Case Study: One Direction achieves massive fan engagement and up to 55% push open rates with Carnival.io

The Millennial-Approved Mobile Messaging Strategy of One Direction

Nabisco, working with Momentum Worldwide, sponsored One Direction’s North American tour and launched two fan apps (1D VIP and 1D Degree) to reach the band’s passionate millennial audience. The challenge was breaking through the noise to drive timely, repeat engagement across tour cities and lift app open rates after an initially slow start.

Using Carnival’s mobile marketing automation, the teams sent over 300 pieces of rich, personalized content—creative tactics included fake FaceTime calls from the band, geo- and event-triggered messages as the tour arrived in cities, and deep-linked in-app content and sweepstakes. The strategy drove sustained actions across the tour, produced a 30% average app open rate and peaked at an industry-leading 55% open rate, significantly boosting fan engagement and conversions.

One Direction