Client: Steve Madden
Services: Full-funnel video strategy, YouTube media planning and activation, creative alignment, optimization, and measurement
Overview and Challenges:
Steve Madden set out to launch its Spring campaign during a period of shifting consumer behavior and economic uncertainty. The brand needed to reach consumers across the entire purchase journey to build awareness, drive consideration, and convert intent, while maintaining efficiency across media investments.
January Digital was tasked with developing a scalable, full-funnel video strategy that could both expand reach and drive meaningful engagement, all while ensuring creative and media worked together to maximize impact.
Goals:
- Build incremental reach and frequency to drive awareness at scale.
- Increase engagement and consideration through more attentive video experiences.
- Drive high-intent traffic and demand through lower-funnel video placements.
- Maximize efficiency across video investments in a volatile market.
Our Work:
January Digital designed and executed a full-funnel YouTube strategy that balanced scale, engagement, and intent-driven performance:
- Full-Funnel Media Architecture
Activated YouTube Reach, Video Views, and Demand Gen campaigns, each mapped to a distinct stage of the consumer journey. - Creative Aligned to Intent
Creative was tailored by funnel stage, with influencer-led vertical video driving high-intent Demand Gen campaigns and studio-quality brand creative powering Reach and Video Views to efficiently scale awareness and consideration. - Format Expansion for Visibility
Leveraged YouTube Shorts and CTV placements to extend reach and capture attention across viewing environments. - Continuous Optimization
Media was actively managed to balance frequency, engagement, and cost efficiency while reinforcing brand lift outcomes.
Results and Business Impact:
The full-funnel YouTube strategy delivered strong brand and performance outcomes:
- +260% year-over-year increase in video reach.
- +52% increase in average video frequency, strengthening message retention.
- Cost-efficient CPMs across YouTube compared to other channels.
- Brand lift gains across awareness and consideration.
- +28% increase in branded search demand when YouTube activations were live, signaling incremental demand generation.
