THE BRIEF
The 2017 Collegiate Effie competition challenged participants to create a campaign focused on IBM Watson®, bringing this new Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to Millennials with a consumer-based campaign.
RESEARCH
Before developing our campaign, we heavily researched everything from AI technology and the innovators behind it to the consumer trends and habits of Millennials. With that foundation, we began our campaign development by conducting a national survey of 327 respondents, giving us primary sources of data on trends that deepened our understanding of Millennials’ thoughts about and desires for AI in their lives.
After making it to the finals we expanded our efforts, conducting another national survey building off our first, this time with 1,000 respondents providing feedback on additional features we had conceptualized for the Watson® app. Once we had a developed campaign, we utilized focus groups to receive feedback not only on Watson® and AI, but on our specific app-focused campaign. We wrapped up our campaign and concept research by employing eye tracking technology on our campaign video in the on-campus eye tracking lab, allowing us to further improve our marketing approach.
CAMPAIGN // WATSON LIFE
Almost immediately after forming our team for the competition, we all knew we wanted to focus our campaign on an app that could showcase Watson’s® incredible abilities and uses in the lives of everyday Millennials like us. The more we learned about Watson®, the more we wanted others to be able to experience the incredible capabilities of AI, and we hoped that an app would be the perfect vehicle for this mission. Luckily our research into AI technology and the consumer behaviors and patterns of Millennials only affirmed to us the need for an accessible app featuring Watson®.
(Watch the full video below)
RESULTS // WINNING CAMPAIGN
After submitting our video, we were notified that, along with five other teams, we had reached the semi-finals. Video was the initial submission. Month after they were semi-finalists. Then they were announced finalists. Shortly thereafter, we became one of two teams chosen as finalists in the IBM Brand Challenge. We received feedback on our campaign and worked around the clock to integrate that feedback and further improve our campaign and presentation. We presented our campaign to IBM’s marketing team and members of Effies Worldwide in New York City. Our pitch focused on the innovative nature of IBM Watson, and the incredible excitement that surrounds potentially revolutionizing the way the general population sees and interacts with AI.
We were then chosen as the winners of the 2017 Collegiate Effie IBM Brand Challenge.
It was an incredible opportunity to participate and compete in this challenge. I discovered a newfound passion for a world of technology I previously knew little about and got to practice channeling that passion into a campaign and product. I flourished taking on the responsibilities of creative direction in my team, while also balancing the needs and thoughts of my team members. This competition stretched me both professionally and creatively, and I hope to continue utilizing and improving upon the approaches I learned through this competition.
MY ROLE
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
I was integral in the main concept development of creating a non-intimidating and extremely useful app a Millennial could see themselves using on a day-to-day basis. I also developed the big idea of "Watson Augments Life".
EYE TRACKING // IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
I helped organized the presentation of our video (shown above) to nearly 100 millennials in an eye tracking lab. I lead the resulting analysis of physical and emotional reactions to our video submission. I then conducted a number of in-depth interviews with the eye tracking lab participant to deeper understand their assessment of the video, app, and campaign overall.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR // ART DIRECTION
I lead the campaign’s art and overall creative direction. I designed all app screens, animations, and the presentation deck, along with advising on nearly all creative aspects of the project.
COLLABORATIVE TEAMMATE
One of the biggest strengths of this project was its collaborative nature. I was the creative director, but at some point each of us took on each other’s roles. The lines of manager, strategist, planner, copywriter, and art director were frequently blurred as we came together in complete collaboration for this winning project.
TEAM
