Color-My-Coaster Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

Miranda Adams, Jamie Hadwin, Hannah Lake, Rachael Maltby, Hannah Slater, Taylor Vazquez

March 29, 2015

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Table of Contents

Color-My-Coaster ................................................................................................................ 1

Product History ................................................................................................................................... 1

Problem Statement ............................................................................................................................. 1

Overall Goal .......................................................................................................................................... 1

Big Idea .................................................................................................................................................. 2

Objectives .............................................................................................................................................. 2

Strategies .......................................................................................................................................... 2-3

Tactics ................................................................................................................................................ 3-8

Media Personalities ............................................................................................................................ 9

Budget .................................................................................................................................................. 10

References ........................................................................................................................................... 11

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Color-My-Coaster Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

Product history

Color-My-Coaster (CMC) is a subsidiary of BlankSlate Coasters Inc., which specializes in B2B sales of customized absorbent stone coasters that businesses can use as promotional items. CMC utilizes the blank coasters from the B2B operation and creates an arts and craft product for B2C sales. Crayons and permanent markers allow the consumer to customize their own coaster at home.

Problem Statement CMC is the first absorbent stone coaster of high quality that allows consumers to design the coaster at home. Because it’s relatively new and does not have a current Internet presence, the biggest hurdle for the campaign is the lack of product awareness.

Overall Goals Because CMC is a new product, the campaign must look at its goals from a product launch perspective. The following are three overall goals for the CMC campaign:

§ Establish product awareness. § Create product interest. § Produce product sales.

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Big Idea Idea #1: The campaign will create the tagline, “A Craft Worth Keeping.” ‘Crafty Moms’ and ‘Tipsy Crafters’ are from a younger generation (Gen X and Millenials) and will be drawn to campaigns that use tongue-in-cheek humor. Younger women will enjoy the campaign because it will offer a humorous spin on the ‘Crafty Moms’ lifestyle. “A Craft Worth Keeping” shows that CMC is not just your average craft project. CMC will be a product you will keep, love and actually use. Objectives

§ Have a functioning CMC website for information and sales. § Create product buzz through social media followers. § Drive consumers to buy CMC in retail stores and online.

Strategies

Objective #1: Have a functioning CMC website for information and sales.

§ Have the creative team develop a modern, but fun, color scheme for the website (visually appealing to target audience).

§ Create video content for the website. § Put up-to-date and direct copy on the website to explain CMC and how to buy it.

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Objective #2: Create product buzz through social media followers and engagement.

§ Establish social media accounts. § Create a video campaign CMC users will want to share. § Get CMC users to want to promote their finished product.

Objective #3: Drive consumers to buy CMC in retail stores and online.

§ Provide information that CMC is in local retail stores. § Advertise through appropriate online platforms. § Promote CMC during peak seasonal periods.

Tactics

CMC Website Have the creative team develop a modern, but fun, color scheme for the website.

§ Create a Wix website (versus the Juvo Group’s platform) so it will be user-friendly for BlankSlate employees to use in the future.

§ Instead of multiple bright colors (i.e. the current packaging), subtle and visually pleasing pastels will be used so the website isn’t overwhelming.

§ Pops of brighter colors will be used to create visual interest and draw the viewer’s eye to key information.

§ Using a circle motif on the website will mimic the round coasters of which CMC users will become familiar.

Create videos to demonstrate CMC and feature CMC in a mini-webseries.

§ Demonstration videos will be on a separate tab and will be limited to 15-30 seconds depending on the content (i.e. absorbency, hair dryer process, coloring process).

§ The CMC homepage will have a tab where visitors can choose the videos they want to watch.

o The YouTube ad videos will be 30 seconds long to fit YouTube’s ad length requirements, but can also be viewed on the CMC website.

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o For the mini-webseries, the videos will be prominently featured on the homepage to encourage visitors to become involved with the characters and content.

§ The webseries videos will be two-to-five minutes long and will have a recurring theme, characters and storyline.

o The YouTube ad and webseries videos can be shared on appropriate social media, and let followers know they can view more on the CMC website.

§ Tag popular craft personalities and top followers. o Use the relationships established with popular bloggers to encourage them

to share the videos and the CMC website.

Put up-to-date and direct copy on the website to explain CMC and where to buy it.

§ Streamlined and straightforward copy is easier for the visitor to read. § Use casual language to appeal to young, modern crafters. § Strategically place blocks of text to make it easier to read.

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Product Buzz Create social media accounts.

§ Facebook: Create a fan page for CMC. (https://www.facebook.com/ColorMyCoaster)

o Provide information, generate buzz through images and video, promote customer interaction and direct people to the CMC website.

§ Photos and videos are the most engaging content. § Twitter: Create an account for CMC @ColorMyCoaster.

o Frequently post relevant content to promote awareness about CMC, contests and use the hashtags to get user-generated content (UGC) to promote discussion and encourage sharing.

§ Twitter is great for customer service, building relationships, discovering trends and searching hashtags and keywords.

§ Pinterest: Create a Pinterest account and have multiple boards for “fan favorites,” “coaster hacks,” “coaster inspiration,” “video boards,” etc.

o Pin visually appealing content frequently and steadily to maximize exposure using strategic keywords.

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§ Strategic keywords: DIY projects, kid crafts, customized crafts, gift ideas, etc.

§ Pinterest is a great platform for businesses with visually appealing products and/or services. DIY style communities, like Etsy, are successful as well.

§ Instagram: Create an Instagram account to feature images and video of finished coasters (ColorMyCoaster).

o Utilize hashtags and creative posts from bloggers. o Feature best finished coasters to encourage the “Tipsy Crafters” to post

images of their coasters with a designated hashtag. o Partner with craft personalities to host contests for special occasions and

local events (i.e. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Napa’s #SauvBlanc Day).

Create a video campaign.

§ Facebook: Feature videos on the fan page that will catch follower’s attention in the first few seconds to effectively utilize Facebook’s Auto Play video feature.

o Add tags in the description of each video posted to Facebook to ensure search engine optimization (SEO).

o Tag craft personalities and top followers to encourage them to share videos.

§ Twitter: Build relationships with influencers (e.g. top craft bloggers) by retweeting their content that is also relevant to CMC’s audience.

o This will make the influencers more likely to share CMC videos. § Pinterest: Take advantage of Pinterest’s underused video feature.

o Frequently post/repin videos to take advantage of Pinterest’s limited amount of video content.

§ Instagram: In the future, look into purchasing sponsored spots. o Purchase sponsored spots for 15-second videos.

§ YouTube: Use existing YouTube account as a central hub for all of CMC’s videos. o Make sure the videos can be easily shared on other social media platforms. o Include website in information section and credits. o Videos need to be strategically titled for SEO. o Purchase 30-second YouTube ad spots before popular YouTube craft

personalities.

Get CMC users to promote their finished product.

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§ Facebook: o Encourage followers to share photos/reviews of CMC.

§ Offer personal recognition for users who participate. • “Thank you” posts with tagged users and appropriate photos.

o Create a “Fan of the Month” post to recognize top CMC users on the fan page.

§ This will spark inspiration and conversation among other fans. o Promote contests for special occasions to reward CMC users for their

submitted designs. § Twitter:

o Use designated hashtags (#craftjustice, #checkoutmycoaster, #pickmyCMC) so people can show off their finished product and view other’s creations.

o Make a “fan of the month” post to recognize top CMC users to build relationships and reward them for their participation.

o Use contests to encourage users to Tweet photos of their finished coasters to @ColorMyCoaster with one of the designated hashtags.

§ Contests could include recognition on CMC social media. § Contests can collaborate with a social cause, i.e. St. Jude’s Children

Research Hospital. • Participants must share the photos. The most liked coaster

will be mass-printed onto a coaster to be used by the organization.

§ Instagram: Focus on images and video of finished coasters (ColorMyCoaster). o Utilize hashtags and visually interesting posts from bloggers, featured

coasters (the best of the best), encouraging the “Tipsy Crafters” to post images of their coasters with a designated hashtag.

o Contests can include “best design” from a Tipsy Coaster night and the image with the most likes would be the winner of the contest. #tipsycoaster

§ Incentives are based on the contest, but can include gift cards, tickets to events of contest co-sponsor or other promotional offers.

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Online and Retail Sales Provide information that CMC is in local retail stores.

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§ Put logos of the retail stores where CMC is carried on the “Shop” section of the website.

§ In the credits of the YouTube ads and webseries, feature logos of retail stores that carry CMC.

§ Issue press releases to promote the CMC product launch for each new company that begins carrying it.

o Keep the releases on the “In the News” section of the website.

Advertise through appropriate online platforms.

§ Facebook ads o CMC will place a bid for a Facebook CPM (cost per 1,000 views)

advertisement. For every 1,000 views, CMC will be charged their designated bid amount; therefore CPM advertisements are preferable to companies looking to gain exposure

§ Twitter ads o CMC will buy a Promoted Tweet, meaning CMC will only be charged for

each click (favorite, retweet, share, etc.). While Facebook’s ad will focus more on exposure, Twitter’s ad will aim for engagement and sales.

§ Instagram sponsored posts o Currently in the testing stage. Keep checking for potential future use.

§ YouTube ad spots o CMC will purchase YouTube Ads and be charged according to the number

of views. YouTube offers a low advertising price for a high exposure rate.

Promote CMC during peak seasonal periods that are appropriate for CMC use.

§ CMC would be ideal to be featured in retail store’s seasonal promotions such as summer crafts, Easter, Christmas, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, etc.

o Have CMC featured in seasonal promotional newsletters and electronic communications of retail stores carrying it.

§ Talk to store managers about getting featured in promotional publications. Corporate office will most likely make this decision.

§ CMC needs to be featured in-stores appropriately during specific seasons, for example a kiosk featuring summer craft ideas.

o People coming into the store specifically for seasonal craft products would be more likely to find CMC if it is grouped with similar seasonal products.

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§ Local Hobby Lobby manager said that kiosks are determined by the corporate office, so talk to store managers about getting featured in seasonal in-store displays.

§ Seasonal videos need to be created to encourage consumers to buy CMC as gifts or craft ideas.

o Show users putting seasonal designs on the coasters (i.e. Easter eggs, hearts, “I Love Mom/Dad”, Christmas trees, angels).

o In the credits, show the logos of where they can buy CMC if they want to buy them in retail stores or the website if they want to buy them online.

o Feature the videos on social media accounts, and encourage followers and bloggers to share the videos.

o Create editorial social media calendars to recognize seasonal opportunities, even for gimmicky events like ‘National Puppy Day,’ so there will be a steady stream of relevant content to post.

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Media Personalities

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Budget Breakdown

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References

Warren, R. (2014, April 24). 7 Ways to Use Social Media for Your Product Launch via @Onboardly. Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://onboardly.com/customer-acquisition/7-ways-to-effectively-use-social-media-for-your-product-launch/