How State-by-State Analysis Helps Brands Understand Target Audiences Better Than Ever

Brands today have moved beyond broad-stroke marketing. Now, they’re embracing micro-targeted, local insights. The result? Messages that hit home—literally and figuratively.

Why are deeper insights so powerful? Simple—hyperlocal relevance drives engagement and loyalty. When you speak to your audience’s unique needs, preferences, and even their local issues, your marketing becomes a conversation, not just another ad.

Let’s take a look at how local insights are already changing how brands connect, along with a few lessons learned from campaigns that could have benefited from this kind of precision.

📈 Hyper-Successful Hyperlocal Campaigns: Hitting the Right Note

1. Domino’s Pizza - Paving for Pizza Domino’s identified a simple, yet brilliant local issue: potholes. Poor road conditions were affecting pizza deliveries, and Domino’s stepped in with a hyperlocal solution. By repairing potholes in specific neighborhoods, they solved a real problem for their customers, while generating goodwill and a major PR win. The campaign not only put Domino’s front and center in local communities, but also made them a hero of the streets—literally.

2. Spotify - Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird You may remember Spotify’s humorous “Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird” campaign that took hyperlocal insights to the next level by showcasing listener data on billboards across specific neighborhoods. In New York's Times Square, a billboard read, "Dear person who played 'Sorry' 42 times on Valentine's Day, What did you do?"—engaging locals through clever, location-based content that resonated on a personal level.

3. Ben & Jerry's - City Churned Ben & Jerry’s created custom ice cream flavors based on local data. For example, in New York, they tracked public transportation routes and social media mentions to determine ingredient ratios for each city’s unique flavor. This campaign exemplified how hyperlocal insights can drive creative community engagement, fostering a sense of pride and ownership among local residents.

📉Cringe Campaigns That Could Have Benefitted from Regional Insights …

1. McDonald's - #McDStories McDonald's launched a Twitter campaign encouraging customers to share their positive experiences using the hashtag #McDStories. However, the campaign quickly backfired, with many users sharing negative stories instead. Local insights could have helped McDonald’s:

• Gauge local sentiment before launching nationwide.
• Tailor the hashtag and messaging to reflect the unique preferences and experiences of different communities.
• Develop region-specific responses to address local issues and build stronger brand connections.

2. Dr. Pepper Ten - Not for Women Dr. Pepper’s 2011 campaign for their low-calorie drink, Dr. Pepper Ten, featured the tagline "Not for Women." The campaign alienated half their potential audience and was seen as sexist. Hyperlocal insights could have:

• Enabled Dr. Pepper to better understand gender perceptions across diverse communities.
• Helped craft messaging that appealed to different demographic groups, with regional variations based on local cultural sensitivities.
• Provided insights to avoid excluding potential customers by ensuring the campaign resonated with local values and humor.

3. Pepsi - Kendall Jenner Ad Who can forget the notorious Pepsi ad featuring Kendall Jenner handing a police officer a can of Pepsi during a protest… This example may be dusty but it’s still more than relevant today. The campaign was accused of trivializing social justice movements and the brand experienced serious backlash. With local data, Pepsi could have:

• Studied the protest cultures and social justice movements in different cities and communities, allowing for more nuanced storytelling.
• Created regionally specific campaigns addressing local social issues that truly resonated with those affected.
• Partnered with grassroots organizations in key regions to ensure the messaging was authentic and aligned with local concerns.

🚀 How RAD Intel’s State-by-State Functionality Drives Results

RAD Intel is excited to continue driving the trend of hyperlocal marketing with our newly launched state-by-state functionality, empowering brands to connect with their audiences on a regional, even district-level scale.  The news is spreading fast and industry magazines like AdWeek, CMO Today and MarTech365 have covered our announcement!

With this new functionality, we’re helping brands achieve next level success, which comes from knowing audiences inside and out.  We built the new State tool to provide marketers with the insights they need to create timely, hyper-relevant campaigns.

Our AI-driven platform surfaces real-time trends from social platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram, enabling brands to spot changes early and adjust their strategies accordingly for maximum impact.

From district mapping to micro-influencer strategies, RAD provides the local insights that modern marketers need to stay ahead of the game. Whether you’re launching a new product or refining your current approach, we give you the edge to stand out.

🗺️Ready to dive deeper into hyperlocal marketing?

Get a demo of our state-by-state functionality and start making data-driven decisions that resonate in every region.