CHALLENGE
As a world leader in natural and organic goods, WFM is constantly expanding its global footprint. Most recently opening its first location in Kansas City, Missouri, an unfamiliar territory with an unfamiliar market. WFM needed to introduce itself in a genuine and highly captivating way.
SOLUTION
Working both collaboratively and independently with Whole Foods Market, we developed a multifaceted influencer marketing campaign supported by organic social media strategy powered by hyper local content. This led to a virality throughout Kansas City, creating anticipation, excitement and awareness of the city’s first Whole Foods Market and the largest opening of a retail location in Kansas City.
Creative Direction + Content Production
I pushed creative direction that developed a fresh, Kansas City-centric Whole Foods Market brand identity and created content to match Whole Foods Market’s new hyper-localized positioning.
We quickly realized this content strategy would increase viewership, engagement and sentiment of their audience. With no paid promotion and an audience of only 3,600 followers we far exceeded expectations. Where content previously received an average engagement rate of 1.5%, our custom content quadrupled that rate — with an average of 6.25%.
All without paid promotion.
Influencer Marketing Tactics
A large component of our efforts were based around influencer marketing. We believed influencers would be the powerhouse Whole Foods Market needed to inform the Kansas City community of its opening.
This was not only because of their reach and power in numbers, but the genuine and authentic connections they would provide for Whole Foods Market; being a new brand in a new city.
Influencer Kits
As a way to intimately connect with Kansas City’s influencer community, we advised Whole Foods Market on physical kits to be delivered to influencers’ doorsteps. We wanted this first touchpoint between Whole Foods Market and influencers to be candid
Influencers received a box full of products from local Kansas City artisans that would be featured at Whole Foods Market but also a few of the store’s most popular products. Also included was a printed invite, which shared details of an exclusive, pre-grand opening event only open to business professionals, media and Kansas City’s most premier influencers. This seemingly simple, grass roots tactic allowed Whole Foods Market to spread the word through these active and visible online influencers to over 2.7 million users and locked in 325K impressions.
Pre-Grand Opening Influencer Preview Night
The pinnacle of our marketing efforts was the pre-grand opening preview event — guests were able to explore the store prior to the grand opening, feast on local artisanal offerings that would be featured in the store and discover the unique, custom-designed Whole Foods Market Kansas City.
We consulted with the Whole Foods Market team on what interactive experiences would be most compelling to influencers, push them to produce high volumes of content and repeatedly engage with the Whole Foods Market account.
Our team identified, recruited and managed a roster of over 100 influencers, who were able to bring in a whopping 5.7 million + potential viewers and over 1.1 million impressions to the evening.
