The non-profit split its media investment between two cohorts: consumers 55 and older, who demonstrate high familiarity and affinity for the brand, and a 35-to-54 audience with lower awareness of its modern identity.
The older segment is being served lower-funnel messaging designed to drive membership and donations, while the younger cohort is targeted with upper-funnel brand education, aimed at reframing Consumer Reports as an advocacy-oriented nonprofit rather than a legacy magazine brand.
“We have the gift of tremendously high awareness and affinity among older people,” El Khatib said. “Where we need to focus is moving people down the funnel and bringing younger audiences into the fold.”
The campaign is running in eight test markets, with placements optimized based on search, social, and household income data, according to Evans. Several of the placements will incorporate contextual relevance, such as promoting its protein powder exposé in gyms and its toy recall reporting in OOH mall displays.
