Borders launches social media campaign

Hyperlaunch's strategy is aimed at helping extend the reach of the Borders brand beyond bricks and clicks to engage users and increase traffic and sales, with the longtail achieved by enhancing advocacy and word-of-mouth.

By building a Borders' community through user-generated content, whilst pushing out and sharing its own content, the Borders brand will increase its online and offline presence. The strategy will be applied to product campaigns as well as at brand level.

Simon Quance, Head of Digital PR and Engagement at Hyperlaunch, said: “The Borders brand is uniquely social and there's a great opportunity to extend this online. There's already a wealth of user-generated content out there and our aim is to grow this and their own content, creating advocacy and engaging with consumers in their own environment to make Borders the market leader and ultimately increase sales."

A three month campaign which launched at the beginning of October will promote key Christmas titles in the social media arena, driving sales back to www.borders.co.uk.

Hyperlaunch will build a network of brand-supportive influential bloggers on book and lifestyle communities across social networks, incentivising them through discount offers as well as access to exclusive content - with the ultimate aim to create reviews filmed for Borders TV and You Tube.

Social network hubs will be used to push Borders content out, increase visibility and engage with users' comments. For example, the Borders website and in-store video reviews will be loaded and archived on YouTube along with advocate webcam reviews and other Borders-related content.

 Facebook will be used to develop profiles, encourage book reviews and to drive traffic to the Borders website.

Existing Borders customers, as well as relevant social media users will be targeted and incentivised to engage through web only money-off vouchers and exclusive content such as podcasts and author interviews.

Borders TV will be used to further build community through UGC, with users incentivised to upload video reviews, also with the offer of money-off vouchers or access to exclusive content.

In addition, Hyperlaunch has created a viral game, 'Borders Book Tower', http://www.borders.co.uk/tower_game aimed at driving traffic to www.bordersstores.co.uk.The game will be seeded by  ViralNet, the viral seeding division of Digital Marketing Group plc.

Nick Atkinson, digital marketing manager at Borders comments, "Community building is an integral part of the marketing strategy behind building and retaining the customer base of www.borders.co.uk. By implementing structured viral marketing campaigns, consumer advocacy programmes and creating an effective brand presence across the social networking arena, we feel we are able to engage with our customers on a really personal level, We see Hyperlaunch as the ideal partner to work with us on implementing this area of our marketing strategy.