Having a package delivered to your door makes almost everyone happy. And it's something FedEx has been doing around the world for more than 40 years with the help of our passionate, dedicated couriers and team members.
So when we launched the FedEx One Rate service, we took to social media to boost awareness of simple, flat rate shipping backed by the reliability of FedEx. At the same time, we wanted to enhance the overall perception of the FedEx brand.
We set out to create strong emotional connections directly tied to FedEx One Rate. To do this, we tapped into to why people enjoy shipping and receiving packages so much. Often, it's about giving or getting something special. We accomplished this with three social media campaigns: #IWantOne, #ShippingSpree, and #DeliverJoy.
And the people who make those deliveries possible? Too often, they go unrecognized. We received numerous stories throughout the year from all over the world proving the FedEx team members regularly go above and beyond to ensure our customers' experiences are flawless. We shared the most powerful of these stories with our online audience through our #DeliveringThanks campaign to give these individuals the appreciation they deserve.
All together, these four social media campaigns generated more than 40 million online impressions over the course of the year. Each campaign was more successful than the last, and each showed even more the power of something as simple as a white box on your doorstep.
#IWantOne
FedEx One Rate gives you what you want when it comes to shipping — simple, reliable service with flat rate pricing. So, we decided to give people what they wanted — without even asking.
First, we searched social media for words and phrases people might use when they need (or just want) something. Then, we packed a care package just for them and sent it to their door. In the box was a personalized note and a prompt to post a picture of their box with the hashtag #IWantOne.
Ultimately, we sent 152 FedEx One Rate shipments filled with handpicked surprises. One girl named Grace got the surprise of a lifetime: tickets to a One Direction concert.
In the end, #IWantOne generated 7.6 million impressions (80% organic), brought in 2,199 new followers, and connected with our audience in a genuinely personal way.
#ShippingSpree
FedEx One Rate is perfect for care packages. You can fill a box up to 50 pounds and ship it for a simple flat rate. We wanted people to experience that first hand and establish a human connection between the shipper and the recipient.
We set up a FedEx counter in a local bookstore and surprised shoppers with an empty FedEx box. Their mission? To go on a #ShippingSpree for someone they loved. We'd ship everything they could fit in the box, on us, via FedEx One Rate.
We filmed 27 sprees to capture genuine reactions and heartfelt stories. Every object placed in the boxes held significance to the people who received them.
The #ShippingSpree videos generated 11.1 million impressions (40% organic) over the course of the campaign. They were viewed 689,345 times, and Mike's video (linked below) even landed on Adweek's top 10 YouTube Brand Videos that week.
#DeliverJoy
This December, in addition to packages, we went to three different cities to #DeliverJoy. We staged four experiential events in Memphis, Atlanta, and Austin, all the while asking people in person and online, "Who would you #DeliverJoy to?"
In Memphis, we decked out a neighborhood house with holiday lights, Griswold-style. It served as a simple way to make passersby on that busy through street smile.
In Atlanta, we staged two events at Lenox Square Mall. The first was our Cookie Truck parked outside the mall, handing out cookies and hot cocoa to weary shoppers.
Inside the mall, a larger-than-life FedEx package housed the Selfie Box. Shoppers could come into the box, grab a couple props, and take a selfie. Pictures tagged with #DeliverJoy would get printed out on the spot, instantly encouraging social participation.
Finally, in Austin, we held a Puppy Pick-Me-Up outside of a coffee shop. Hundreds of Austinites came to cuddle, snuggle, and play with the puppies, taking their minds off the stresses of the holidays. Instagram and Twitter lit up with pictures, and people were begging us not to leave by the end of the day.
These four experiential activations all served to build online activity. As we asked people who they would #DeliverJoy to, we picked 50 respondents to follow up with and shipped the person they mentioned a gift. Some were small, some were large, but all were genuine, selfless gestures from our followers to people they loved.
#DeliverJoy generated 16.1 million impressions (80% organic) and even trended in Austin on the day of the Puppy Pick-Me-Up activation. Local news station Fox 7 Austin showed up and ran a spot on the event the next morning, completely unprompted.
#DeliveringThanks
Our team members make FedEx run, day-in and day-out. And we knew our followers needed to hear some of the stories from the people who deliver their packages. Last November, FedEx was #DeliveringThanks to our Purple Promise Award winners and Humanitarian Award winners of 2015.
We featured all of the winners on the FedEx blog with a story about how they went above and beyond for a customer, a shipment, or even a stranger. A delivery made through hurricane wreckage, a custom box built for a crystal sculpture, and three separate stories of life-saving action gave our audience insight into the passion and care our team members have for FedEx.
The #DeliveringThanks blog posts generated 5.2 million impressions, and the engagement rate was more than double the average on each of the platforms it was posted (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).
Collectively, these campaigns generated more than 40 million social impressions for FedEx and created strong emotional ties to our brand, our services, and our loyal team members.
