Shifting Perception
Whirlpool listened to its consumers’ needs through research and realized that
consumers found home chores with appliances to be thankless, repetitive, and
unfulfilling. However, the studies revealed that these mundane chores held a
significant value for both families and society at large. Whirlpool set its
goals on changing this negative perception by emphasizing the meaningful impact
of everyday care and household chores on the well-being of families and their
contribution to society. This shift in perspective formed the basis of
Whirlpool's "Every day, care" campaign, focusing on portraying chores
as acts of love with the power to make a positive difference.
In order to achieve its goal, Whirlpool dedicated itself to discovering
numerous real-life narratives centered around 'Every day, care' directly from
genuine consumers. The campaign, which stands as the brand's most extensive one
to date, greatly depended on word-of-mouth promotion to establish an essential
groundwork for its comprehensive strategy. The brand’s use of authentic
storytelling encompassed Everyday, care campaign which leveraged Crowdtap to
build a community of 17K advocates who shared authentic stories through text,
images, and videos in social media platforms (#EveryDayCare). From this, more
than 44K pieces of user-generated content (UGC) were collected, forming a rich
informational web of real experiences. This campaign became a rousing success
as the brand built emotional connections with its audience. Whirlpool connected
with consumers emotionally and strengthened trust with its consumers, which in
turn transcended the notion of a mere transactional connection with its
consumers. As a result of the campaign, there was a 12% increase in unit growth
and a 6.6% rise in sales compared to the previous year, outperforming industry
standards (#EveryDayCare). Whirlpool helped its consumers realize that their
consumers are heroes of their own daily routines. That use of house appliances
is in effect contributing to the betterment of family and society.
Social and Consumer Experience
Whirlpool's strategy for social and consumer engagement
played an important role in the campaign's success. They accomplished this by
first focusing on transforming the social and consumer experience by shifting
the brand-consumer conversation from product-centric to emotional, ultimately
aiming to engage consumers beyond the point of product complaints and make them
feel like they are part of a larger conversation and experience. The strategy
and execution of the campaign incorporated various elements to enhance the
social and consumer experiences. Whirlpool established a dedicated microsite
(whirlpool.com/everydaycare) to serve as a central library for real stories,
creating a platform that encouraged visitors to actively contribute to the
conversation (#EveryDayCare). The microsite featured a curated grid of
user-generated content (UGC), showcasing the diversity of consumer experiences
and perspectives (#EveryDayCare). The campaign’s success can be attributed in
part to this curated site as the microsite acted as an engaging space,
fostering interaction and participation in the campaign. Whirlpool also executed
a comprehensive paid, earned, and owned media strategy that spanned various
channels, including new broadcast media, digital media, and social promotion
which resulted in “inspiring a broader wave of consumers to get in on the
conversation” (#EveryDayCare).
Handling Digital Media Followers
Whirlpool effectively managed the social and consumer
experience by strategically handling its digital media followers. Utilizing
Crowdtap, the company built a community of 17,000 passionate advocates who
openly shared their sincere "Every day, care" stories using diverse
mediums such as text, images, and videos. This method not only produced
authentic and relatable content but also led to a surge of genuine stories
across earned, owned, and paid channels, establishing a solid foundation of authenticity
for the entire campaign. With the curation of over 44,000 pieces of
user-generated content (UGC), Whirlpool presented a varied collection of
consumer experiences and perspectives. The brand's focus on cross-promoting the
finest UGC across different channels, including social media and television
spots, ensured active engagement from digital media followers. This
user-centric approach effectively transformed followers into contributors,
fostering a dynamic and captivating brand narrative. Whirlpool's paid, earned,
and owned media strategy, combined with an amplification approach, successfully
exposed digital media followers to a diverse range of content, integrating them
as essential participants in the storytelling process.
Opportunities for Efficiency Improvement
To boost the campaign's effectiveness, Whirlpool might consider integrating
more interactive elements into the microsite, serving as the central hub for
stories. For instance, incorporating features like forums or live chats could
offer digital media followers opportunities for active engagement with both
each other and the brand, nurturing a more dynamic and engaging experience. They
can also establish a schedule for regular events or updates that would
guarantee digital media followers to stay consistently engaged, promoting an
ongoing and interactive dialogue between the brand and its audience.
Effective Strategies Still in Effect
According to Julia Cannon from Digiday, Whirlpool is
effectively utilizing influencers to enhance awareness of its Care Counts
Laundry Program (Cannon, 2023). This program, which is running for close to ten
years, seeks to influence communities throughout the United States by providing
washers and dryers to schools that do not have access to these facilities (Cannon,
2023). The brand strategically partners with influencers deeply invested in the
subject matter. Leveraging these trustworthy influencers, Whirlpool aims to
authentically communicate the positive outcomes of the Care Counts initiative,
reaffirming its commitment to making a positive impact in communities. According
to Julia Cannon, the chosen influencers for the campaign have a history of
engaging with communities and participating in public speaking events, aligning
with the brand's goal of supporting the development of children (Cannon, 2023).
Whirlpool's approach is audience-centric, selecting influencers whose followers
demonstrate an interest in educational topics.
Ethical engagements in social media play a central role in
Whirlpool's effectiveness. The brand's collaboration with influencers is rooted
in authenticity, aiming to establish genuine connections with students,
parents, and individuals interested in their products at a personal, human
level. By having influencers share the story and impact of the Care Counts
initiative, Whirlpool engages in ethical and transparent communication (Cannon,
2023). The focus on influencers who are deeply invested in the subject matter
contributes to the credibility of the campaign, building trust among the
audience. This ethical engagement fosters a positive brand image and resonates
with socially conscious consumers.
References:
#EveryDayCare – whirlpool,
DigitasLBi and Crowdtap. The Shorty Awards. (n.d.).
https://shortyawards.com/8th/everydaycare-whirlpool-digitaslbi-and-crowdtap-2
Cannon, J. (2023, November
14). Why whirlpool is tapping influencers to boost awareness of its in-school
laundry program. Digiday.
https://digiday.com/marketing/why-whirlpool-is-tapping-influencers-to-boost-awareness-of-its-in-school-laundry-program/#:~:text=Whirlpool%20is%20enlisting%20the%20support,to%20schools%20lacking%20these%20facilities.
