Grammy Surround Lounge, by the numbers
Verizon's Grammy campaign began in mid-January 2007 and ended February 12, the day after the Grammy Awards. The site built anticipation and received a steady increase in page views, with the each day of the week directly prior to the awards show receiving the highest number of page views.
On the day of the event, February 11, 2007, local onsite Surround Lounge crews uploaded party photos to the Grammy's site, where people on-site, as well as virtual users, could see the photos within a few seconds of upload. At the height of the event, local organizers were tracking posts every few seconds to the website. The interactivity between the site and the Surround Lounge physical locations drove thousands of additional unique viewers to Verizon's site.
Conclusion
Verizon met the challenge of implementing its FiOS technology and transforming its brand head on, by aligning with key affinity brands such as the NFL, Gwen Stefani and the Grammy Awards. While acting as an entertainment conduit, VerizonSurround became the focal point for many consumers, who later became subscribers, and existing customers, who became evangelists.
The takeaway? By leveraging Verizon technology to enhance interactivity for users with the entertainment brands they appreciate and enjoy the most, Verizon was able to leverage these brands' toward more favorable brand association itself. Such brand association has proven to be a big winner for all involved, creating a triangle of benefit for Verizon, the entertainers who want to engage with their fans and, most of all, for those fans -- Verizon's consumers.
Joseph Dumont is partner/managing director, Questus Inc. Read full bio.