Challenge

Faced with stiff competition from other tree nuts such as almonds and walnuts, the Macadamia category was losing share of market, voice and mind with the Japanese consumer. In addition, despite being the original source of and largest producer of Macadamias in the world, the majority of Japanese had the image of Macadamias being that of a coated chocolate snack from Hawaii, which negated any potential to highlight the natural non-cholestorol, anti-aging and diet benefits that Macadamias naturally possess. Research demonstrated that the key health and beauty properties of Macadamias (anti-aging, diet support) were being ignored.

Solution

In order to drive a real message to a receptive audience, Euro chose to engage influential female alpha bloggers and magazines in the field of health, beauty, food and lifestyle with a series of real life events, supported by content generated voluntarily on blogs, bulletin boards and on Twitter.

On the Australia Macadamia consumer website (featured at www.iikotomitsuketa.jp), content features and contest giveaways about the events serves both to craft a narrative to support the premium and health image of Australia Macadamias, and to generate buzz and excitement about the brand as a healthy snack and oil option that promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Editorial Tie-ups in lifestyle and diet magazines also help to create an aura of health and beauty around Australia Macadamias that couldn’t be achieved through a standard recipe/industry focused approach.

Result

In the initial year that the campaign was established and running, Australian Macadamia imports grew by 78%. Product development to match this demand continues to this day in Japan. Over 100,000 consumers have been touched or engaged directly by the program built from a base of zero, which now includes a robust CRM program, and continued online engagement with influential bloggers in the field of beauty, health, wellness and gourmet.

By engaging popular bloggers who are active self-promoters, Australia Macadamias have been the recipient of over $1.6M Australian dollars in equivalent PR through TV, online, radio and magazine/print mediums, a substantial return on the advertising investment for the Australia Macadamia Society has been such a success that it is now set to be replicated in other markets in Asia.

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