Vertex Inc

Vertex’s credentials as the industry leader speak for themselves, but to stand out above the noise of the market they needed a campaign that would shout louder than their competitors… and in the right direction.

Over 40 years ago, Vertex pioneered the first indirect tax solution software, and have since become one of the most trusted global tax solutions. Their automated compliance empowers their clients to futureproof their business growth.

However, Vertex found themselves in a cluttered market. Competitors were gaining more recognition and ad spend was increasing. The ambition to create a buzz of brand fame was challenged by a vast global audience and a finite campaign budget to accommodate.

How did we defy the odds and build fame in three of the biggest financial economies across the globe? Our campaign needed to cut through the noise and talk directly to the category, otherwise risk being lost and forgotten.

The approach was simple: Think fierce, behave like a challenger. Act big, locally, and double down on the battles we knew we were going to win.

Our channel mix focused on global high-impact media that would drive our audience to pay attention, alongside hyper-targeted digital investment to maximise efficiency and category reach. Prioritising our activity to 7 key global cities enabled us to create a swarm of activity and give Vertex a presence that outperforms their budget.

Fierce Activation: Making an impact across 7 of the most influential cities across the globe. From Canary Wharf to JFK.

Our strategy harnessed 6Sense data to inform our geo-targeting approach: London and Munich for EMEA, with New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia leading the way for the US. A local approach enabled the high frequency needed to surround our audience with Vertex.

The campaign architecture was split into two halves: digital and non-digital. Leading the fame build was over 1,300 Out of Home (OOH) sites, focused on business hotspots; offices, train stations and airports. Linear & CTV drove further reach, with the hero asset spending six weeks running across CNBC, Bloomberg, and Sky News.

To intensify the campaign’s impact, we furthered our engaged reach through targeted digital activity across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Display. Securing premium inventory across the likes of Forbes, WSJ, and the Guardian, ensured Vertex were visible during our audience’s most engaged moments.

The results? 169M+ global impressions, delivering an added media value of over 12%. Vertex had #1 ad awareness amongst their competitor set, and brand awareness increased by up to 20%.