Combining Email Marketing, Social Media and Direct Mail to Spread Word of Mouth
Challenge
Established in 1870, Graeter?s Ice Cream is a family-owned company from Cincinnati, Ohio esteemed by culinary experts around the world for their French Pot small batch process. For the first time in brand history the company is aggressively expanding via grocery stores in 30+ new markets, coast to coast.
Despite making such a high-quality product, consumer brand recognition outside the Midwest was extremely low. The brand needed to find a way to introduce the product to consumers who were entirely unaware of Graeter?s. And they needed to do it cheaply.
Further Insight
At the scale required for the brand?s distribution growth, store demos exceeded client budget. Any tactics to put product in the hands of consumers needed to be both cost effective and engaging. Press releases were warmly received in new markets and some media air time was earned, though no paid advertising was placed in an effort to educate consumer prospects.
As an ice cream competing in the super-premium category with the likes of H?agen-Dazs (but at 50% higher MSRP), Graeter?s is outside the price-point for most new consumer trial.
A solution was needed to spread the word about this exceptional product to consumers at a volume that would keep retail distributors happy and forced to continue providing shelf space.
Solution
A multi-channel Word of Mouth campaign was developed called Graeter?s Fanbassadors. This campaign utilized engagement and location data from email marketing to hand select consumers eligible for invite-only participation. Email, social media, website conversion and direct mail were later employed to enlist the brand?s top advocates to hold ice cream socials in their own homes and offices, with free product to recommend to friends.
Personalized email invitations were sent for potential Fanbassadors to sign up via conversion landing page. Participants were additionally qualified using questions to gauge program interest and peer influence.
Fanbassadors were approved and confirmation emails were broadcast to notify participation and that a kit was being sent in the mail. Direct Mail ice cream social kits included five free pints of product, 25 trial coupons to share, fun party items and brand talking points to educate consumers new to the brand. One marketing piece told the brand story and family history. Another educated Fanbassadors on how to throw their ice cream social and described characteristics of a good WOM party. Three weeks after the kits were received, surveys were sent via email and results were analyzed. Fanbassadors (and new customers signed up for email via Fanbassadors) were retained for future Fanbassador-specific communication and engagement opportunities.
Results
- To date, more than 3,000 kits across 25+ markets have been mailed this year and the program continues to invite new markets and new Fanbassadors.
- Retailer sales lift is up 60% in targeted markets vs. non-targeted markets.?The latest market research indicates new consumers purchased an average of 3.5 pints per household in targeted markets.
- After-party survey analysis indicated 98% of kits were used to throw an ice cream social with 5+ friends new to the brand. 95% of respondents indicated that more than five pints of product were purchased to host their ice cream social.
- The number of Graeter?s Facebook fans continues to grow and has reached over 150,000. As a result of the campaign, visitors ?find a store? section of the brand website has increased 133%.
- Fanbassadors interact with the brand via social media as requested. Stories and pictures are posted to the fan page wall, with great engagement from other fans.
- Email engagement metrics are through the roof. Email with links to sign up, ice cream social and WOM tips see a 77% click-through rate. Emails notifying participants that their kit is on the way see open rates north of 80%. Survey emails see a 67% click-thru rate.
- Lasting relationships and numerous brand fans that love Graeter?s have embraced the program and have been quoted with sentiments such as ?This is a great way to introduce Graeter?s to other people.?
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