CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
2023 Grad Integrated Campaign
THE TOP TAKEAWAYS:
Grew Revenue: Increased revenue across all key categories year-over-year, with a notable 4% boost in Cards.
New Customer Growth: Achieved a substantial +9% YoY growth in new customers.
Site Conversion Lift: Implemented creative repositioning and optimizations for the Grad Landing Page, resulting in a remarkable 31% increase in conversion rate year-over-year.
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direct mail
APP
project write-up
The campaign team redesigned the core cross-category landing page for graduation. This overhaul extended to other key areas like the Cards & Stationery category page as well as the marquee other modules on the home page, amplifying the Grad messaging experience throughout peak periods.
Grad Headquarters Landing Page
SITE
These are a few examples of Browse Trigger e-mails that were sent to customers who took specific actions on the site related to Grad landing pages or Grad product. These e-mails lead with a tailored offer, then feature cross-category finds to incentivize other purchases if the focal product is no longer relevant. Gray boxes represent areas where dynamically generated content would be pulled in.
Browse Trigger Campaign
After completing a Grad collection purchase, buyers are e-mailed this campaign featuring offers tailored to the customer. The e-mails are cross-category to support the one-stop shop strategy and cast a wide net to capture interest. Gray boxes represent areas where dynamically generated content would be pulled in.
Post-Purchase Campaign
Our first customer contact in the grad campaign is typically in Direct Mail. This 12-page Cards & Stationery Mini Catalog opens with an in-depth guide on suite components and personalization options. The 2023 catalog not only showcases design breadth and upgrade options, but also celebrates style and convenience.
Grad Cards Mini Catalog
DIRECT MAIL
These examples highlight dynamic on-load takeover messaging that ran throughout peak Grad season, prompting users to explore the Grad experience.
Grad App Takeover Modules
App
Creative Director: Maddy Hague
Associate Creative Director: Anne Heike
Lead Designer/Art Director: Katelyn McDonough
Lead Copywriter: Shauna Younge
Channel Designers: Erin Molstad, Nidal Koteich, and Sam Onken
Photographers: Kyle Johnson-MacPherson and Abe Holte
Stylist: Kirki Schultz
PROJECT CREDITS
Graduation is one of Shutterfly’s major marketing moments every year, and because of its category-wide business impact, the creative team focused on developing a comprehensive and consistent cross-channel campaign approach that resulted in tremendous year-over-year business growth.
In my role as the Creative Director for the 2023 campaign, I led the team in developing a look and feel that harmonized with the brand's new, simplified, and mature aesthetic. Our exclusive focus on parents of graduates prompted a shift towards adult-oriented spaces, departing from the previous emphasis on the graduates themselves. Employing a curated palette derived from our brand system, we blended elevated neutrals—beige, white, cream, and charcoal—with two shades of our core denim blue, creating a look distinctively Grad yet unmistakably Shutterfly. Guiding the art direction, I coached the team to thoughtfully pair lights and darks, ensuring a visually balanced canvas where products always stood out. To counteract any masculine undertones, I encouraged the integration of curved and organic shapes for added balance.
In refining our copy, we honed our new voice, steering away from a more playful "winky" tone. Our focus shifted towards product-centric headlines and subheads, addressing the consumer mindset grappling with overwhelming and mixed emotions. We positioned ourselves as informed, friendly guides, easing the consumer journey through effective "one-stop shop" messaging—a strategy that proved highly successful in hindsight. Convenience and quality messaging took center stage across all channel executions, with additional emphasis on product features and benefits when appropriate.
The creative and marketing strategy bore fruit, with revenue growth observed across all key product categories. The Cards category, our largest share, experienced a 4% lift year-over-year; Photo Books achieved a remarkable 15% increase in revenue, and Party Decor grew by 3%. This growth extended across all channels, with the Grad Landing Page — revamped and optimized for the new approach — witnessing a remarkable 31% conversion improvement over 2022. Paid Social ads reached a historic high average Grad ROAS of $6.98. Our March carveout e-mail saw a 10% revenue growth, and further optimizations increased revenue by an additional 6% per email in our May carveout.