Case Study: Monopoly Toronto Meteoric Rise to 220% ROAS

180 %

increase in ROAS

60 %

decrease in cost
of acquisition

Executive Summary

This case study is one of those we will remember for a long time, for an obvious reason – everybody loves Monopoly; so do we! Taking it one step further, Monopoly: Toronto Edition is not only the official, Hasbro-licensed Monopoly that celebrates the Greater Toronto Area. It also comes with a great cause. Every purchase directly aids charity initiatives that help under-resourced youth throughout the Greater Toronto Area. This case study elucidates the strategic execution of a targeted performance marketing campaign, driving awareness, consideration, and purchase phases to new heights through innovative digital strategies.

Introduction

Proaction Cops & Kids, the well known NGO that brings cops and kids together in skill-building and mentoring programs, has secured the exclusive rights for Monopoly: Toronto Edition, in a way to raise funds and support 11 vital charities, including the SickKids Foundation and United Way. With a modest marketing budget of $5,000 – $9,999 per month and a lean team, the challenge was formidable. Yet, the goal was clear – to carve out a substantial presence in a niche market, raising awareness around the collectible value of this special Monopoly edition, but at the same time highlight the charitable nature of every order placed for this beloved board game.

Digital Strategy

Methodology

1

Shopify Storefront Reconstruction

Created from ground up a mini storefront dedicated to the Monopoly: Toronto Edition board game, built on Shopify for robustness, speed, and flexibility.
2

USPs & Audience Segmentation

Performed a comprehensive market research along with a thorough brand analysis, to define the brand's Unique Selling Propositions (USPs), as well as the customer personas and target audience characteristics for potential Monopoly Toronto buyers.
3

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and UX Improvements

Focused on streamlining the shopping experience, ensuring ease of navigation and transaction.
4

Performance Marketing

Developed a data-driven approach for ad spend allocation, ensuring maximum return on ad spend (ROAS) with a 360 performance marketing strategy.
5

Creative Strategy & Production

Crafted compelling visuals and messaging that resonated with the target audience, emphasizing the brand's commitment to sustainability.

Digital Marketing Channels

Leveraging data-driven insights, we strategically deployed our campaigns across digital channels where our audience was most active, ensuring maximum visibility of this collectors board game edition.

Google PMAX, Search, DemandGen

Leveraged for broad reach and precise targeting, optimizing visibility across search and rest channels of the Google Ads platform.

Meta Ads

Utilized for audience engagement, leveraging the platform's robust targeting capabilities to reach potential customers on both Facebook and Instagram.​

Email Marketing​

Employed to nurture leads and enhance customer loyalty through personalized communication.​ Delivered over 2600 emails at 71% open rate!

Taboola Ads​

Leveraged the extensive network of news and entertainment portals, with a focus on local news, to maximize reach and brand awareness.

Optimization & Performance

Real-time Optimization

Throughout the campaign period, we continuously monitored performance metrics, allowing us to make real-time adjustments to our strategies. This dynamic approach ensured that we remained competitive and maximized ROI.

Iterations

We have carefully planned and executed on a number of iterations with both creative assets and targeting audiences, aiming to demystify how different buyer personas resonate with a unique product like Monopoly: Toronto Edition. Leveraging the different product's angles (very well-established brand name, board game aficionados, collective value, charitable cause and more) allowed us to explore numerous routes with multi-variant A/B testing, and discover unexpected insights.

Creative Strategy

We developed a range of creative assets that were not only visually appealing but also aligned with the values of charity and community contribution, which are at the core of Proaction Cops & Kids organisation. This rapid creative development process ensured that our messaging was fresh, relevant, and engaging. Learn more about our approach on creative strategy at our Creative Strategy Checklists.

Ad-hoc Campaigns​

Strategically timed campaigns during the Christmas holiday season, leveraging high consumer spending periods and positioning Monopoly: Toronto Edition as the perfect gift for family, friends and business. These campaigns were meticulously planned to coincide with periods of heightened consumer spending, providing an unparalleled opportunity to augment both visibility and sales.

Fast Turnaround Time and Rapid Creative Development

The essence of our success with ad-hoc campaigns lay in our agility - fast turnaround times and the ability to rapidly develop creatives that resonated with our target audience. Our campaign structure for Monopoly Toronto was meticulously crafted, allowing us to deploy our marketing assets quickly and efficiently. This agility was crucial, especially during these high-stakes periods when consumer attention is fragmented and competition is fierce.

Results

The culmination of these efforts resulted in a monumental surge in performance metrics:

Return On Ad Spend (ROAS): Increased by 220% a testament to the performance optimisations and the effectiveness of the CRO and UX enhancements.

Cost of Acquisition: decreased by 68% driven by strategic ad placements and paid search optimizations.

Performance Metrics: Notable monthly improvements in ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and CPA (Cost per Acquisition), highlighting the efficiency of the marketing spend.

ROAS Boosted

by 220% in just 2 months

Conclusion

Monopoly: Toronto Edition’s case is a compelling narrative of how strategic digital marketing, coupled with a deep understanding of the ecommerce consumer behavior, can yield remarkable results even within the constraints of a limited budget and workforce. This journey towards a ROI-positive retail initiative within less than three months underscores the power of targeted performance marketing. It stands as a testament to our expertise in navigating and capitalizing on digital platforms to achieve exponential growth. Through innovative strategies, data-driven decisions, and creative marketing, we have not only met our goals but have set new benchmarks for success in the retail sector.

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Author avatar
Thomas Charisis
Thomas has worked in digital marketing for 11 years in client, agency and client-side roles. Former Senior Growth Marketing Strategist at Ladder (Publicis, UK), Thomas now spearheads Digital Strategy at Massion. Technology & data science enthusiast, Thomas has recently acquired an MSc in Data Analysis & Decision Making.