3 Successful Blogger Brand Collaboration Trends from 2010
By effectively engaging bloggers, the following companies set a precedent for successful interactions that are welcome in 2011.
Companies such as Huggies led the charge in spreading awareness and investing money in the Every Little Bottom campaign to create positive change. Huggies’ parent company, Kimberly-Clark, pledged to donate a diaper for every pack sold to raise awareness about the difficult choice some parents face between feeding their child and properly diapering them. Huggies enlisted eight bloggers from around the country to serve as the program’s blog ambassadors. The ambassadors were compensated to provide guidance about the campaign, spread the word at BlogHer, and host diaper drives in their communities. Jessica McFadden from A Parent in Silver Spring said, “When Huggies asked me to help spread the word about this program, my first response was “OMG yes, and how the heck can I help?”
American Cancer Society engaged their volunteer Blogger Advisory Council members to amplify the new MoreBirthdays.com social media campaign while spreading awareness about saving lives and creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Yahoo and Zhu Zhu pet manufacturers, Cepia LLC, enlisted bloggers to spread goodwill during the holiday season. Yahoo provided Yahoo! MotherBoard members with $100 in seed money to start ripples of kindness while Cepia LLC’s Random Acts of Zhu sent 104 Zhu Zhu pets to 100 participating bloggers to donate to a local charity of their choice.
While bloggers were instrumental in sharing the messages created by brands, they also took it upon themselves to develop their own charity campaigns that were supported by companies. Rather than putting together a holiday gift guide, Mommy Niri used her connections and focused her efforts on starting Mommy Niri Cares, a self- designed campaign to support Room to Grow, a local charity enriching the lives of babies born into poverty from birth to age three.
Playmobil put real money behind the live and virtual Holiday Extravaganza events organized by Chester County Moms, Kelly Whalen of Centsible Life, and Just Precious’ Julie Pron. 150 guests donated 1,363 toys for Toys for Tots at the live Holiday Extravaganza and ten bloggers raised awareness about Toys for Tots through a series of blog posts.
Besides collaborating to spread awareness and engage in goodwill campaigns, companies also engaged bloggers in conversations to better craft marketing messages to moms. This year tech brands increased their outreach to female bloggers. Successful events were well-planned, geared towards smart consumers, and ended with brands and bloggers walking away with new knowledge. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) hosted moms at their Austin campus to share a new marketing strategy designed to make PC buying easier, BitDefender hosted a Washington, D.C. brunch event that engaged moms in a creative think session about antivirus software, and Intel’s Upgrade Your Life fall event in New York City showcased smart technology being developed to streamline the way consumers interact with devices. The new trend of technology companies recognizing the power of the mom market and engaging consumers outside the male geek market is a refreshing change. Bloggers like Michele McGraw encourages tech brands to continue to reach out to women but Jessica Gottlieb rejects “dumbed down” events.
How did you collaborate with brands in 2010? What trends would you like to see continued in the New Year? What 2010 mishaps occurred this year that you hope will not be repeated in 2011?
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Thanks for the Huggies Every Little Bottom shout out! I agree heartily, it’s a fabulous ambassador program. It’s hard to say no to being a consultant on helping families in need!
As with anything, there is always a learning curve. Everyone is trying to figure out this new way of marketing and dealing directly with the consumer. I prefer to work to educate brands and PR than to shriek. I treat the brands with the same professionalism I want them to treat me with. We will all make mistakes along with the way which is just fine.
I had never worked with PR and brands before and I am sure I have and will again make a dumb mistake. Another opportunity for me to learn and grow.
You make a great point! I think there are definitely opportunities for both sides to educate and grow as we move forward!
A year full of great things, I look forward to 2011!
Mom bloggers are doing a ton of work, which proves (once again) that they are a very bright bunch.
Now if marketers would talk to us like we’re smart I won’t be screechy and shrill.
The most successful marketing campaigns, events, etc. that I’ve been part of are the ones where PR gets the intelligence of moms and have done their homework to craft effective outreach efforts. Let’s hope that will be the norm for 2011!
As you know, I was involved in a couple of the mentioned events plus a few more campaigns that I consider successful. It does seems like the tables are turning and more brands are reaching out and getting the hang of how it should be done.
2011 can only bring more good things. :)
A good collaboration is one of my blogging goals for this year. I would love to work with a brand for a cause I am passionate about like American Cancer Society, Susan G komen or CareNet but I don’t know how to make those connections. Of course I’d love to do some paid collabaorations but I just don’t think my numbers are there yet. But I am more than willing to work with a cause purely for my own passion.
Yay to bloggers who help out great causes, and moreso bravo to the bloggers mentioned here who did make a difference.
Thank you for sharing our program! It was an amazing experience, and one we hope to expand on next year!
Thank you Leticia for the mention. Often it is the negative that gathers the attention and I love that so many bloggers are looking further. I appreciate you highlighting some.
Happy to highlight your wonderful work in hopes it will inspire other bloggers!