To put a lid on chat room rumors about its latest holiday gift collections and products, Department 56 launched its Web site to keep avid collectors updated with "official," timely product news that motivates them to come back year-round.
Before the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based manufacturer of collectibles, giftware and holiday merchandise launched its site (http://www.department56.com) in October, 1996, online rumor mills cranked out tons of misinformation about the company's new product offerings, retired items and convention dates.
Sharing the right company information with collectors and driving traffic to dealers has been the charge of Carmichael Lynch Spong (CLS), based in Minneapolis, since the site launched. But keeping its primary audience of collector enthusiasts - who often add rooms to their houses to display Christmas villages - entertained and eager to return to the site has been the agency's latest mission.
In less than two years, the site has generated 9,000 emails from site visitors. In the fourth quarter of 1997, the site generated 4.3 million page views, a 165% boost from fourth quarter 1996 (1.6 million page views). Last month, the site's design garnered industry kudos from the Web Marketing Association for "Best Toy & Hobby Site" and the Minnesota Public Relations Society of America chapter for "Technology for Best Web Site Design."
Site Overhaul
Last year, CLS needed to build on Department 56's strong online rapport with collectors and dealers and recommended a host of new features and enhancements to keep the site fresh, informative and entertaining. With a budget of $156,800 (fully utilized for agency fees and expenses), CLS surveyed 500 Web visitors and planned a three-point marcom campaign for 1997 that included:
- leveraging existing site information to create a complete resource for visitors;
- adding surprise components like quizzes and gift-giving features to drive repeat traffic; and
- attracting new buyers to the site.
The 10-question online survey in January 1997 generated a 35% response rate and guided the site's enhancements, according to Dory Anderson, CLS's senior account executive. Key research findings revealed that collectors wanted more timely information on the latest products and comprehensive resources for ordering its cornerstone offerings, "The Original Snow Village" and "The Heritage Village Collection."
New Bells and Whistles
In all, CLS added 15 new features to the site with the help of eWorks, a Web site production company also in Minneapolis. The enhancements expanded Department 56's holiday gift offerings with a "Homes for the Holidays" event section that features event products, party decorating ideas and trivia. But they also encouraged surfers to visit year-round with a host of interactive features that include a "village scramble" game, a "wish list" gift registry for friends and family members and a "coffee break" audio segment that provides news and tips from Ms. Lit Town, Department 56's spokesperson.
The Web site also was promoted on company brochures and press materials.
CLS didn't aggressively promote the enhancements because the site commands a strong word-of-mouth network in the collector community, says Anderson. The site averages 100 emails a day. When the site launched, it generated 125 emails within the first eight hours.
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Traffic Drivers
To keep Department 56's target of avid holiday gift collectors surfing its site, Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch Spong added 15 new interactive features that resulted in high-volume traffic year-round. The site generated:
Source: Carmichael Lynch Spong |
The media relations effort targeted collector publications and daily newspapers.
Anderson knew the campaign would be covered in collector magazines but was surprised at the ink it landed among major market newspapers. The Web site was included in high-profile holiday coverage in newspapers like The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Feedback Frenzy
The popularity of the site is posing some maintenance challenges for Joan Serena, Department 56's VP of consumer and dealer marketing. Five additional staffers from customer service now respond to the thousands of emails that have poured in to Ms. Lit Town, and CLS is looking into ways to maintain speedy response.
Although most of the emails don't require a response, they can't be overlooked. Communicating with collectors, who are predominantly women over age 45 and college-educated, requires constant, personalized dialogue.
Having Ms. Lit Town respond to email messages, that just say "hi" or commend the Web site, has been a big draw. (CLS, Dory Anderson, 612/334-6267; Department 56, Joan Serena, 612/943-4462)