Group Content
The Power of Year in Review Campaigns
As we wrap up another year, one campaign style continues to dominate inboxes and social feeds: the "Year in Review" email. It’s a shining example of how "Data is the New Creative" when it comes to driving customer loyalty and retention. Spotify Wrapped may be the poster child, but they don't own the idea exclusively! Here are 4 more best-in-class examples that prove the versatility and impact of this approach: Strava: Year in Sport Strava’s "Year in Sport" campaign 2024 is a fitness enthusiast’s dream. Athletes receive a personalized summary of their total miles, elevation gains, and even their longest workout of the year. These data points are beautifully visualized and designed for easy sharing. The campaign has become a badge of pride for users, boosting Strava’s community engagement and app stickiness. Strava’s 2023 campaign saw over 12 million athletes share their personalized cards, with engagement rates 4x higher than their regular content. The genius? They transform raw numbers into meaningful milestones that athletes are proud to share. Tinder: Year in Swipe In the dating app category, Tinder’s "Swipe Stats" campaign is a cheeky take on Year in Review. Users receive stats like how many swipes they made, how many matches they got, and even their "Top Emoji." It’s fun, personal, and perfectly on-brand. This Year in Review drove a 15% rise in app reactivations, a 30% increase in social media mentions of Tinder during the campaign period, and an average session length increase of 12% as users explored and shared their stats. Social sharing skyrocketed as users laughed over their data—and their “romantic” accomplishments for the year. Duolingo: Year in Language Streaks Dulingo's year in review creates personalized stories of users' learning streaks, complete with quirky statistics like “how many mistakes you made”, "number of times you practiced at 3 AM" and "your most consistent studying day." The unhinged owl mascot's sassy commentary adds personality to the data, making these recaps both informative and entertaining. User sharing of these recaps drove a 51% increase in app downloads during their 2023 campaign. Nintendo Switch: Gaming Year in Review Nintendo transforms gaming data into a celebration of player achievements through their annual Year in Review campaign. 2024 is still upcoming. The 2023 Year in Review generated over 3.2 million social shares in the first week alone, with a 78% email open rate for the campaign - nearly triple Nintendo's average marketing email performance. The campaign also drove a 40% increase in Nintendo Switch Online app logins during the review period and resulted in a 25% uptick in game purchases among users who viewed their year-end recap. Most impressively, Nintendo reported that users who engaged with their Year in Review showed a 35% higher retention rate in the following quarter compared to non-engaged users, proving that personal gaming insights create lasting player connections. Why These Campaigns Work What makes these campaigns so effective? Personalization is the secret sauce: Personal relevance that makes users feel seen and understood Surprising insights that teach users something about themselves Beautiful, easily shareable visuals optimized for social media Cross-channel integration across email, push notifications, and in-app messaging Time-sensitive FOMO that drives immediate engagement Why It Works Beyond the Inbox The magic of Year in Review campaigns doesn’t stop at email. When paired with other channels like push notifications and in-app messages, they extend their reach and engagement. For example, sending a push notification with a teaser (“Your 2024 Wrapped is ready!”) can drive customers to open the app, explore their stats, and share them. These campaigns also strengthen retention by rewarding customers for their loyalty and creating a habit loop—users stick around because they’re curious to see next year’s recap. Over to You! Do you have a favorite Year in Review campaign you look forward to every year? Are you working on one for your brand or clients (or even yourself) right now? Reply below with your ideas, we'd love to help make them a reality! Happy New Year!
Super Bowl LIX Ads: Are They Even Ads Anymore?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday—the one night a year where people pretend to care about commercials. Brands drop millions for 30 seconds of attention, and in return, we get a mix of celebrity cameos, nostalgia bait, and the occasional heartwarming moment that makes us forget we’re being sold something. But let’s be real: Are these even ads anymore, or just really expensive short films with logos at the end? The Same Playbook, Every Year This year’s lineup? Some hits, some flops, and a whole lot of déjà vu. Budweiser gave us another sentimental Clydesdale story. Michelob Ultra made pickleball look cooler than it is. Google Pixel went for the heartfelt tech angle. Meanwhile, Coffee Mate traumatized us with dancing tongues. And of course, celebrities everywhere—Martha Stewart, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt. Half these ads could swap logos and you’d never notice. Are These Ads Even Selling Anything? Think about the last Super Bowl ad that actually made you want to buy something. Hard, right? That’s because these commercials aren’t about selling anymore—they’re about entertainment. We remember the moment, not the message. If your $7 million ad doesn’t make people remember your brand, what’s the point? Is a Super Bowl Ad Even Worth It? For the cost of one Super Bowl spot, brands could run months of digital campaigns with actual data on whether people engage or buy. Instead, they burn cash on a one-time spectacle and hope it “goes viral.” At this point, Super Bowl ads aren’t really about ROI. They’re a status symbol. A victory lap for brands that can afford to flex.Creative Spotlight: Shake Shack's Congestion Pricing Campaign 🍔
Spotted in my email inbox: Welcome to the first edition of our Creative Collective spotlight! This space is dedicated to showcasing innovative campaigns that redefine customer engagement, and we're excited to kick things off with a look at Shake Shack's recent Congestion Pricing campaign. In response to New Yorkers grappling with the challenges of congestion pricing, Shake Shack launched a clever initiative that resonates with the local community. The campaign features a $9 Combo meal deal, perfectly mirroring the new toll price, which includes a delicious ShackBurger and fries. What makes this campaign particularly creative is its real-time execution and use of geo-segmentation. By targeting customers in areas affected by congestion pricing, Shake Shack effectively drives engagement and encourages high-value actions—specifically, placing orders through their kiosks or mobile app. This approach enhances the customer experience and fosters a sense of connection between the brand and its patrons. 🗣️Now, we want to hear from you! Share your spotted creative campaigns this month and let’s inspire each other with fresh ideas.Any new creative holiday campaigns you love?
Hello Creative Collective! As the holiday season approaches, we want to hear from you! Are there any new creative holiday campaigns that you absolutely love? Whether it’s an innovative approach, a standout design, or a unique message, we’d love to see what’s inspiring you this year. I love this new one from e.l.f. - e.l.f. Cosmetics has launched its ‘eyes. lips. face. fandom.’ campaign, featuring actors Joey King and Lucien Laviscount. This campaign highlights the brand’s top-selling 'Power Grip Primer (PGP)' through a relatable and competitive narrative that resonates with audiences. King and Laviscount star as "opposing figures in a playful hometown playoff scenario—meeting the parents on game day while supporting rival teams." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4icy6vu2R4o Share your favorites in the comments below, and let’s discuss what makes them stand out. This is a great opportunity to gather ideas and inspiration as we all gear up for the festive season! Looking forward to your thoughts! 🌟Welcome to the Creative Collective! Intros & Creative Superpowers 🦸 🦸♀️
On behalf of the 427° Innovation Lab, we’re thrilled to have you join our Creative Collective, a vibrant online community dedicated to exploring and sharing groundbreaking strategies in customer engagement. This is a space where creativity knows no bounds, and we encourage each of you to dive in, share your ideas, and connect with fellow innovators. Want a taste of what the lab cooks up? Check out Melting Points AI: New Flavors of Creativity. Let's get to know our community - Sound off in the comments with: Name Location What's your creative superpower?Highlights from the 427 Innovation Lab: Learn from Panera Bread and KFC
What happens at 427° degrees? A transformation occurs at 427° Celsius: metals become pliable, opening up endless possibilities to merge separate entities into something novel and extraordinary—often greater than the sum of its parts. Braze launched the 427° Innovation Lab on April 27, 2023 to cater to the growing demand for innovative customer experiences and empower brands to turn ideas into reality through technology. Our vision is to blend data and technology with creativity to forge "Absolutely Engaging Brands" and usher in a new era of creativity in customer engagement. This effort began as the art of the possible with Melting Points: Where Creativity Meets Technology. Today, through our Brazestorming workshops, we team up with customers and partners to ignite sparks of creativity and transform great ideas into captivating multi-channel campaigns. We’re excited to share our first creativity roundup featuring a quick set of brilliant use cases. From ✨Sparks to Campaigns 🔥 1. Panera Bread Reveals What Era You Are In In April 2024, Panera ushered in a new era featuring an exciting menu reboot. Are you in your “Grains on Grains” era? Or perhaps your “Bread Bowl” era? Conceived during a creative brainstorming session with the Braze 427° Innovation Lab, the “You're in Your ___ Era” campaign delivers a unique era-personality based on your purchasing behavior and suggests new menu items just for you. With this exciting brand evolution, Panera Bread transcends the transactional, enhancing the brand experience and fostering more meaningful customer relationships. 2. KFC India’s Gamified “Bucket It” Challenge KFC India aimed to boost engagement and conversions on their mobile app with a fun, gamified campaign called "Bucket It." The campaign, promoted through email, push notifications, and in-app messages, invites users to catch flying chicken filets in a bucket to win rewards like free menu items and discounts. To learn more and see the results, check out the full story. Final Thoughts Feeling inspired and ready to learn more? Download this year’s guide: Melting Points AI: New Flavors of Creativity. Or, check out our Innovation Lab Webinar: Melting Points AI Use Cases.Happy Holidays from the Creative Collective! 🎉
Hi Creative Collective 🤩, As we approach the end of the year, I want to thank each of you for being a part of our community. We wish you all a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year! As we reflect on the past year, here are some valuable resources we’ve shared: Melting Points AI: New Flavors of Creativity How to Speak the Love Language of Loyalty Highlights from the 427 Innovation Lab: Learn from Panera Bread and KFC Retain Your Holiday Customers Into the New Year and Beyond Looking ahead to 2024, we’re excited to focus on growing our community and hosting in-person events around the globe! If you’re interested in meeting up and connecting with fellow creatives, please let us know—we’d love to hear from you! Thank you once again for your contributions this year. Here’s to a fantastic New Year filled with creativity and collaboration!
About Creative Collective
This group is a space for innovators to explore and share creative strategies that push the boundaries of customer engagement.
Open Group
Members
- MartyMercadoJoined February 10, 2025
maryaguiJoined February 10, 2025
AnneSchultheisJoined February 09, 2025
shrimpmom13Joined January 16, 2025- zachdornerJoined January 06, 2025