Case Study: Hot Tomato Summer
Case Study: Hot Tomato Summer
I am a tomato girl and I was recently at a coffee shop that has a special heirloom tomato pastry that I had to have. Then I started to notice that this was a part of a promotion by Dukes.
Welcome to Hot Tomato Summer
It’s their fourth year with this promotion (first year I have ever seen it) and it’s promoted through restaurants and cafes in the south (Richmond, Greenville, Knoxville, Charlotte, Charleston, and Raleigh). I love the idea of developing a fun campaign that you are able to get retail partners and social media users involved. I’m sure a lot of effort goes into building the connections and participation with businesses, the landing page, the social media content, etc. but totally doable by any business. Just for another quick example, for our other agency No Revisions - I threw together Summer Camp - worked with our branding team to develop the assets and worked with our service providers to develop blog and podcast content, and had our paid ad manager start running Meta ads. Somewhat minimal effort to develop something legitimate.
Back to Hot Tomato Summer…
Why is this good for the brand?
Not only is the brand making something “fun” to engage with, it’s giving us a reason to care about Duke’s. I mean it’s pretty hard to get people to follow a mayonnaise brand on social media. With the promotion, recipes, restaurant recommendations, and pretty cool swag, this is giving users a reason to follow along.
How did they activate this campaign?
Increased Engagement: Duke's Mayo has successfully encouraged user-generated content through contests and challenges. By asking followers to share their own tomato-inspired recipes using #HotTomatoSummer, the brand has created a buzz and fostered a sense of community. This user-generated content not only boosts engagement but also extends the campaign’s reach organically.
Brand Loyalty and Community Building: By celebrating local flavors and partnering with regional restaurants, Duke's Mayo has reinforced its southern roots and commitment to community. This approach has resonated deeply with its audience, fostering brand loyalty and a stronger emotional connection.
Creative Content: The campaign’s playful and vibrant aesthetic has been a hit on visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. From colorful recipe posts to behind-the-scenes looks at partner restaurants, the content is visually appealing and shareable, driving more interaction and visibility.
Influencer Collaborations: Collaborating with food bloggers and influencers has amplified the campaign’s reach. Influencers bring their own followers into the fold, introducing new audiences to Duke's Mayo and encouraging them to participate in the Hot Tomato Summer fun.
What brand awareness and engagement has it brought Dukes?
Hashtag Performance: The #HotTomatoSummer hashtag has seen thousands of posts, indicating widespread participation and interest.
Engagement Rates: Posts related to the campaign have higher than average likes, comments, and shares, showing strong audience engagement.
Follower Growth: Increased visibility from the campaign has likely contributed to a growth in Duke’s Mayo’s social media followers.
