Appleton Social
Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum USA Gets Social
After partnering with Archer to develop the sleek, upscale new site for their Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum USA brand, Appleton sought our help in expanding their social media efforts – namely their Facebook and Twitter profiles. The goal was to build brand awareness in the U.S. by providing an online community where people could talk about rum and share information, photos, and stories about enjoying Appleton Estate.
Finding the “Voice of Appleton Estate”
To take Appleton Estate’s social media presence to the next level, Archer had to first pinpoint the target audience and establish the right content, tone, and media for this audience. So we carefully monitored activity on Appleton Estate’s existing Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as days and times when activity was at its peak. We also conducted a “Social Voice” exercise with key stakeholders to better understand the target demographic.
We used our findings to develop an editorial calendar that we update regularly to make sure the content we post is relevant and in line with the brand voice. Content typically revolves around Appleton Estate events in different U.S. cities, holidays and seasons, pop culture topics that relate to the demographic, and general information about the brand. We also post photos that reflect the brand’s beautiful, sophisticated look and feel. Photos typically include Appleton Estate’s products, cocktails that contain the rum, and events.
Appleton Estate “Sweeps” Up the Likes
To attract more Fans, Archer helped develop the “Be a Better Host” sweepstakes (the theme “Be a Better Host” reflects a main attribute of the brand’s social voice: a well-loved host). The sweepstakes was timed to coincide with the start of the 2011 NFL season and encouraged participants to enter to win terrific prizes (such as HDTVs, Apple iPad 2, NFLShop.com gift cards) that would help them throw the best game-day bash. The sweepstakes was a success, increasing the page’s Fan base by an impressive 18,000 Likes!
To further enrich the Fan experience on Facebook, we created custom tab experiences, including a Locator tab. This tab houses the Locator Tool, which helps users find locations (e.g., stores, restaurants, bars) that carry Appleton Estate products.
For Twitter, Archer took a more active role in monitoring conversations about Appleton and rum. We reached out to users who expressed interest in Appleton Estate Rum but were not aware of the Appleton Estate Rum USA account.
Since the campaign launched, users have consistently interacted with posts from Appleton Estate, causing weekly engagement on Facebook and Twitter to soar. The user base has more than doubled through a mix of organic growth, promotions, and targeted Facebook ads.
