January 2013 Small business-themed Web series helps drive extra sales Client social networks. Marketing and Hiscox USA (New York) PR trades and general consum- PR agency er outlets were also pitched. Prosek Partners (New York) Campaign RESULTS Leap Year season two Hoffmann says general con- Duration sumer surveys conducted in Q3 February-September 2012 2011 and Q3 2012 revealed Budget aided brand awareness nearly $400,000 doubled. The campaign also contributed to a 35% increase in product quotes viewed and In summer 2011, Hiscox and products purchased online dur- its long-time agency Prosek The second season of Web series Leap Year attracted 2.3 million ing the same time period. viewers during its initial 10-week run from June 18 to August 20 Partners (formerly CJP Com- Brand impressions across munications), launched an social media, traditional media, original Web series called “The storyline grows in the business scenarios and men- and all video channels hit 321 Leap Year as part of a larger same way many of our target tioned general types of insur- million, up from 105 million marketing campaign to audience’s businesses grow,” ance that could help. for season one. Comparing drive awareness of the com- explains Hoffmann. Various entrepreneurs and seasons one and two, Twitter pany’s new small business Strategic partnerships, social startup experts, including Red- impressions skyrocketed from 6 insurance products. media engagement, media rela- dit cofounder Alexis Ohanian million to 24 million, and Face- The series explored chal- tions, and attendance at the and TechCrunch reporter Ryan book impressions more than lenges facing first-time entre- Mashable Connect conference Lawler, appeared in episodes doubled to 5.3 million. preneurs – issues Hiscox’s helped promote the new season. and promoted the show on Season two also netted 25,000 insurance products can help their social networks. new followers across Facebook, with. Following on its suc- TACTICS Seven high-profile entre- Twitter, Tumblr, GetGlue, cess, a 10-episode second sea- Season two was announced preneurs, such as Klout’s Joe Chill, and Pinterest for a total of son premiered this year. on Leap Day (February 29) to Fernandez, participated in My 55,000. Total views of both sea- “With season one we entertainment, small business, Startup Story video interviews sons to date exceed 8 million. reached goals in terms of and tech media, as well as blog- that were posted to YouTube During its original 10-week awareness and building our gers and the general media. and the Leap Year microsite. run, season two pulled in 2.3 social networks,” says His- The trailer premiered May 4 Actors Steven Weber and million views, up from 2.2 mil- cox’s head of US communica- at Mashable Connect during Eliza Dushku – who appear in lion from the first season. tions Hunter Hoffmann. a panel discussion with Mash- the series – promoted it on their A total of 56 stories ran, up “The second season gave able executive Adam Ostrow. from 35 last year, in outlets us an opportunity to build Conference gift bags included such as VentureBeat, The New on that momentum and branded T-shirts with a QR York Observer, and USA Today. insert more Hiscox branding code linking to the trailer video. through media relations.” Episodes aired online weekly FUTURE June 18 to August 20 on out- Hiscox and Prosek Partners STRATEGY lets including YouTube, Hulu, will continue working together. The season two plot follows Vimeo, Hiscox’s Facebook A third season of Leap Year is five main characters, who page, and a Leap Year microsite. under consideration. received startup funding in the Hoffmann wrote regular posts Tanya Lewis first season, as they work to on Hiscox’s blog that connected On social networks, actress bring a product to market. season two plot points to real Eliza Dushku plugged the show Reprinted from January 2013.