Best use of Facebook in a marketing campaign

Did your marketing campaign successfully use Facebook to earn buzz around your product or service? Did your integration of Facebook into the campaign add real-time components to enhance your messages?

Winner: Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Overview: On June 7, 2010, quick service restaurant chain Chick‐fil‐A introduced a new Spicy Chicken Sandwich, its first new sandwich and largest product introduction in 20 years. Marketing firm Engauge helped build awareness through Chick‐fil‐A’s Facebook page by allowing consumers to “reserve” a sandwich online. The campaign included a “Spicy Tab” on the Facebook page, which counted down the days to the launch and geo‐targeted wall posts to specific markets with lower reservation numbers in order to drive additional awareness. Fans were also offered the opportunity to try the Spicy Chicken Sandwich for free. The campaign targeted Chick‐fil‐A’s “raving fans,” who “liked” the chain on Facebook, followed it on Twitter, and chose to receive regular email updates. Many of these fans were willing to camp out outside at Chick‐fil‐A stores to receive free sandwiches. The campaign also included additional promotion through the “Cow Appreciation” Facebook tab and an e‐mail campaign.

Impact: Within 48 hours of launch, Chick‐fil‐A received 1.2 million online “reservations” for the new sandwich and that was even before the chain had announced the product through traditional marketing channels. That week, the promotions nearly doubled visitor activity on the Chick‐fil‐A Facebook page, and the initial wall post announcing premiere week generated more than 1.2 million impressions, more than 1,600 likes, and more than 1,400 comments. During the campaign, Chick‐fil‐A’s Facebook fans grew by over 58,000 or 3.8%, wall posts promoting the Spicy Chicken Sandwich generated more than 7 million impressions, and customers left 3,403 comments on these wall posts.

Finalists

Healthy Choice Progressive Coupon

Overview: Healthy Choice, a brand of Nebraska‐based ConAgra Foods, started an effort to drive awareness and sales of its new steaming entrées line in October 2010. The brand also wanted to increase “likes” on the its Facebook page so it hired the firm Ketchum to launch a strategic “Progressive Coupon” campaign on Facebook, which featured a coupon that increased in value as more people “liked” Healthy Choice on the brand’s Facebook page. The coupon started with a 75‐ cent value and as fans “liked” the brand and reserved a coupon, the value of increased, ultimately turning into a buy‐one‐get‐one‐free offer. To drive awareness, traffic, and coupon reservations, the Ketchum team led a program that included a Facebook advertising buy, media and blogger outreach, integration through HealthyChoice.com, and a dedicated e‐mail to the Healthy Choice database.

Impact: Healthy Choice’s Facebook community grew by more than 900%, to more than 62,000 “likes.” Consumers made more than 45,000 buy‐one‐get‐one‐free coupon reservations, and nearly 26,000 people opted in to receive future information about the brand via the HealthyChoice.com newsletters. In addition, Healthy Choice’s fan engagement on Facebook increased three‐fold, the brand secured more than 238 blog posts and 100 tweets, and received more than 3 million impressions within Facebook.

HomeAway’s Hotel Hell Vacation

Overview: Texas‐based HomeAway Inc., is a vacation rental company with 540,000 rental home listings in 120 countries. In 2010, the company worked with ad agency Publicis Seattle to increase Americans’ understanding of “vacation rentals.” The agency resurrected the Griswolds, a fictional family from the National Lampoon Vacation series of films played by actors Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase. They created a short online film called Hotel Hell Vacation with Chase and D’Angelo reprising the roles they made famous. The Griswolds go to a hotel, have a ridiculously horrible experience, and come to the realization that they should have just stayed in a vacation home. In addition, the agency launched a campaign that included an online game, contest, and a trailer that aired during the Super Bowl. The campaign promoted the Clark Griswold Facebook page and Twitter stream that the agency created.

Impact: The Clark Griswold Facebook page has received over 123,400 “likes.” In the first 24 hours after its Super Bowl spot, HomeAway.com got 4.4 million page views, a 3,000% increase in traffic for the site, and 85% of the visitors were new visitors. By the third week, rental inquiries were up 500%, and by the end of the campaign they’d received $5 million in earned media. Griswold’s Facebook page now has more than 123,000 fans.

Eastbound & Down: Kenny Powers Video Tribute Challenge

Overview: Kenny Powers is the main character of the sitcom Eastbound & Down, which airs on HBO. Portrayed by actor Danny McBride, Powers is a former baseball player known for having a poor work ethic, a short temper, and a uniquely ridiculous take on life. His brand of witty, quotable humor is uniquely well suited for social media. HBO created the “Kenny Powers Video Tribute Challenge” to give fans on Facebook a creative outlet. Hosted by Stevie Janowski, a character from the show played by actor Steve Little, the contest encouraged fans to create tributes. Upon “liking” the show’s Facebook page, users could “mix the essence of a champion with the scent of a hero” by creating mash‐up videos entries. Users were given access to more than 60 Eastbound & Down clips, as well as audio one‐liners, transitions, graphics, and music.

Impact: Submissions were voted on by fellow Facebook users, encouraging participants to share content with friends to rally support. Janowski announced the grand prizewinner, selected from 10 finalists with the most votes, on Facebook in October 2010. The winner was a user named Sal from Florida. To date, the Kenny Powers Facebook page has gained nearly 895,000 "likes."