Our mission was clear: build brand awareness, drive conversions, and make Ecobee’s presence unforgettable in an increasingly crowded market. Together, we would develop new processes, produce high-quality content, and ultimately, exceed Ecobee’s expectations.
Building the Foundation: Leveraging Influencers and Allowlisting for Early Wins
Our first step was to work with influential creators who could lend credibility to Ecobee’s voice and help build trust among consumers. These influencers were known for their authenticity and high production quality—key elements in creating content that could break through the noise. From the outset, we introduced “allowlisting” on Meta to push influencer content further, allowing Ecobee’s ads to reach new heights of engagement.
To support these high-quality partnerships, we implemented a robust pre-production process. Briefing, scripting, and meticulous review became the backbone of our workflow, ensuring that each piece of content captured Ecobee’s values while allowing influencers to engage their audiences meaningfully. This process transformed how influencers and UGC creators worked with complex brand narratives, setting a high bar for creative excellence in every campaign.
Scaling Success: Expanding into Separate Workstreams and Diverse Campaigns
As the partnership grew, so did the sophistication of our campaigns. Ecobee’s need for engaging, targeted content led us to establish three unique workstreams, each designed to meet specific goals:
Brand Moments: These campaigns were created for major brand milestones, from new product launches to significant promotions. Influencers and UGC creators were central, delivering high-quality content that underscored Ecobee’s reputation as a leader in smart home technology.
Lifestyle One-Offs: Recognizing the importance of relatable life moments, we focused on “product trigger” events that resonate with Ecobee’s audience. From buying a new home to renovating a space, preparing an Airbnb property, or entering a new life stage like becoming empty nesters, these lifestyle-driven campaigns kept Ecobee top-of-mind during pivotal moments.
Opportunistic Initiatives: Ecobee’s audience-driven insights led us to experiment with culturally relevant content, like campaigns around porch piracy deterrence using Ecobee’s smart security solutions. We also tested how Ecobee’s message could resonate with fans at professional tennis events like the US Open, targeting an audience that aligned with the brand’s demographic and values.
Evolving Impact: Results and Learnings Over Four Years
Through our collaborative strategy, Sundae and Ecobee scaled the hybrid approach to reach impressive heights. Working with dozens of influencers and UGC creators, we produced over 1,000 posts and ad creatives. This massive output allowed us to keep Ecobee consistently visible across channels, driving thousands of product sales and subscriptions on Meta and TikTok. The results speak volumes: over four years, we reduced Ecobee’s paid social Cost per Landing Page view by an incredible 75% and held our ground against top-performing channels like search, retail media, and programmatic.
Conclusion: The Power of a Strategic, Hybrid Content Approach
The success of Ecobee’s partnership with Sundae demonstrates the impact of a strategic, hybrid approach to influencer and UGC marketing. By creating dedicated workstreams for brand-aligned narratives and tapping into culturally relevant insights, we helped Ecobee reach its audience at every level of the funnel. And as we’ve seen, balancing IM and UGC allows brands to remain agile, creating scalable content that resonates, converts, and supports ambitious growth goals.
If you’re looking to achieve high-impact results in both organic and paid digital channels, let’s talk. At Sundae, we understand the power of blending influencer and UGC strategies to elevate your brand’s digital presence—meeting today’s needs and tomorrow’s goals, head-on.