How Vodafone UK uses GfK's brand tracking to resonate more strongly with consumers in the next stage of their brand reinvention

Vodafone

Telecommunications

Facts & Figures

Reach

21 operating countries + 49 partner markets

Revenue

€43.8bn total (FY21)

Solutions used

Brand Insights

When we saw the KPIs on our advertising campaign start to fall, we needed to quickly understand what was happening. The campaign had been extremely successful for two years and driven a turnaround in brand perceptions. GfK’s insights and data analysis helped diagnose the cause, pinpointing what needed to be fixed. At the same time, we were reviewing our brand positioning, and the feedback became part of a much wider review

Kirsten Kuhnert

Senior Manager Insights, Vodafone

Brand tracking to evaluate ad campaigns

Like many brand trackers, Vodafone’s KPIs are monitored closely in the company to monitor brand health and identify how marketing could be improved. For two years, a flagship TV advertising campaign had been performing well. Campaign research showed that the ads were likeable and cutting through strongly, while brand tracking showed an uplift in brand consideration and a reversal of some negative brand perceptions. This was a considerable achievement in a highly competitive market.

However, when results suggested that the campaign was flatlining, it was time to take a deeper dive and discover the root causes. Consideration had plateaued, and brand perceptions weren’t yet where Vodafone aspired to be. In a nutshell, the campaign seemed to have taken the brand as far as it could.

GfK’s analysis gave us a robust and reliable evaluation of how to resonate more strongly with consumers in the next stage of our brand reinvention. It subsequently became core to a brand repositioning initiative to make it more energetic, upbeat and modern.

Kirsten Kuhnert

Senior Manager Insights, Vodafone

Analyze, identify, correct

GfK’s brand experts and marketing science team analyzed the KPIs in intensive detail, viewing the creatives and pinpointing the moments where the messaging was lost. This detailed evaluation isolated the elements that had resonated with viewers, and where the campaign had lost its way. It meant the brand could decode their creative and adjust as needed.

Findings ultimately fed into a more fundamental structural review of the brand positioning and how to differentiate it. This collaborative process involved GfK’s team working closely with Vodafone and their advertising agency to diagnose the problem. Together they identified a plan to move forward and, ultimately, to develop a new creative vehicle for Vodafone’s brand communications.

A strong relationship

Vodafone has worked with GfK for seven years, developing a strong relationship during that time, not just with the brand but with their agency network too. Vodafone values GfK’s operational excellent and industry expertise. GfK works on a range of projects including brand tracking, marketing effectiveness and market share measurement. This close collaboration has developed into a true partnership.

How Vodafone UK uses GfK's brand tracking to resonate more strongly with consumers in the next stage of their brand reinvention

Brand tracking to evaluate ad campaigns

Analyze, identify, correct

A strong relationship

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