Yearly Archives: 2015

In the hospitality business, it’s all about bookings. Properties are constantly enhancing their advertising to capture potential travelers’ attention. And in market, they are looking for ways to keep front line employees inspired and driving sales.

Our client, an international brand with over 1,300 hotels around the world, had a proprietary sales and marketing tool that needed reinvestment in order to deliver value. Research with franchisees told us that whether new to the role or a seasoned salesperson, users sought a tool that would let them learn at their own pace in a fun and intuitive manner. Starting with over 100 pages of content, our team re-engineered the overall site framework and designed a new interface that featured an engaging game-like pathway – from sales training 101 to closing the deal.

Launching in June, the site has had more hits than ever before, proving that the “learning-is-fun” cliché holds true – at least for this motivated group.

Did you know Blue Cross insures one in three Minnesotans? That’s almost 2 million people in our community ranging from youths to adults to seniors.

Championing the phrase “A Healthy Difference,” Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota adheres to the vision and belief that together we can make a difference in the state. To spread this idea with the community, they release a report each spring that highlights initiatives taken on in the past 12 months that benefit communities around the state. They spearhead campaigns like healthy eating, education and exercise – Blue Cross MN doesn’t lecture about health initiatives but instead encourages and empowers our community to join the cause in making a difference.

Good health isn’t just for members – it’s for everyone. Visit www.bluecrossmn.com/communityreport.

When Millennials reached the adult age, marketers were curious, confused and even frustrated because they couldn’t pinpoint their characteristics and behavioral trends. A few decades later, those same people consider themselves experts on the subject, and with the most recent cohort reaching college age, they want to anticipate the next consumer – Generation Z.

Every June, Hormel Foods, along with FoodService Directors, hosts the “In Front of the Future” Summit for university executive chefs. This year we were invited to speak on Generation Z in order to help universities prepare for this new generation of students and keep them engaged and interested in dining on campus.

With the oldest members of this group barely 18, marketers have only scratched the surface of their behaviors and attitudes. We may not know everything about the food preferences of Generation Z, but when in doubt, go green, make options customizable and use as many hashtags as possible.

Summer is here and we are kicking it off right with a party on the Fusion Hill rooftop. This year is going to be a little different then in years past – were not having our annual summer bash, but instead a patio series. That’s right – happy hour on the patio. Every month. (Or at least until the weather drives us back inside.)

We’re excited for the season and can’t wait to kick back, enjoy a cold beverage, some local eats and spend time with our favorite people. We Minnesotans only get four months, so let’s make the most of it! Look for updates in our newsletter – subscribe below.

With a brand launch in late 2014, SeaChange Print Innovations has had a remarkable start. While they’ve set up an all-star client roster, they’re also already winning awards.

Specializing in all things print, SeaChange wanted to announce their new brand with a personalized mailer that showcased techniques and a unique approach. And we were happy to help! Not only did it impress prospects … SeaChange was presented with a Best in Class Star Award from the Printing Industry of the Midwest this spring. Talk about showing your own capabilities! We’re proud to be in partnership with this transformative group. Congrats, SeaChange!

As health savings account (HSA) holders shift from opening an account for daily use to leveraging it as a retirement savings tool, they go through a complex journey. A top health services company defined this path with its proprietary model detailing each stage.

This company, our client, communicates with account holders several times throughout the year to remind consumers of the benefits of an HSA and to encourage them to contribute and save for the future.

Using targeted messaging from past research, the 2014 summer funding campaign made a splash – with a greater than 31% open rate and a 2.3% click rate, higher than any previous campaign, the annualized lift was over 5 million, a 150% return on investment. The results were so significant that the campaign received a Platinum Hermes Creative Award for email communication.

We didn’t stop there. After the summer campaign, we conducted additional research to understand the consumers’ relationship with HSAs. Insights gained during the focus groups helped direct the year-end campaign – stay tuned to see if the research paid off.

With winter behind us and fair weather ahead, a celebration of Spring was certainly due. And what better way than to celebrate than with a Fusion Hill happy hour! We took off early last Thursday and spent an afternoon munching on chips and salsa and sipping delicious margaritas with great clients and friends. Thanks to everyone who joined us at Rojo Mexican Grill! We’re looking forward to more happy hour fun on our patio this summer.

Gluten free. Sugar free. Lactose free. Paleo. No trans fats. No preservatives. Ten years ago, most people probably hadn’t even heard of some of these terms — but the last few years have brought on a whole new definition of the foodie. In a landscape of more choices than ever before, many of today’s food trends reflect consumers’ desire to strike a balance between four primary, sometimes conflicting considerations: health, sustainability, culture and convenience.

Consumers these days don’t just want a meal — they want a quick bite to eat, that’s healthy and locally sourced. They want it to be at a fun restaurant and they might even want to take a picture of it to post on Instagram. The way to your average 2015 consumers’ heart – and stomach – is by incorporating these emerging health trends and catering to the new affinity for wanting it all.

To read the full trend report on food, please email edongoske@fusionhill.com.

Think about the last time you browsed an article online or in a magazine. Did you read the complete text? Or were your eyes drawn to quick-read graphics? If you answered the latter, you’re not alone. The rise of the internet and social media have transformed the way people seek and digest information. And regardless of topic or medium, we’re increasingly attracted to – and expecting – infographics.

At Fusion Hill, we’ve been turning raw information into quick-hit visuals for years. From research deliverables to sales presentations, we know how to transform comprehensive, data-packed narratives into impactful graphics that translate in a matter of seconds.

They’re digitally oriented, diverse, independent, often overweight, and medicated. Teens, ages 13-18, and tweens, ages 8-12, are becoming more financially influential and technologically savvy, making them major targets for marketers.

Teens and tweens are unlike any other population group – unburdened by financial responsibilities like mortgage payments, student loans or bills. Teenage finances, whether they come from parents or a job, are mostly disposable and freely spent. Catering to this group, many companies have started to take advantage of increased internet access and are coming out with adolescent-targeted lines of clothing, accessories, cosmetics, toys and even foods. They’re using digital intelligence for messaging and to spread awareness.

“Today, the 11-year-old is an authority on this digital revolution, which is changing business, commerce, government, entertainment — every institution in society,” Don Tapscott, a leading digital and innovation writer, said in one of his books. Technology isn’t just around them — it consumes them. They use it at school, to get news, to shop, and even to make friends. With roughly 95% of teens actively online, this group is dominated by the digital landscape, and marketers better follow suit.

To view the whole trend report on teens & tweens, please email edongoske@fusionhill.com.

The health care landscape in the US is ever-changing and health care coverage is now available for more people than ever before. With the Affordable Care Act recently increasing and expanding Medicaid eligibility limits, we set out to understand the experience for newly-eligible Medicaid recipients as they are first enrolling and within the first few months of being on their plan—with the goal of making this a more seamless process for all.

We have traveled to the East and West Coast and around the Midwest to speak with 36 consumers who have recently enrolled in Medicaid. While each state’s process is different and each consumer has faced unique challenges in their first 90 days with the program—from experiencing glitches in state marketplace websites, to not knowing where to go to understand the specifics of their coverage—these consumers are relieved to know they are covered should a health emergency arise.

Anyone can throw out a bunch of statistics about bounce rate, unsubscribes and page hits – but what do they actually mean? Metrics in marketing campaigns, also known as key performance indicators (KPIs), not only tell you a lot about your consumers – engagement level, preferences, channel utilization – but they can be a powerful tool to increase revenue as well.

This summer we launched a lead nurture campaign for a major health care company. Using a data analytics strategy, more than 500 pieces of unique content and personalized URLs, it has generated $4.9 million in closed/won business to-date and has influenced pipeline worth more than $106 million.

In another recent project, we developed a cross-media campaign using both print and email to educate consumers on ways to save money on preventive health screenings. With personalized mailers, emails and webpages, the open rate soared to 20.25%, an 18% increase from standard consumer health campaigns. Those clicks translated into higher enrollment and savvier consumers, which is good for everybody’s wallet.

Setting campaign goals and KPIs are important, but most critical is the tracking and analysis. Remember, the numbers mean nothing unless you use them to 1. convert leads into sales and 2. improve next time.

So how will you optimize your next campaign? Start and finish with metrics.