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 the 2017 holiday season, Boursin knew it was time to seize the spotlight on social and stake its rightful place in seasonal celebrations. Our challenge was two-fold:
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 Q4 timeframe filled with consumers who were wading through a sea of content to find the right inspiration, we knew perfect timing and targeting were key.
Since party planners primarily research online two to three months prior to the holiday, we started early and focused our media spend primarily on online video and social channels.
Knowing online video would be our primary creative tool, we wanted our hosts to see our videos and feel the wow-worthy drama of the first bite of Boursin. Using quick cuts, dramatic angles and bold imagery, each video highlighted the undeniable wow of the creamy, crumbly texture of Boursin. These visceral videos effectively allowed our hosts to take part in the experience of tasting Boursin in an impactful yet elegant way.
The "wow" really began to be revealed when we looked at how our hosts were utilizing social platforms, a trusted source of inspiration. 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. On Pinterest 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.
We applied this same approach to Facebook and Instagram to support our Pinterest initiatives. From here we provided our hosts with even more detailed information on recipes without them ever having to leave the platform.
Using demographic, behavioural, psychographic and topic targeting to optimize content and performance on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, we began to see an immediate lift in awareness of Boursin and likelihood to purchase.
In Q4 2017, Boursin needed to make party hosts aware of Boursin and improve the brand's relevance as one to help them impress their guests with easy yet elegant solutions. For a niche brand in a small yet crowded category AND at the busiest time of year, this was a significant challenge.
-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%
-Digital Plan refinement yielded strong results and resonated with younger age groups:
- Positive movement on entertaining-related brand attributes.
-Q4 Facebook Brand Lift:
-Q4 Instagram Brand Lift Results
-Q4 OLV (Vogon + Programmatic): +6% for aided awareness
