Tell us about a time when you used a specific consumer or customer insight to change the direction of a project, campaign, or idea.

Situation

During my senior year at university, I led a marketing campaign for a student-led hygiene product donation drive. Our initial plan was to run a digital awareness campaign with generic messaging about hygiene. However, after one week, engagement was low and donation pledges were below target.

Task

I needed to understand why our message was not resonating and find a way to increase both participation and donations by at least 50% in the remaining three weeks.

Action

I organized a series of quick, informal group chats with 15 students from different departments. I asked them about their personal hygiene habits and what would motivate them to donate. I discovered that many students had strong brand loyalties for specific feminine care products but rarely discussed it openly. I pivoted our campaign to a 'Share Your Favorite Brand' storytelling series on social media, featuring real students talking candidly about their preferred products. I also created a poll that matched donors' brand preferences to specific shelter needs, making the donation feel more personal.

Result

Donation pledges increased by 120% in two weeks, and we exceeded our original target by 70%. Our social media reach grew from 500 to 3,400, with 800+ shares and comments. The pivot taught me the power of listening to unspoken consumer truths.