HMV has appointed R.O.EYE as its digital marketing agency to reach niche audiences online.
Manchester-based R.O.EYE, which specialises in performance marketing, is helping the retailer target online fan communities to promote HMV ‘Steelbook’ exclusives – brand new releases and re-released classic films on Blu-Ray in commemorative tins, featuring bonuses such as extra footage.
It will seek out dedicated fan hubs for popular franchises such as Harry Potter and Star Wars, as well as reaching followers via Twitter and Facebook with news of product launches.
R.O.EYE founder Mark Kuhillow
“R.O.EYE is helping HMV reach niche online communities to drive DVD sales,” said Steve Partridge, head of ecommerce at HMV. “We’re using a lot of social channels to educate appropriate audiences about new, exclusive and relevant releases.”
HMV is also using Facebook to re-engage with customers who browse on the site but abandon their baskets, with retargeted and upselling adverts.
It’s using unique technology developed by R.O.EYE that allows retailers to easily transform their product databases into a Facebook friendly format. Products are pushed live into Facebook for retargeting.
“Agencies usually rely on retailers to reformat their data for use with social media channels, but the technology we’ve developed takes that barrier away – improving efficiency and helping them see sales uplifts far sooner,” said Mark Kuhillow, founder of R.O.EYE. “Being able to plug your catalogue in opens up new opportunities. HMV is also using Facebook to drill down demographically and put relevant releases in front of people.”
R.O.EYE, which launched in 2004 and has 14 staff, also works with the likes of Jessops, Harvester, Mitchells and Butlers and Coral.
