a definite yes to their requests right then and there. Instead, we proposed a step back and started articulating the cornerstones of the brand, its mid- and long-term goals and position on the market. We wanted to see each tree in the forest before going deeper. 

Fortunately, our strategic thinking and planning approach hit the right spot for the Highlights of Hungary team, and they felt even more reassured and confident by our holistic perspective. This consensus marked the beginning of our journey together. 

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Revitalising the Brand and Discovering the Gold Nuggets

Every major upgrade starts with disassembling. And to be clear, it wasn’t about reshaping the fundamentals, the building blocks of the Highlights of Hungary brand. The objective of the consultancy phase was to get on the same page and speak the same language of the brand. In short, synthesising the goals and pairing them with strategic directions and tactics, deciding together where to steer the sails. 

This process resembles a goldmine: we know that fair-sized gold nuggets are there, but we must find the most efficient way to bring them to the surface. Thus, we set in motion our tried and validated 3-pillar methodology. 

The first pillar, conducting brand identity workshops, allowed for a clear representation of the brand’s core elements, such as redefined vision, mid- and long-term objectives, and the brand’s personality and voice, corroborated with the major target audience groups. Through our joint sessions, we laid the strong groundwork for strategic planning to foster brand growth. 

In the second pillar, creating Highlights of Hungary's 12-month brand strategy, taking into consideration our findings and analysis, we defined the hows. We elaborated a complex action plan supported by content type recommendations, tactics, channel diversification and budget allocation. Considering the interlinking roadmap of a Highlights season, we conceptualised the milestone-related micro-campaigns and defined the channel-specific KPIs. With the ultimate goal of brand awareness growth, we ensured our strategy was well-grounded and able to pivot as needed.

The final pillar, implementation, is when we roll up our sleeves and transform the strategy into a practical plan on the given timeline. A plan that is transparent, scalable and trackable for the stakeholders’ team as well as for our strategic and operative teams. This way, we made sure that the workflows were resource-efficient and clear to everyone involved. The well-rounded strategy serves as a point of reference all along when it comes to digital marketing campaign management, social media management, and content creation.

Highlights Seasonal Milestones Backed by Digital Marketing Implementation

Each year, 10 Highlights ambassadors are called upon to select the most outstanding Hungarian accomplishments, regardless of their size or area of expertise. Recommendations for such performances are received from the public as well. The goal is to find the 50 candidates/projects that will get on the annual Highlights list, enhancing the visibility of those success stories that don't typically receive widespread recognition. Once the list is published and the candidates get introduced, the online voting process begins, and the broad public selects the annual Highlights winner. The prize money is granted at the annual Highlights Awards Gala and is meant to support the project’s further development, besides expressing appreciation towards the accomplishment. 

During the 2022 season, which spanned from October to March, each major milestone was supported by targeted social media campaigns and public relations activities. Additionally, we’ve launched a series of micro-campaigns, complemented by carefully crafted video, graphic, and written content, to achieve specific objectives. These micro-campaigns were designed to enhance brand awareness, increase engagement levels, and drive meaningful conversions during the final milestone of the voting process. 

Numbers Do Tell – KPIs Behind a Growing Community

The impact of the marketing activities led throughout the season is evident when examining the key performance indicators (KPIs) that illustrate the growth of the Highlights community:

• In March 2023, the Highlights of Hungary brand name had a total of 2,900 monthly searches, which is a 20% increase compared to the best performing month in terms of search volume in the previous year.
• The number of followers on Facebook (10.66% increase) and Instagram (21% increase) experienced steady growth, expanding the reach of Highlights' message.
• Highlights of Hungary's YouTube channel achieved over 1 million video views, solidifying its presence and impact in the digital space.
• Embracing channel diversification, we established a TikTok profile for Highlights, attracting a follower base of 2,400 in 6 months.
• The Highlights website experienced a remarkable increase in traffic, with 152,888 sessions recorded, representing a substantial 94.11% growth compared to the previous season.
• Higher conversions were achieved during the candidate recommendation campaign (67% increase), demonstrating the effectiveness of the digital marketing efforts.
• The online voting campaign garnered over 100,000 votes, setting a new all-time record.

The Best Journeys Don’t End With a Single Adventure

Our partnership did not end with the conclusion of the high season. We are committed to supporting the Highlights of Hungary brand to reach its full potential not only within Hungary but throughout the Carpathian region as well. From honouring the achievements of a small-town educator to that of an ultramarathon runner, the brand's focus on recognising valuable accomplishments is a beacon of inspiration for us all. We, too, are determined to push the boundaries and achieve greater heights together.