It’s estimated that one out of every four people globally will not have enough fresh water by 2050. So the challenge of reclaiming industrial wastewater and converting it into potable water is not simply an academic exercise. It’s real, and in the Middle East, it’s never been more pressing. CECO Environmental believed its FeOxy Advanced Oxidation Process could play a breakout role in solving the problem. And it wanted to grab the attention of procurement and purchasing managers, process engineers, and project managers for the 30 major companies in the EMEA and APAC regions where water shortages are becoming acute.
CECO’s multi-part program was a significant departure for this market. It cast the target audience, long accustomed to working behind the scenes, squarely on center stage. Literally making them the hero of the campaign. The company used both traditional tools like search and social media, as well as a number of videos, brochures and project profiles.
A straightforward, 30-second video, however, got the star treatment in the integrated marketing program. Not a word was spoken in the presentation, which had not a single cut. The camera simply followed the progress of sludge-filled fluid through plexiglass chambers containing the company’s activated carbon product. Before our eyes, the magic of the FeOxy process transforms the sludge into potable water. A white paper nailed down the specifics of the process. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The content-based campaign was a big hit with the target audience, enticing the audience of 4,297 to make 123 social media interactions and 101 clicks on paid search. A total of 34 prospects completed forms on the landing page, with 28 being accepted by sales. That makes the program a box-office hit for CECO, with each sales-accepted lead (SAL) valued at $500,000. And, since the CECO sales force averages a 25% close rate, those numbers translate into $3.5 million in potential sales. With the return on investment making the program a blockbuster.
“People still respond to clear, demonstrable facts,” said Hila Shpigelman, CECO Environmental’s former Head of Marketing and Communications. “And we have the sales leads to prove it.”
