Fairfax Digital online dating site RSVP will allocate 40% of its marketing spend to online video advertising for the first time, in its April marketing campaign.
Fairfax Digital group marketing director for transactional brands Lija Jarvis said the shift to online video advertising comes at a time RSVP needs to counter new competitors in the Australian market, such as Oasis and eHarmony.
“We’re investing heavily in online video because engagement is starting to rocket, and the creative for this campaign lends itself to this format,” she said.
The “Everyday Moments” campaign, by 303, features unscripted footage from real-life couples who met on RSVP.
RSVP will allocate the remaining 60% of its marketing spend to 15-second TVCs broadcast nationally across free to air networks Seven and Ten, as well as pay TV.
“Expandable video ads are very effective for the 15-second TVCs from the campaign and in contextual spaces, they offer greater targeting [than other mediums],” Jarvis commented.
“The dating category has become more competitive in Australia in the past couple of years with new international competitors,” Jarvis said. “RSVP has been in the market for a long time so it’s important our brand continues to evolve.”
RSVP has up to 1.65 million users and is signing 1600 new members per day.
The campaign includes a Facebook page where couples can post their stories, which will also run as longer
videos on a YouTube channel.
RSVP’s online video advertising will initially run across Fairfax sites using its expandable video format. After April, the brand will look to advertise on other publishers’ sites.
RSVP’s media is handled by Mitchell Communication Group. RSVP spent $1.7 million on main media in the year to November 2009, while it spent $40,000 on online display advertising, down from $180,000 in the previous corresponding period, according to Nielsen.
RSVP also recently launched MyType, a dating site for inner-city professionals where users can only see profiles they are matched with. Jarvis said RSVP would start advertising MyType, which has 22,000 members, from July this year.
Heather Jennings
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