Groupon returns to TV as it aims to reignite international appeal and prove its ‘evolution’
Following a period of falling revenues, Groupon wants to reintroduce itself to UK consumers and hopes its first integrated TV campaign will highlight its transition into a “discovery brand”.
https://youtu.be/ATfc8u2Us-E
The ‘Sensational Summer’ campaign, which will run from 11 to 29 July, aims to assist customers to “make their summer sensational” with exclusive fitness, activity, spa and holiday offers. The ad focuses on how one woman can benefit from all Groupon has to offer, including leisure, events, goods and restaurants.
It will further be supported by social media-specific videos focusing on trips to locations such as a spa, waterpark or gym.
The global e-commerce marketplace, which aims to connect millions of subscribers with local merchants by offering activities, travel, goods and services, has been in decline over recent years.
Returning to growth
Gross billings for Groupon clocked in at $1.47 billion during its first quarter – a rate 5% lower than the previous year. And its international business has struggled as unfavourable foreign currency fluctuations halt its progress in markets such as Europe.
Back in 2011, Groupon rejected a $6bn bid from Google’s to buy it outright and has since remained relatively quiet in terms of above the line activity. However, Groupon’s CMO Seamus Moore hopes the new campaign can highlight the progress the brand has made.
He told Marketing Week: “Our brand has evolved greatly from 2011 to where we are now. Back in 2011 we were more of a daily email, whereas we are now more of a discovery type brand, where we can bring customers in and show them an experience and become a daily habit of discovery.”
Moore said the brand has made a conscious decision to invest more in marketing away from its core US market. And he believes launching the TV campaign now provides “an excellent opportunity with Euro 2016 and also the Olympics coming up to really celebrate the Groupon difference to a mass audience.”
Over recent years, Groupon has rebranded its website in a bid to become more of a discovery platform. And Moore said that there was a need for the brand’s marketing to replicate the spend and innovation it has put behind product development.
“It was time for us [to innovate]. We have done an awful lot of product development in the last two years. Now is the time to go back out and celebrate what the brand is all about,” he added.
“The brand has evolved a huge amount over the last five to six years. We’re really trying to push our customer education to show them that Groupon is moving and expanding and to also show them our value proposition.”
