84% of new home construction have kitchens that are either partially or entirely open to the family room. As the popularity of open-floor plans continues, so does the need for virtually silent appliances, especially the dishwasher. Over 70% of traffic in the home is within the kitchen and living room, and KitchenAid believes that appliances shouldn’t intrude on the living space.
For years, manufacturers have used decibel levels to quantify how quiet their dishwashers are, but the average consumer doesn’t understand decibel levels. My concept was pivotal in changing the conversation from a series of vague sound-a-likes to merely saying, “Shazam it!”
Nothing could be more intuitive to power this idea than Shazam. The app is widely known for providing a simple user experience while identifying media. Even more exciting is the app’s install base of over 100 million users as of 2016, providing an excellent opportunity for KitchenAid to quickly bring this promotion to life. My big idea for KitchenAid was simple: Shazam your noisy dishwasher, and win KitchenAid’s quietest dishwasher ever!
KitchenAid wanted the user experience to be as intuitive as possible. With their noisy dishwasher running, users open the Shazam App on their smartphone. While holding their phone within range of the noisy dishwasher, they tap the Shazam logo to let the app listen. Once Shazam identifies the sound, a screen with a KitchenAid-branded pop up tells the user what they have won. The user then would be directed to a mobile site experience to fill out their personal information to claim their prize.
Print ads targeted people enjoying urban luxury lifestyles, using tech, and consuming entertainment. The objective for consumers got them to Shazam their current dishwasher for a chance to win KitchenAid’s quietest dishwasher and drive them to a microsite to learn more about KitchenAid’s products. Recommended magazines included Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Wired, Fast Company, and Time.
Digital ads were placed on tech and entertainment sites, streaming services (including Spotify, Pandora, and Hulu), and KitchenAid’s social media channels. The ads directed consumers to Shazam their current dishwasher for a chance to win KitchenAid’s quietest dishwasher and drove them to a microsite to learn more about KitchenAid’s products.
