Chanel’s Instagram Debut
At first glance, there isn’t anything particularly creative about Chanel’s Instagram. Photos of models, beautiful people, and teasers of their movie-style ad grace the feed. But the designer brand’s mere 10 posts have earned them 1.8 million followers—and they just started posting this week. Chanel actually posted their very first image on Monday, and their follower count has already beat out competitors who have been on the platform since 2013. After posting, several blogs commented that they had “finally” started using the network. So how did they get their massive following? It appears that Chanel has had their account for some time, and their fans have been waiting for their fashion favorite to start posting. In essence, they created the ultimate fashion tease, and have waited until now to use this stored up power to promote their new Chanel No. 5 spot.
What Works: We wouldn’t recommend it of everyone, but Chanel’s Insta-success proves that brands can be successful on the platform by being selective and making their following wait for an inside look. The brand has taken that idea to the extreme, but being fashionably late, and building a healthy following before they added content, has worked for them.
Instagram is four years old, and in that short time it has become a hub of Millennial and teen communication, with 75 million users worldwide and nearly half of that number using the app daily. As we noted in our social media tracked trend coverage, it’s winning the image sharing app wars with young consumers: 55% have an Instagram account compared to 45% using Snapchat. 32% are using it daily, making it second only to Facebook in daily use. It’s becoming more clear that marketing on the platform is a key way for brands to reach Millennial consumers.
We have been vocal about visual platform marketing being the next essential social media step for brands, and Instagram has reported that their first native advertising tests have been a success. According to the network, Taco Bell reached 12.5 million 18-44-year-olds in the U.S. with their campaign, and saw a significant lift in ad recall. Chobani reached 4 million 18-54-year-olds, and was able to shift perceptions away from the idea that their product was only for breakfast. Chobani’s tips for Instagram success include avoiding professional looking shots, and not overbranding, and we’ve seen those approaches work well for other brands. But just posting snapshots to the platform is not the whole Instagram marketing picture. Some campaigns are thinking outside of the box, making Instagram interactive, and taking marketing teases to the next level. Here are three creative campaigns that prove that Instagram’s potential is just being tapped:
Target’s DIY Insta-Tutorials
Pumpkin carving, costume creation, and decorations: Halloween is an undoubtedly DIY-friendly holiday. Target is tapping into that, and using Instagram as an unexpected source for fun DIY tutorials like Cauldron Cupcakes and Monsters Masks. But rather than trying to fit all the instructions in one image, the brand is posting Halloween illustrations that are each tagged with a trick and a treat link. When tapped, these links lead to their own individual Instagram accounts that show the step-by-step instructions for each project via the feeds. The campaign will continue on the brand’s feed for most of the month, giving followers access to new projects with each post. One bonus image of Target mascot Bullseye will lead to a profile of discounted pet costumes that can be purchased via Like2Buy.
What Works: Target has found a way to make static images a source of discovery, while providing not just entertaining advertising but content that is of real value to their followers, all accessed through fun, creative interactions.
Chanel’s Instagram Debut
At first glance, there isn’t anything particularly creative about Chanel’s Instagram. Photos of models, beautiful people, and teasers of their movie-style ad grace the feed. But the designer brand’s mere 10 posts have earned them 1.8 million followers—and they just started posting this week. Chanel actually posted their very first image on Monday, and their follower count has already beat out competitors who have been on the platform since 2013. After posting, several blogs commented that they had “finally” started using the network. So how did they get their massive following? It appears that Chanel has had their account for some time, and their fans have been waiting for their fashion favorite to start posting. In essence, they created the ultimate fashion tease, and have waited until now to use this stored up power to promote their new Chanel No. 5 spot.
What Works: We wouldn’t recommend it of everyone, but Chanel’s Insta-success proves that brands can be successful on the platform by being selective and making their following wait for an inside look. The brand has taken that idea to the extreme, but being fashionably late, and building a healthy following before they added content, has worked for them.
Chupa Chup’s Insta-Game
Chupa Chup lollipops is making their Instagram interactive to celebrate Halloween. The brand has introduced a “Chupa Chup Get Lolli” feed that doubles as a “choose your own adventure” style game. Visitors to the feed navigate a haunted house, and clicking on the various doors and passageways pictures takes them deeper into the adventure, which includes horror videos starring finger puppets, and plenty of classic Halloween references. Tinus Strydom, the creative director of the campaign, told The Drum: “Bringing a new experience to people where they don’t expect it, is what our business has become, and what keeps it fun.” Exploring the feed is the best way to understand how it works, and shows an out-of-the-box approach to the platform that combines discovery and content.
What Works: We’re pretty sure no one has used Instagram like this before, and the dedicated, explorable feed has a real story that engages visitors far beyond a quick glance at a snapshot.
