Newsworks Planning Awards

Agency: Initiative UK Client: Audible Campaign: Your Perfect Running Partner Category: Best newsbrands campaign 1.

2. 3. Executive summary By partnering with the London Evening Standard we cemented the association between Audible and running, positioning Audible as the perfect running partner. Bespoke research with Runner’s World proved that running with audiobooks was more enjoyable and improved performance, but we needed a newsbrand partner to communicate this to the masses. With established links with the London Marathon, London Evening Standard was the obvious choice. As London Evening Standard’s key sponsor of run2work day, the campaign received extensive editorial coverage across both in-paper and online, reinforcing Audible’s credibility within the running arena. 3,500 sign-ups for run2work, each receiving a free Audible download 14 pages of editorial and numerous mentions in print, online, Facebook and Twitter 600,00 page impressions on eveningstandard.co.uk newly created running hub

Background and objectives At the centre of our strategy was the idea Audible.co.uk is the leading online store for that listening to audiobooks while running audiobooks with over 100,000 audiobooks not only improved enjoyment but was also available to download. beneficial for performance. Most consumers know what audiobooks are, Bespoke research from Runner’s World gave but (up until now) hadn’t found a place for us the credibility to back up our claims, but them in their everyday lives. we needed a major newsbrand to take this Our planning priority was to drive audiobook message out to the masses and help us find a trial, but we knew this could only take place if place in the public consciousness. we educated the public about the benefits of We chose the London Evening Standard due audiobooks. to: 4. Reach 7. Phase two 5. Influence We knew that to reach a wider audience 6. Links to the London Marathon and we’d have to partner with a major media run2work day owner. Insight The London Evening Standard stood out as a A research article had challenged the clear choice for three reasons: accepted wisdom that music was the best Voice of London partner for running – due to the often- The London Evening Standard has long- changing beat. Feedback from our client established links to the London Marathon – suggested that this wasn’t a problem for the highlight of the UK running calendar. audiobooks. Joining forces with the London Evening This led us to suspect that recreational Standard placed Audible’s running message runners could be an as-yet untapped market at the heart of the action. for audiobooks. If only we could prove that Influence runners found them not only enjoyable but Renowned for championing worthy causes, also, crucially, beneficial for their the London Evening Standard has influenced performance, we’d be on to a winner. government agenda and policy, and We explored this theory with bespoke galvanised the public. With the London research commissioned with UK’s leading Evening Standard editorial team already running title, Runner’s World. supporting the new consumer-led run2work We recruited a panel of 400 trialists, gave day, sponsoring this event offered Audible them a free audiobook credit and asked them the ideal platform to cement its credibility to incorporate Audible in to their training with runners. routine for one month. Pre-and post-research The run2work movement aimed to persuade was carried out to measure the impact of thousands of people to ‘run to work’, instead audiobooks on enjoyment and running of driving or using public transport. performance. Coincidentally, the London Evening Standard The results were astounding! Not only did was at that time looking for a commercial trialists find listening to audiobooks more partner, making it the perfect match. enjoyable, but they also found it made them Reach run further and more regularly. With a readership of almost 2m, the London We were right. Audible is the perfect running Evening Standard was a platform from which partner. Audible could broadcast its message, beyond the niche running community. The plan On your marks… Phase one Capitalising on the editorial noise and general interest in the London Marathon we Building on our existing relationship with launched our newspaper campaign in the Runner’s World, we sought to convert the days preceding the run. We ran a series of title’s existing online community of running teaser display adverts, each highlighting a enthusiasts to audiobooks. In doing so, we’d different compelling stat from the Runner’s create a group of socially connected brand World research. ambassadors who would, in turn, influence Our tailored tactical insertions ran in the those thinking about trying running for the sports section against London Marathon first time. editorial building a positive association between Audible and running. Fig two. Olympian Liz Yelling promoting run2work day – editorial tailed with “To register for run2work and claim your free Audible download, go to run2work.com” It’s a date! To broadcast the launch of the first run2work day on June 4, activity culminated in an eight- page newspaper pull-out, social media support, online commercial and editorial coverage and vendor bills. All this activity Fig one. Paid-for display advertising in the reinforced the association between running London Evening Standard and Audible, using audiobook downloads as Get set… an incentive to sign up for the event. Audible was announced as the London Evening Standard’s partner for run2work in the days preceding the London Marathon. All participants were offered a free Audible download to entice them to take part and entertain them during their run. Go! The London Evening Standard editorial team were wholeheartedly committed to supporting the run2work movement. Across a massive 14 pages of editorial in the London Evening Standard in paper and online (in a newly created running channel) the benefits of running and listening to audiobooks were conveyed to the public. With well-known personalities, the leading running authority, politicians and athletes behind run2work, Audible gained additional awareness and positive association. Fig five. Runners World - Home page Fig three. run2work centre spread of eight- carousel, June session challenges page pull-out, including ‘what audiobooks the ES team were listening to while running’ Social media Involving the enthusiasts Interest in the run2work day reached far ‘Run Hub’ is an interactive running channel beyond the London Evening Standard, giving on runnersworld.co.uk that enables users to Audible a voice across the social sphere – log runs, join groups, diarise training from Men’s Health and Runner’s World schedules, share information and take part in through to Sonic Shock and Watch My Wallet new challenges every month. (to name but a few). The Runner’s World editorial team tasked members with doing the ‘Audible Challenge for June’ to encourage involvement with and awareness of run2work day.

Fig four. Home page carousel, spring Fig six; PR generated through Midas PR challenges Results Our campaign aimed to: a. Drive trial of Audible audiobooks Over 3,500 people signed up to the those trainers and take to the capital’s run2work day and received a free streets,” in support of run2work. Audible download b. Increase awareness of the benefits of Client view audiobooks and how they can be “Audible was looking to educate people incorporated in to daily routine about the benefits of audiobooks when Over 14 pages of editorial support from training. We required a multi-media partner the London Evening Standard with extensive reach and an association with sport and running. The Evening Standard More than 600,000 impressions on the gave us an opportunity to achieve both due newly created running hub on to its wide readership and historical eveningstandard.co.uk relationship with the London Marathon: the perfect partner. As a result, the campaign c. Establish the audiobook in the public was a huge success; helping us drive consciousness positive association between Audible and Almost 10,000 miles were logged on ‘Run running, and positioning our brand as a Hub’ for the run2work challenge powerful and entertaining addition to a daily routine.” Boris Johnson, London Mayor, urged London’s “dynamic workforce to, lace up Tracey Markham Co-country manager, Audible