Crafting Connections with Whirlpool's 'Every day, care' Campaign

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.