We’ve got amazing clients. Among them is our oldest, and long-time favorite, Sting-Kill. This little bee sting analgesic that could, has seen the landscape of marketing and sales tactics change drastically over the course of our almost 14 years together.
When we started, it was print ads in Outside Magazine, and direct mail drops. Soon there was a website, content development, and online ads. Then along came social media, upending the norms for consumer engagement, on and offline.
Building on the relevant association between our client’s products and food, more specifically, between the presence of bees at BBQs and picnics, we sought out and sponsored the appropriately-named Killer Hogs championship BBQ team.
Dubbed the 2nd largest “spectator sport” in the United States, competitive BBQ offered a wonderful opportunity for public and media exposure. In addition, the whole social spin is a natural fit, in terms of generating recipe content, consumer engagement, and yes, an integrated Facebook contest.
With what we would call a modest budget for development and promotion, and a generous monthly and grand prize allotment for winners, we amassed a swarm (had to say it) of fans over the course of the summer; nearly quadrupling the preexisting fan base.
Through a few crafty conceptual and executional choices, we leveraged viral promotion and sharing, maximizing the spend and subsequent growth. A big thanks to all involved, including our friend and client from Cornwall, NY, who’s given us a lengthy leash over the years, to do what we do best.
Thanks Dan, Elaine, Malcom, and crew!