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Slalom: a 6-point brand lift, 2.4x the LinkedIn norm

Slalom’s Zero Legacy campaign had to produce sales-ready conversations with enterprise executives. A three-phase test across six channels lifted brand awareness 6 points and lead conversion 34% over benchmark.

Client

Slalom Consulting

Role

Media Strategy, Media Planning, Buying & Optimization

Paid Media Campaign

Audience & Culture Mapping

Key Takeaway

Slalom’s enterprise buyers converted after weeks of progressively specific messages. LinkedIn showed it: click-through rose as video completion dropped around week four, and many conversions came on weekends while delivery held steady on weekdays. So we built the plan in three phases, cut what the data didn’t support and put the budget behind what it did.

Context

Zero Legacy had to produce pipeline.

Zero Legacy repositioned legacy technology as a strategic asset instead of technical debt. The narrative was set.

The question was whether it could generate pipeline: sales-ready conversations with enterprise executives, in a consulting category where most campaigns lead with the same capability claims.

Approach

We built the media plan in three phases.

Progressive messaging

The buyers converted after a run of progressively specific messages. We sequenced content to build engagement over weeks instead of asking for action on the first impression.

Progressive messaging

The buyers converted after a run of progressively specific messages. We sequenced content to build engagement over weeks instead of asking for action on the first impression.

Progressive messaging

The buyers converted after a run of progressively specific messages. We sequenced content to build engagement over weeks instead of asking for action on the first impression.

Test, cut, scale

Three phases: test broadly, cut fast, then scale only what the data supported. A channel got more budget after it had performed.

Test, cut, scale

Three phases: test broadly, cut fast, then scale only what the data supported. A channel got more budget after it had performed.

Partner co-branding

We tested creative co-branded with AWS, Google and Snowflake against Slalom-only creative, to see whether partner proof would outperform Slalom on its own.

Partner co-branding

We tested creative co-branded with AWS, Google and Snowflake against Slalom-only creative, to see whether partner proof would outperform Slalom on its own.

Partner co-branding

We tested creative co-branded with AWS, Google and Snowflake against Slalom-only creative, to see whether partner proof would outperform Slalom on its own.

Solution

Three phases across six channels.

Broad launch

Phase one ran OOH, endemic publishers, Demandbase, LinkedIn, podcast and CTV at once, for a baseline read on every format, audience and channel.

Broad launch

Phase one ran OOH, endemic publishers, Demandbase, LinkedIn, podcast and CTV at once, for a baseline read on every format, audience and channel.

Broad launch

Phase one ran OOH, endemic publishers, Demandbase, LinkedIn, podcast and CTV at once, for a baseline read on every format, audience and channel.

Broad launch

Phase one ran OOH, endemic publishers, Demandbase, LinkedIn, podcast and CTV at once, for a baseline read on every format, audience and channel.

Cut what underperformed

Phase two cut the channels and formats that underperformed and moved their budget to what was working.

Cut what underperformed

Phase two cut the channels and formats that underperformed and moved their budget to what was working.

Cut what underperformed

Phase two cut the channels and formats that underperformed and moved their budget to what was working.

Cut what underperformed

Phase two cut the channels and formats that underperformed and moved their budget to what was working.

Full budget on what worked

Phase three put the full budget behind the combinations the first two phases had validated.

Full budget on what worked

Phase three put the full budget behind the combinations the first two phases had validated.

Full budget on what worked

Phase three put the full budget behind the combinations the first two phases had validated.

Full budget on what worked

Phase three put the full budget behind the combinations the first two phases had validated.

Targeting and format tests

Inside each phase we tested hyper-segmented account-based targeting against broad targeting, document ads against lead ads, and landing page versions. Narrow audiences raised CPMs without lifting conversion, so targeting moved broad.