In 2015, I interviewed for a performance marketing role at Canary. Naturally, the interview had a take home assignment: http://bit.ly/canary2015. Here's my completed assignment is below. I hope this helps anyone interviewing at Canary.
2. 2STRATEGIC PLAN
CANARY DIGITAL MARKETING ASSIGNMENT
TESTING: 9/1 - 11/19, $350K budget
• Establish benchmarks (CTR, Conv. Rate, CPA, AOV) and best performing
channels, refine targeting and ad creative.
MAJOR CAMPAIGNS: 11/20 - 12/25, $600K budget
• Drive in-store and online purchases around Thanksgiving Week, Black
Friday / Cyber Monday weekend, and December holiday weeks.
POST HOLIDAY: 12/26 - 12/31, $50K budget
• Use remaining ad spend to continue retargeting leads on GDN and
Facebook.
3. 3TEST PHASES
Test Channels & Targeting Establish Campaign Normalcy
Run Dates 9/1 - 9/22 9/21 - 11/19
Budget $100K $250K
Key Metrics CTR, Conv. Rate CPA, AOV
KPI Targeting segments and goal ad channels
produce high CTRs and high Conversion Rates.
Best performing campaigns are identified by CPA and AOV.
Goals Establish strongest channels and core
targeting.
Build strength of Lookalike audiences, establish campaign
Normalcy, refine keywords, test special offers and landing
pages, introduce and test additional channels and
retargeting.
Core
Channels
AdWords Search, AdWords Product Listing Ads,
Google Display Network, Facebook, Twitter
AdWords Search, AdWords Product Listing Ads, Google
Display Network, Facebook, Twitter
Additional
Channels
n/a Retargeting, Taboola, LiveIntent, Amazon
4. 4MAJOR CAMPAIGN PHASES I & II
CANARY DIGITAL MARKETING ASSIGNMENT
Thanksgiving Week Black Friday / Cyber Monday
Run Dates 11/20 - 11/26 11/27 - 11/30
Budget $200K $150K
Key Metrics Transactions, CPA Transactions, CPA
KPI Thanksgiving targeting yields increasing
conversions at established campaign
benchmarks for CTR, Conv. Rate, CPA, and AOV.
Cyber Monday targeting yields increasing conversions at
established campaign benchmarks for CTR, Conv. Rate, CPA,
and AOV.
Goals Turn on holiday season messaging to
encouraging "shopping early", collect leads to
use during upcoming campaign, and continue
tests of targeting, landing pages, special
offers, ad channels, and creative assets.
Black Friday: Drive customers to store with special promos
and geo-located advertisements.
Cyber Monday: Turn on referrral and lookalike audiences to
leverage data and behavior of customers.
Core
Channels
AdWords Search, AdWords Product Listing Ads,
Google Display Network, Facebook, Twitter
AdWords Search, AdWords Product Listing Ads, Google
Display Network, Facebook, Twitter
Additional
Channels
Retargeting, Taboola, LiveIntent, Amazon Retargeting, Taboola, LiveIntent, Amazon
5. 5MAJOR CAMPAIGN PHASE III + POST HOLIDAY
Holiday Push Post Holiday
Run Dates 12/1 - 12/25 12/26 - 12/31
Budget $250K $50K
Key Metrics Transactions, CPA Transactions, CPA
KPI Holiday targeting yields increasing conversions
at established campaign benchmarks for CTR,
Conv. Rate, CPA, and AOV.
Post-holiday retargeting targeting yields increasing
conversions at established campaign benchmarks for CTR,
Conv. Rate, CPA, and AOV.Goals Combine in-store and online messaging for this
third and final campaign push, taking special
use of the most active user zip codes.
Use remaining spend to retarget leads and visitors on GDN
and Facebook.
Core
Channels
AdWords Search, AdWords Product Listing Ads,
Google Display Network, Facebook, Twitter
Retargeting: GDN, Facebook
Additional
Channels
Retargeting, Taboola, LiveIntent, Amazon n/a
6. 6INITIAL TARGETING GROUPS
CANARY DIGITAL MARKETING ASSIGNMENT
• Query Keywords from Google Analytics Webmaster Tools
• Demographic data from Google Analytics
• Custom, Tailored, and Lookalike Audiences based on:
• Customer email addresses
• Newsletter non-purchasers
7. 7CHANNELS
CANARY DIGITAL MARKETING ASSIGNMENT
Priority Paid Methods:
• AdWords Search
• AdWords Product Listing Ads
• Google Display Network: Retargeting
• Facebook Advertising: Newsfeed and Right Rail
• Twitter Advertising: Website Cards and Lead Gen Cards
Additional Test Channels:
• Taboola or Outbrain, LiveIntent, Amazon Advertising