Case Study
Pella Kentucky Derby Case Study
To leverage the historic 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby, Pella sought to stand out during a typically slow sales period. As previous agencies had not executed a campaign around this event, we seized the opportunity to create localized, impactful content that showcased our strategic creativity.
Relevance
Integrated, localized campaign utilizing paid social, landing pages, connected TV (CTV), nurture email, paid search and direct mail to increase sales and opportunities during the slowest period of the year.
Situation
Pella faced several challenges leading into the Kentucky Derby season:
- Historical Sales Slump: The two weeks surrounding the Kentucky Derby have consistently been the slowest sales period of the year.
- Untapped Opportunity: Previous agencies had not leveraged the Derby as a strategic marketing opportunity, despite its cultural significance and massive local audience.
- Need for Localized Content: Pella branches required localized and relevant creative to resonate with the community and stand out amidst increased noise during the Derby festivities.
Solution
We developed a multichannel campaign that tied Pella’s brand to the historic 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby, driving local engagement and sales through:
- Paid Social: Highly targeted social ads that generated localized buzz and increased brand awareness.
- Landing Page: A dedicated landing page to capture and convert leads driven by all campaign touchpoints.
- Connected TV (CTV): Video ads that leveraged the excitement of Derby season to reach audiences on streaming platforms.
- Nurture Email: A strategic email sequence that engaged existing leads and introduced exclusive Derby offers.
- Paid Search and Performance Max (PMax): Captured high-intent searches with tailored ad copy and targeted bidding strategies.
- Direct Mail: Sent strategically timed mailers to prospects, aligning with the peak of Derby interest.
Results
The Kentucky Derby campaign was a resounding success, delivering record-breaking sales and engagement across all channels.
211%
increase in sales
Overall Sales and Opportunities
211% increase in sales for April YOY.
37% increase in opportunities for May YOY.
Lexington market:
71% increase in sales for April YOY.
32% increase in opportunities for May YOY.
(2023: 96 opps; 2024: 128 opps)
70%
increase in appointments
Paid Social
Significant spikes in leads, opportunities and conversion rates in April, with a 70% increase in appointments compared to the prior month.
Cost per lead (CPL) decreased while conversion rates surged, making April one of the top-performing months with an ROMI of 2.13.
Both Louisville and Lexington markets saw a significant increase in conversion rate and a decrease in CPL.
Engagment
increase
Paid Search and Performance Max
Increase in clicks, site links and overall engagements during April and May.
Lower cost per conversion with a noticeable spike in clicks beginning May 1, coinciding with the Derby offer.
Full-funnel approach leveraging Google’s algorithm for optimal performance.
$16,000
opportunity in sales
Nurture Email
Contributed to a $16,000 opportunity in sales in May.
Seamlessly integrated Derby messaging, leading to high engagement.
14.49
ROMI
Direct Mail and Landing Page
Louisville CPO: $674 | ROMI: 5.79
Lexington CPO: $625 | ROMI: 14.49
By capitalizing on the local excitement of the Kentucky Derby and strategically timing our messaging, the campaign not only increased sales and engagement but also showcased our agency’s talent for creating impactful, localized content. Pella successfully turned the slowest sales period into an exceptional opportunity, significantly outperforming previous periods, proving that the right strategy at the right time can make all the difference.
