UPS Delivers New Campaign on 'Intercept' Theme
[UPDATE] UPS turns the whiteboard over to Internet users, who can submit video of intramural sports intercepts to win cash for themselves and their schools.
UPS has upgraded its integrated “Whiteboard” campaign with a “UPS Delivery Intercept Challenge” that invites people to submit footage of pass intercepts in youth sports.
“Whiteboard” began early in 2007 with an integrated campaign spanning TV, print, and the Web. The television creative featured an everyman actor who spoke about illustrated various UPS services on a whiteboard. All creative pointed to a microsite that uses video of the same actor to highlight UPS services.
“Online was used as a central part of the campaign primarily to develop a deeper level of engagement with our customers and prospects,” said Betsy Wilson, global marketing manager and advertising media manager at UPS. “Driving people to an online experience allows them to get a lot more information, and in the case of ‘Whiteboard,’ get the information they were looking for.”
The ongoing campaign is a collaboration between the Martin Agency, which handled TV and print, and IQ Interactive, a video-centric agency responsible for the Web site and a portion of the rich media banner ads. Both agencies participated in the video shoot since much content was shared across the TV and Web components.
A new campaign offshoot specifically promotes Delivery Intercept, a service allowing senders to return or re-route packages before they are delivered. Ads on TV, radio and the Web share elements with “Whiteboard.” Parts of the Delivery Intercept campaign, including a game and sweepstakes video contest, feature work from Creative Digital Group.
“It’s a separate initiative with specific goals, different from the advertising campaign,” Wilson said. “It leveraged the look and feel of the ‘Whiteboard’ campaign to make it feel integrated.”
She added, “We had a lot of success with the ‘Whiteboard” campaign and wanted to leverage that success throughout other communications channels.”
New Internet ads point to a UPS Delivery Intercept Challenge microsite narrated by former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, who according to Wikipedia, threw 173 intercepted passes in his career. “There are more than a few passes I’d love to have back,” he tells UPS site visitors.
Two contests offered on the site include a game and sweepstakes and a CGM video contest created with technology from social networking and video-sharing site vSocial. Participants are asked to submit footage of pass interceptions in junior high, high school or youth league football games. The contest will run through the current football season, with prizes awarded intermittently. A grand prize includes $25,000 cash, plus a $10,000 donation to the high school or youth football program of the winner’s choice.
The Delivery Intercept campaign is primarily the work of Creative Digital Group, an agency not originally named in the article.
