Campbell’s Soup and Netnography
Campbell’s Soup is a well-established brand that has been around for over 150 years. Its nostalgic taste and smell remind consumers of the past and simpler times. In the early 2000s, Campbell Soup was attempting to renovate its online website and community with the intention of creating a space that was easier for consumers to enjoy and use regularly. Campbell hoped that a better platform would encourage consumers to purchase more Campbell Soup and Campbell products. However, Campbell discovered that its use of marketing intelligence in the form of surveys and focus groups was failing to provide helpful information to aid in the discussion of the falling popularity of Campbell Soup. As Campbell’s manager of consumer insights for Campbell stated, “We used to be really relevant with consumers around meal planning, and we became less so over time” (Ciara O’Connell). Campbell knew that the way consumers were interacting with one another and finding out new information was changing due to the internet and the globalization of the technological industry. Instead of remaining with traditional attempts at revealing the tastes and preferences of consumers, Campbell decided to invest in nethnography.
Netnography
Netnography is the action of observing a group of consumers online on different platforms. A company can have the creative freedom to investigate its specific target market on various websites and media to unveil how consumers behave and what they look for in their daily lives.
Campbell and Netnography
Campbell used netnography on different social media platforms. Campbell analyzed how different consumers interacted with each other by swapping recipes and specifically analyzed soup recipes. Campbell wanted to understand the changing preferences of consumers and how Campbell could fit into an everyday lifestyle. Campbell unveiled a vast array of daily interactions between consumers regarding different recipes and meal planning. They investigated other competitor brands and listened to bloggers’ and vloggers’ opinions and day-to-day life.
The Results
After Campbell’s extensive netnography research, the team created different lists to examine areas of opportunity, failed attempts at connecting with consumers, target market, and areas for change. The company used these tools and the knowledge from its research to create an all-new engaging website for Campbell. The website directly catered to the new tastes and preferences of consumers that Campbell observed from its use of netnography. Campbell added new information features, including meal planning, tips for busy people, portion control, and meals by mood. Campbell also created a family-oriented feel for consumers to enjoy browsing its website. With the emphasis on the consumer for its new website, Campbell succeeded in increasing consumer interaction and purchases within its brand. “Unique monthly visitors shot up from 120,000 before the main relaunch in October 2008 to more than one million by January 2009” (QuantCast). Campbell’s commitment to marketing intelligence through netnography proved its willingness to adapt to meet its consumers’ changing tastes and preferences, specifically as technological advancements continue.
Campbell inspiration:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2010/10/14/199923/netnography-the-marketers-secret-ingredient/