Marketing Case Study - Culligan Water
Culligan Water is the world leader in water treatment, and one of BAM’s legacy customers. The company has over 600 dealers in the U.S. and Canada and sells products in more than 90 countries. They use a local franchise model to leverage their local water expertise, as municipal and well conditions can vary from town to town.
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The Marketing Challenge For Culligan Water
Culligan dealerships needed to invest in digital marketing – Google Ads and other performance marketing, blogs, social media outreach, and email. BAM understands advertising history and that some things don’t change — we theorized that an old brand can successfully transition with its core audience, while nurturing an emerging audience that is increasingly spending time on digital channels.
One of their primary focuses was on social media, which allowed them to reach a wider audience and generate valuable leads — not just directly through the platform, but also by brand reach.
By utilizing these digital advertising platforms, BAM was able to effectively target potential customers who were actively searching for water filtration and treatment solutions. This shift in marketing strategy enabled the company to maintain a strong presence in the industry and remain competitive in the digital era.
In addition to social media marketing, Culligan dealerships also embraced various content marketing approaches to engage with their audience. They recognized the importance of creating informative and engaging content that could be shared across different digital channels.
Blogs supported by local keywords played a crucial role in this aspect, as they provided a platform to share valuable insights, tips, and updates related to water quality and treatment to homeowners on a personal level. This concept only helped establish the Culligan brand as an industry leader in the past.
The Email Marketing Aspect
Recognizing the power of email marketing, BAM incorporated this strategy into their digital marketing efforts. They understood that email provides a direct line of communication to both existing and potential customers, allowing them to nurture relationships and drive sales.
Through audience collection and targeted email campaigns, we delivered personalized content and offers tailored to individual customer preferences and needs. Our clients have said that this approach not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also increased the likelihood of repeat business. By embracing building an email list (which takes time), Culligan Water successfully transitioned its marketing efforts, appealing to its core audience while also attracting an emerging audience that is increasingly active on digital platforms.
New Digital Assets
Culligan dealers were in need of a digital tune-up. The brand has run numerous national and local campaigns with BAM standing behind it. As Culligan started to pivot away from the old “Culligan Man” advertising persona in early 2017, we built updated digital and traditional media assets to run through new media avenues such as over-the-top (Hulu and other streaming services) and in-app advertising such as Spotify and Pandora to reach emerging audiences.
Recognizing the need for a digital transformation, BAM embarked on a journey to revitalize their assets. The brand, which had previously relied on traditional advertising campaigns, realized the importance of embracing digital platforms to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving marketplace. In collaboration with BAM, the company launched numerous national and local campaigns aimed at refreshing their image and expanding their reach.
Partnering with BAM allowed Culligan to successfully navigate the digital landscape and adapt their marketing strategies accordingly. The implementation of over-the-top advertising and in-app placements enabled the brand to reach a wider audience that was actively engaged with digital media.
By embracing these new avenues, we not only expanded their reach but also demonstrated their commitment to staying current and meeting the evolving needs of their target market. This digital transformation played a pivotal role in positioning them as a forward-thinking brand and set the stage for their continued success in the digital era.
New and Emerging Audiences Engaged
Culligan was well known by its core audience as a bottled water and water softener dealer — but data from Analytics and Facebook advertising showed emerging group of younger people were becoming homeowners and office managers. This gave them an opportunity to reach a new audience on emerging channels with new messaging about the benefits of FREE water testing and healthy drinking water to an audience that is more self-aware of the issues the water treatment brand is capable of solving
With a heightened awareness of the importance of healthy drinking water, this audience sought solutions that Culligan could provide, making it essential for the brand to connect with different messaging.
The Importance of Data Analysis On Franchise Marketing
Armed with insights from data analytics, BAM recognized the shifting demographics and their specific needs. This presented a strategic advantage for the brand to tailor its messaging to address the concerns of this emerging audience. This younger group of homeowners and office managers was more self-aware of water-related issues and desired access to reliable water treatment solutions.
To effectively reach this emerging audience, BAM embraced emerging channels and platforms where this demographic spent a significant amount of their time. By leveraging digital advertising on platforms such as social media and other emerging channels, the brand was able to communicate the value of their water treatment solutions. This strategic shift in messaging and channel selection allowed Culligan to position itself as the go-to brand for addressing water-related concerns among homeowners and office managers who were actively seeking reliable and trustworthy solutions.
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