Driving Global Event Participation: SAS’s DV360 Campaign

Client Overview

SAS is a global leader in analytics and artificial intelligence solutions, serving enterprises and governments worldwide. Each year, the company hosts SAS Global Forum - one of the largest analytics and AI conferences, bringing together thousands of professionals, executives, and decision-makers.

Campaign Objective (DV360-Only Focus)

• Increase registrations for SAS Global Forum across North America, Europe, and Asia.

• Expand audience mix beyond data scientists and IT leaders to include C-level executives exploring analytics adoption.

• Boost live stream and virtual participation, reflecting the shift toward hybrid events.

DV360 Strategy & Execution

Audience & Targeting

• Built custom audiences of data science professionals, IT leaders, and innovation managers.

• Applied lookalike modeling based on previous attendee lists.

• Geo-focus on US (New York, San Francisco, Chicago), UK (London), Germany (Frankfurt), Singapore, and India.

• Retargeted users who engaged with SAS whitepapers, blogs, or webinars.

Platform & Channels

• Ran YouTube, Display, and Native campaigns across premium publishers (Forbes, HBR, Financial Times, TechCrunch).

• Added OTT placements in business/tech streaming environments to expand reach.

Creative Tactics

• Display ads: “Join the world’s top analytics minds at SAS Global Forum 2025.”

• YouTube bumpers: 6s highlight reels from past keynotes to build anticipation.

• Native placements driving directly to event registration landing pages.

Results & Impact (Hypothetical)

• Registrations: +18,000 sign-ups worldwide (+20% YoY growth).

• Virtual Attendance: +36% increase in live stream participation.

• CTR: 0.68% (2× the B2B event benchmark of ~0.3%).

• Cost per Registration: 22% lower vs. previous year without DV360.

• Geographic Reach: APAC registrations grew +28%, especially in Singapore and India.

Why It Worked

• Video Storytelling: YouTube highlight clips drove FOMO and increased registration intent.

• Localized Messaging: Geo-specific creatives (e.g., “Join us in Frankfurt” vs. “Join us in Singapore”) doubled CTR compared to generic messaging.

• Hybrid Promotion: Parallel focus on in-person and virtual formats expanded global reach by 40%.

Takeaway

SAS leveraged DV360 to drive global awareness, registrations, and engagement for its flagship event. By combining audience precision, premium inventory, and hybrid-focused creative, SAS not only grew attendance but also strengthened its position as a leader in analytics and AI. The same framework can now be replicated across SAS’s industry-specific events - from Financial Services to Healthcare.