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Mondelez?s Triscuit tries to close gap between inspiration, trial on social

Mondelez is ramping up on mobile to drive trial for its first limited-edition Triscuit flavor, created in partnership with Martha Stewart, placing a strong focus on Pinterest via on-pack promotion as well as native mobile ads on Facebook.
 
Mondelez, Pinterest and Facebook are all at the forefront of driving direct sales from mobile social via Buy Buttons. While this campaign does not feature a direct sales element, it is still a strong example of how forward-thinking consumer packaged goods brands are trying to figure out how to close the gap between inspiration and trial on mobile. 
 
With the growth of Pinterest as a platform ? 72 million plus users ? and the fact that the most popular category on Pinterest is Food & Drink ? making over up a quarter of the most popular pins ? it?s no surprise brands are looking to leverage the channel as a destination to engage consumers ? especially females ? and communicate their story,? said Stevie Dove, director of Social Studio at SapientNitro.
 
?Unlike platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, people use Pinterest for inspiration with more intent to purchase versus a conversational one ? providing a more authentic product recommendation channel than say a branded Web site, with all the benefits of engaging your consumer in a direct ? more even more targeted ? way,? she said.
 
?And, as Pinterest evolves its API for brands to embed products inside the platform ? aka the anxiously awaited Buy Button ? you will absolutely start to see more advertisers test its value not only as a communications channel, but as a new e-commerce/retail channel.?
 
Snack-sized content
The new Toasted Coconut & Sea Salt Triscuit was announced this spring and, now that it has begun showing up in stores, the brand is betting big on mobile and social to convince consumers to make a purchase by offering tips and techniques for how to create satisfying snacks with the unique flavor.
 
Pairing bite-sized content with one of America?s favorite snacks is a great example of how mobile can help consumer packaged goods brands remain relevant.
 
While a number of grocery brands have a presence on Pinterest, the Triscuit effort is notable for the central role that Pinterest plays.
 
Native ads in the Facebook mobile news feed feature side-by-side images of a Triscuit box next to several crackers topped with different ingredients. The copy talks up how the limited-edition flavor can be used to create either sweet or savory snacks and includes a link to the Triscuit board on Pinterest.
 
Another ad features just the box of Triscuit and includes a link to summertime recipes board on Pinterest.
 
Buy buttons
Mondelez is reinforcing the Facebook ads and ensuring that consumers know they can easily access recipes and other inspirational content by dedicating the entire back panel of the packaging for the Toasted Coconut & Sea Salt Triscuit flavor to imagery showcasing how to make the cracker a key ingredient at summertime get-togethers and copy encouraging shoppers to visit Pinterest to learn more about how to make memorable snacks featuring the cracker.

?Unless there is true utility and business value in creating a destination that brands need to spend money driving people to, promoted posts should just drive to an e-commerce experience or keep people within the platform they're on,? said Matt Rednor, CEO/founder of Decoded Advertising.
 
?Brands should stay focused on their consumer's path to purchase,? he said. ?Driving from Facebook to Pinterest to e-comm or somewhere else is unnecessarily complicated.
 
?The idea of providing utility is good, but the execution here, with the tips only coming through in lengthy channel copy, isn't optimal since it feels busy and will most likely not be read. Rather than write out an entire recipe, it might be better to explore providing the tips as a short video, especially as we continue to see a rise in video content on mobile and social platforms.?
 
In May, it was reported that Mondelez is planning to include ?buy now? buttons on all of its digital ads in 25 countries with the goal of driving sales through retailers such as Walmart and Amazon. 
 
Not long afterward, Pinterest announced it would introduce a Buy Button and Facebook revealed plans to broaden a Buy Button test it has been conducting since last year.
 
While no one expects direct sales on social to be a significant revenue driver for consumer packaged goods brands, these marketers are likely to test the offerings as a way to gain valuable insight into millennial shoppers.
 
Inspiring tastemakers
As food-related content is one of the most popular categories on Pinterest, the campaign is likely to be a good way for Triscuit to get the new flavor in front of consumers who might be interested in trying the new flavor.
 
Pinterest also makes a lot of sense here given Martha Stewart?s enduring appeal as a tastemaker among one of the social network?s core users ? namely, anyone looking for inspiration related to home décor, entertaining, lifestyle and food. 
 
The limited-edition Triscuit flavor is part of the brand?s Makers of More campaign, which pairs the cracker with five artisanal food producers to create exclusive products designed specifically to be paired with Triscuit crackers.

The products are being sold on each selected artisan?s Web site, along with a box of Triscuit.
 
?In terms of short-lived promotions or exclusive offers, mobile marketing is essential given the time-spent on mobile devices and the advanced targeting capabilities of platforms like Facebook and Twitter,? Ms. Dove said
 
?These days, you can catch your consumer?s attention quickly on their phone, through day-parts, with a bite-sized pieces of content highly targeted to even their interests or what they last tweeted,? she said.
 
Final Take?
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York