Company: Electric Symphony Media
Company Description: Electric Symphony Media is a boutique media planning and buying agency that specializes in data-driven strategies to maximize impact across digital, traditional, and emerging media channels. With a focus on collaboration and tailored solutions, ESM helps brands navigate the ever-evolving media landscape to drive measurable results.
Nomination Category: Marketing Campaign Categories - Industry
Nomination Sub Category: Marketing Campaign of the Year - Culture & The Arts
 Nomination Title: Illuminating NYC: How ESM’s Media Campaign Elevated 'Lightscape' at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Which will you submit for this nomination, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated campaign or program, OR written answers to the questions for this category? CHOOSE ONE:
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this first question: Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
September 16, 2024
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this second question: Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 153 words used.
The biggest challenge was executing a campaign in New York City during the highly competitive holiday season, when media costs are at their peak. With a media limited budget, ESM needed to strategically invest in high-performing, cost-efficient channels while ensuring Lightscape remained top-of-mind amid the noise of competing holiday attractions.
Another key challenge was refining Lightscape’s media strategy based on 2023 performance and the 2024 media landscape. ESM found that the audience segmentation strategy from 2023 was outdated, as many audiences began to overlap and detailed segmentation was no longer necessary. Lightscape’s campaign in 2023 was introductory and very brand heavy, as it was still relatively new to the NYC holiday attraction market. In 2024, the strategy needed to reflect the fact that Lightscape became a staple NYC holiday attraction. The challenge was striking the balance between sustaining awareness and driving direct responses, as the campaign was tied to a ticket sale goal.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this third question: Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 234 words used.
Building on the success of the 2023 ‘Lightscape’ campaign, which exceeded its ticket sale goals, ESM refined the 2024 strategy to maximize investment in the top-performing channels while still remaining efficient.
ESM executed a phased approach to maximize awareness and conversions for Lightscape. The Pre-Opening campaign launched on low-funnel channels digitally weeks ahead of the event, building anticipation keeping Lightscape top-of-mind before peak ticket purchasing period. As Lightscape opened, the Open Now campaign activated digital media, publisher partnerships, and out-of-home placements to sustain momentum and drive conversion throughout the installation’s run.
The campaign leveraged a multi-channel approach, prioritizing paid social, search, digital media partnerships, and video placements on Youtube and top New York-centric news and culture sites. In 2023, Meta channels proved highly effective in driving ticket sales, while digital media partnerships, though lower in direct engagement, contributed to valuable earned media coverage. These insights directly influenced the 2024 budget allocation, with an increased emphasis on Meta and search.
To further amplify the campaign’s impact, 1,000 high-impact MTA out-of-home placements ran across all subway lines, ensuring continuous exposure to New Yorkers on the move and creating a halo effect on overall conversions.
The campaign’s creative leaned heavily into Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s brand identity with compelling video assets showcasing Lightscape’s immersive experience. Ads were served to the most cost-efficient, highly engaged audiences– NYC locals and tourists with a strong interest in culture and museums.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this fourth question: Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of 2023. Even if your initiative started before 2023, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of 2023 only (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Throughout the nine weeks the campaign was active, it generated close to 18 million impressions, over 151K clicks, and 203K total conversions at an average CPA of $0.38.
In 2024, social media shifted from being solely a conversion driver to a powerful tool for engagement and brand reinforcement. While primarily used as a sales channel in 2023, ESM extended the campaign flight in 2024, running from September through January to maintain a consistent presence before and throughout the installation. Although direct conversions from social dipped compared to the previous year, overall conversions increased, largely attributed to a strong search campaign. Despite making up 36% of the total budget, paid search accounted for 83% of all Lightscape conversions, and the lowest CPA of any channel at $0.17.
The MTA campaign provided widespread visibility, particularly on the 1, 2, and 3 lines, which connect the Upper West Side to the Garden– the neighborhood saw notable attendance growth in 2024.
2024’s digital publication partnerships were more strategically tailored, leading to higher-impact placements. TimeOut delivered nearly double the publication’s benchmark CTRs across multiple placements, and Hyperallergic, though smaller in reach, drove strong engagement with high CTRs and extended view time.
The 2024 campaign solidified Lightscape as a premier NYC holiday experience, proving its widespread appeal beyond specific audience segments. Moving forward, ESM can refine messaging to highlight Lightscape’s growing status as a beloved holiday tradition, shifting the focus from audience targeting to reinforcing its cultural significance and must-see reputation among New Yorkers.
- You have the option to reference here any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
| Attachments/Videos/Links: |
|---|
|
