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An easy way to enhance sales: Cooperation with bloggers

Case study

Case study

How to improve sales results by engaging substantial bloggers

Report based on the Somersby marketing activities

Cooperation with bloggers

01

IntroductionYou do not need to invest a fortune in marketing activities to increase your brand recognition, reputation and

improve sales results. More and more often, the key to success is to involve proper people who can help you engage

your current clients and potential as well. In social media they are pretty easy to find. And what is more important

they are willing to cooperate with companies which are able to invent some creative and unconventional ways of

communication with their consumers. Who are these people? Obviously, bloggers and vloggers. The blogosphere is

nowadays one of the most influential marketing communication channel as people tend to seek Internet users’

advice more willingly than expert’s. One blogger from the list of top 10 most influential Polish bloggers and vloggers

reaches approximately to over 6 million people monthly. It is the impressive result comparing it to 38-million

population of Poland and to Polish benchmarks. Thus it might be very tempting to take a chance of their power. A

company which seized the opportunity and opted for a cooperation with Polish bloggers in their campaigns was

Somersby – cider producer. The company involved dozens of bloggers in their last marketing campaign and the result

exceeded expectations. After one month Somersby Blackberry became the bestselling beer in Poland, the annual

sales plans were accomplished in 3 months and the distribution plan surpassed the reality many a times. It has been

another year of such collaboration between the brand and bloggers. Now the blogosphere is Somersby’s fixed

marketing communication channel.

02

Few words about Somersby

About the brand

Flavored beer

Brand of the Carllsber GroupDeveloped in 2008 (Denmark)On the Polish market since March 2012

Somersby

Somersby is a brand of beer brewed by the Carlsberg Group, a Danish brewing company founded by J.C. Jacobson in

1847. While its flagship brand is Carlsberg Beer, the company brews over 500 local beers. As of 2001, the Carlsberg

Group is ranked as the fifth largest brewery group in the world. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, it is known

as “Probably the best beer in the world.” The Carlsberg Group’s Somersby was originally developed for the Danish

market in 2008, but since then it has been launched in more than 46 countries around the World. On the Polish

market it was introduced in March 2012.

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Few words about Somersby

About the brand04

Flavored beer

Main characteristicsSomersby

Alcohol by Volume4.5%

Taste variants in PolandAppleBlackberry

Target groupConsumers aged 18-35 who are open to new experiences, familiar with pop culture, and like casual meetings over an alcoholic drink.

Main characteristics of marketing activitiesMain assumptions of the campaigns

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Internetas the maincommunication channel

Main driving force of

marketing activities; wide

discretion of publications

Bloggers

9$

Platform which supports all

marketing activities;

coordinated with the

campaigns

Facebook

06

Introduction of

Somersby Blackberry

How did the company advertise the new taste variant of Somersby?

Introduction of Somersby Blackberry

1Introduction to bloggers

and vloggersFirstly, the participating

bloggers and influencers were given personalized packages

with a lanyard, letter, six bottles of Somersby beer and some

other gadgets from Lord Somersby. What is important,

they were not given any instructions concerning the

publication

2Bloggers as the first

consumersBloggers and vloggers who

were the first to try the new flavor of the beer they could

share opinions about Somersby Blackberry. As

they had no tips how to do it, the publications were very

diversified and reached to wide audience.

3Coordination with

FacebookAt the same time, media

agency ran activities on the Facebook profile – Lord

Somersby.

4Consumers become brand ambassadors

Consumers published their own contents on their social

media profiles on a huge scale.

07

Who was behind the campaign

08

Fenomem

Kominek

PHD Media

Direction

KominekPolish blogger who coordinated the cooperation with bloggers and vloggers.

PHD Media DirectionMedia agency that supported Facebook activities etc.FenomemThe social media agency that supported communication with bloggers and bloggers

The Carlsberg Group

The Carlsberg crew included Maciek Pichlak, Joanna Dmochowska and Janek Rudziński.

t

The Carlsberg Group

ONE

Introduction to bloggers and vloggers

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Introduction to bloggers and vloggers

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Bloggers and vloggers were given a special packages with some gadgets from Lord Somersby

Introduction to bloggers and vloggers

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The packages did not include any instructions of how to publish contents about Somersby.

Introduction to bloggers and vloggers

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Altogether 69 bloggers and vloggers got involved in the campaign. They shared photos of packages on their blogs

TWO

Bloggers as first consumers

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Bloggers as first consumers

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With a complete discretion bloggers were able to use their creativity to adjust publications to their audience. In a result, plenty of offbeat and valuable contents spread in social media.

Fashion blogs

Bloggers as first consumers

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Thanks to the individual approach the product reached wider audience.

Lifestyle blogs

Bloggers as first consumers

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Beer blogs

Beer blogs also spared some time to create a content about Somersby Blackberry.

Bloggers as first consumers

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Food bloggers published recipes for making delicious treats which included Somersby Blackberry or which went well with the beer.

Food blogs

Bloggers as first consumers

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Some bloggers came up with creative ideas for competitions with attractive prizes. Kominek offered Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit to an author of the best „Ode to Lord’, while Antyweb – PS Vita with FIFA 14 for a solution how to relax after a hard day at work. Charlizemystery rewarded an author of the best fashion creation inspired by new flavor variant of Somersby.

Competitions

Bloggers as first consumers

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Authors of „5 sposobów na…” („5 ways to…”) came up with five creative usages for beer bottles. They designed i.e. a fancy desk lamp and a bird-feeder.

Vloggers

THREE

Coordination with Facebook

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Coordination with Facebook

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Marketing activities on Facebook

All the bloggers activities were supported on Facebook profile of Lord Somerby. Consumers could find shared contents from blogs, amusing graphics of the beer with funny capitations. The activities on Facebook generated an extra buzz and attracted new clients.

FOUR

Consumers become brand ambassadors

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Consumers changed into brand ambassadors

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Internet users’ response to the campaign

People loved the new variant of Somersby and the way of communication with the company, so it did not take long to engage Internet users in bilateral discussion.

Consumers become brand ambassadors

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Internet users’ response to the campaign

Internet users eagerly published own contents about Somersby Blackberry, including photos, videos and creative texts.

Results

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Estimated number of contents about

the brand (including the

closed part of the Internet):

3.26 thousand contents

Estimated number of contacts:

2.35 million contacts

Estimated social media reach:

1.32 million people

ResultsSocial media reach (March 2014)

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Results

6,744

25,648

401

899

Media parameters – engagement (March 2014)

6,744Total number of comments

25,648Total number of likes

401Total number of shares

899Total number of mentions from the Internet monitoring

28

ResultsIncrease in the number of photos (February – May 2014)

Rapid rise in the number of photos

In March the number of mentions which included photos increased by 400% in relation to February and amounted to 302 contents. In the next month it went up again to the level of 492 mentions. In relation to February, this number increased over 7 times and in relation to the previous month by 63%.

t

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ResultsChanges on Facebook Fanpage of Lord Somersby (February – May 2014)

The number of engaged users rose by nearly 400%

Comparing periods before and after the start of new product communication, the number of engaged users (who interacted with contents about Somersby, i.e. liked, commented, shared) increased nearly four times (391%).

tSource: Sotrender

30

ResultsChanges on Facebook Fanpage of Lord Somersby (February – May 2014)

The speed of new fans increase doubled

Comparing periods before and after the start of new product communication, the speed of new fans increase doubled. Between 02-13-2014 and 03-12-2014 Lord Somersby got 1,058 new fans on the Fanpage, while between 13th and 31st March the number of fans increased by 2,593.

tSource: Sotrender

February March0.00%

10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

5.30% 1.40%

26.20%

13.90%

68.40%

84.60%Negative

Neutral

Positive

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Distinct improvement of sentiment structure

Sentiment structure improved distinctly after the new product communication. The share of negative and neutral contents dropped while the share of positive mentions increased substantially.

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ResultsSentiment structure

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Results – influence on salesBusiness and sales results

Best-selling flavored beer after one month

One month after the new product introduction to the market Somersby Blackberry became the best-selling beer in Poland.

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Sales many times bigger than distribution plan

Even the company did not predict the sales volume which it exceeded the distribution plan many times.

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Annual sales plan executed in four months

Four months after the new product introduction the sales volume was bigger than it was planned for the year 2014.

t

Some retailers lacked the product

The demand was so high that some retailers were out of Somersby Blackberry after few days.

t

33

Next move

#Friendsie campaign

Another idea to cooperate with bloggers and engage even more people

#Friendsie campaign

34

Characteristics of#Friendsie campaign

Promotion of social lifestylePeople are encouraged to take photos with their friends, relatives, family and tag them with #friendsie #somersby.

Attractive prizes for creativityLord Somersby rewarded the most creative authors with special packages which included beers and some gadgets

Further cooperation with bloggersThe cooperation with bloggers was not over after Somersby Blackberry introduction. The company still has kept positive relations with them. Bloggers actively promoted Friendsie campaign

ResultsThe number of mentions and estimated social media reach

35

Huge increase in the number of mentions and social media reach

The number of mentions about Somersby increased by 750% in relation to the period before the campaign. Between 23rd July and 12 August the Internet users generated more than 11 thousand contents, which reached to approximately 4.5 million people (850% more in relation to the period before the campaign). The reach especially increased in the beginning of August thanks to some bloggers and companies’ fanpages which published information about the Friendsie campaign.

t

23rd JulyBeginning of the

campaign – people start posting photos

ResultsThe number of photos

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Huge increase in the number of photos

The number of photos which concerned the brand Somersby or its campaign increased 15 times. In the first three weeks of the campaign it totaled 8.7 thousand pictures.

t

23rd JulyBeginning of the

campaign – people start posting photos

Samplementions

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SummaryResults of cooperation with bloggers in a nutshell

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Increased number of mentionsThe Internet users have created more contents about Somersby.

Increased social media reachContents about Somersby have reached to more and more people.

More photosThe number of photos related to the brand increased 4 times after Somersby Blackberry introduction and 15 times after Friendsie campaign.

More fans on the official fanpageThe official fanpage gained few fans and the speed of the increase doubled.

More interactions with contents The number of interactions (likes, shares, comments) with contents about Somersby increased 4 times.

Best-selling flavored beerSomersby Blackberry became best-selling beer in one month after launching to the market.

Sales increaseThe actual sales volume was much bigger than planned and expected. The annual sales plan was executed in four months. The demand exceeded the supply at many retailers.

Positive imagePeople positively evaluated the brand. The share of positive contents have increased month by month.

We can enumerate many advantages of cooperation with bloggers. They are the natural elements in the word of mouth marketing. It is crucial for Somersby to get recommendations not only from friends, but also from bloggers, who can reach wider audience. The brand is then more consistent and naturally recommended to friends and acquaintances.

What is more, we connect the blogosphere – we do not distinguish between more and less important bloggers. Obviously, some of them have already become celebrities, but for Somersby each and every blogger is significant. This approach build our credibility – the brand is trustworthy, the brand for me, the brand for everybody.

Engagement of smaller bloggers, who were involved in the huge action with bigger ones, causes a big buzz about the brand. Especially smaller bloggers are more active. They often publish 3-4 publications, naturally making people love the brand in social media.

On the other hand, we encountered also some challenges on our way of cooperation. We had to reassure that each blogger published their contents at the same time – which was actually impossible. If a brand wants e.g. everyone to find out about the new flavor at the same moment, this poses a challenge.

Secondly, results reporting is a very important element of reach broadening. Not everyone takes summaries into consideration, but for us as the brand it was crucial.

Finally, reach which is generated by bloggers is smaller than traditional forms of ATL communication. We need to cope with comparing reach results with cost of obtaining contacts.

”51

JOANNA DMOCHOWSKA

Marketing DepartmentCarlsberg Polska

Brand Manager

”52

TOMEK TOMCZYK

kominek.eskominek.in

Polish blogger

We did not have any unpleasant situations with other bloggers. Everything was clear and everyone knew what to do. However, we went through immensity of work, hundreds of e-mails, dozens of phone calls and meetings, but generally everything went smoothly since the beginning till the end.

When conducting such actions, not only reach, but also a blogger’s experience and charisma count. We did not want bloggers that only presented themselves with a bottle of Somersby, but who would adjust the product to a blog’s profile.

A crucial factor in blogger selection was how a blogger cooperated with brands. I am not fond of people who do stuff routinely, fulfilling very precisely every point of an agreement, and who do not care about the success of a campaign. We selected bloggers who shared responsibility for the effects of cooperating with brands, and also those, who were creative. Many ideas were not mine, but included input from others. I spent many hours with them, discussing the campaign’s strategy.

Another important element of recruitment was proper distribution of power. Except for several dozen less-known bloggers, we had some leading ones, who lifted the action up and later advised those inexperienced bloggers. When conducting a campaign with many bloggers, it is possible to save and draw in 40 average bloggers. And then, count for the result, because altogether they have a long reach. This myth acts as a tunnel vision for marketers, because, at the time of social media, the highest reach is not generated by Kominek or some Prószyński on their blogs. It is generated by the Average Joe, who likes and shares the contents of other bloggers. If you don’t include famous people in your campaign, charismatic bloggers, or the experienced in this business, then forget about launching a successful campaign.

ConclusionWhy is it worth to engage bloggers and vloggers?

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Bloggers have huge reach in social media

The most popular blogs are visited by millions of people monthly, so it is a perfect place to promote you product or service. However, smaller ones are also very useful as their audience might be more homogenous, thus easier to communicate with.

1Bloggers are very influential

Nowadays people very often take knowledge and create their views basing on other Internet users’ opinions. Thus any recommendations, or reviews are much more reliable and valuable than expert’s advice. People trust their favorite bloggers and frequently follow their advice.

2

Working with bloggers is fun

Examples presented in this report prove that bloggers are creative people with good sense of humor. Cooperation with them might be a funny experience.

3

Bloggers are great brand ambassadors

Bloggers willingly share their positive experiences with others. Thus if they like your product or service they can attract a lot of new clients who will become loyal and devoted to a brand.

4Bloggers can inspire you

Bloggers are very creative human beings. They often might come up with great ideas that you might have never think of.

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