Objectives

A global powerhouse synonymous with entertaining, Boursin wasn't getting invited to American parties. For years, it suffered from relatively low awareness and penetration in the cluttered U.S. cheese category. But we knew it had all the makings of a star. This creamy, crumbly, indulgent gourmet cheese presented in refined silver foil packaging also happens to be incredibly delicious. It had the perfect traits to singlehandedly elevate American cheese plates. The big question: How could we catch the attention of party hosts on social media and turn them into Boursin believers?

Heading into 2017, Boursin knew it was time to seize the spotlight on Pinterest and stake its rightful place in seasonal celebrations. Our challenge was two-fold:

• 1. Boursin was born to entertain–but gourmet cheese can be intimidating. We needed to be seen as the impressively easy way to impress your guests all year round.
• 2. Q4 is the most crowded time of the year. It's a time when brands are desperately seeking consumers. BUT we also knew it was the time our hosts were desperately seeking inspiration via Pinterest and that they craved ideas to help them score during each of their upcoming holiday festivities. We needed to shine brightly among the sea of holiday sameness.

Strategy and Execution

Our idea was clear. For guests and hosts alike, Boursin was Made To Wow.

As an irresistibly delicious cheese that happens to be shrouded in a gorgeous silver foil, many hosts report feeling "fancy" by simply opening the box. We set out to clearly show how Boursin elevates every appetizer and cheese plate, guaranteeing a successful celebration every time.

Given the cluttered shelf space of the gourment cheese category, we knew perfect timing and targeting were key. Since party planners primarily research online two to three months prior to holidays, we started early and focused our media spend primarily on social channels, which are a trusted source for inspiration.

As the premier social platform for all things entertaining, we set our sights on becoming the star of Pinterest. It was a natural choice: food is a top category on the platform with 3 billion food and drink ideas saved in the past year alone. We sent seasonally relevant inspiration into our hosts' world. Deceivingly simple and ultimately elegant, the recipes encourage party hosts to bring Boursin to their next party, going beyond the expected–and if they already know Boursin, to expand how they might use it.

Instead of focusing solely on traditional usages, we branched out beyond appetizers and cheese plates. At Thanksgiving, we inspired with inventive ways to glam up leftovers by hosting a post-Thanksgiving leftover soiree. For December holidays, puff pastry with Boursin filling re-imagined a traditional tart. Each pin gave consumers the "wow" they were looking for in a way they were sure to find.

Using demographic, behavioral, psychographic and topic targeting to optimize content and performance on Pinterest we began to see an immediate lift in awareness of Boursin and likelihood to purchase.

Results

2017 was a record volume year for the following reasons:

-Boursin experienced directional increases in overall brand awareness, consideration and claimed purchase.

-Boursin maintained it's spot amongst the top 4 taking the lead over some competitors

-Increased total brand awareness to 54%

Boursin received positive movement on the following entertaining-related brand attributes:

• Good for a variety of uses and occasions
• Is a brand for someone like me
• I am proud to serve for special occasions

Media