In today’s fast-paced digital world, brands must work harder than ever to create meaningful relationships with their consumers. Whirlpool, a household name in appliances, recognized this challenge and embraced an innovative approach to connect with consumers on a deeper level. Gone are the days when the only reason someone engaged with the brand was to file a complaint. Whirlpool’s “Every day, care” campaign changed the conversation, transforming the mundane into something impactful and emotional.
Whirlpool’s research revealed that consumers often felt the care they provided their families through daily chores was overlooked. These tasks—like doing laundry, washing dishes, or cooking—felt repetitive, thankless, and unfulfilling. However, Whirlpool uncovered a deeper truth: these everyday tasks had tremendous value for families and communities. This insight laid the foundation for their “Every day, care” campaign.
What did Whirlpool do right?
Emotional Connection: Whirlpool shifted its messaging from purely product-focused to a more emotional, human-centered narrative. By showcasing how everyday chores are actually acts of love, the brand tapped into the emotions of its target audience—people who value the care they provide to their loved ones.
Real Stories, Real People: By leveraging authentic stories from actual consumers, Whirlpool gave a voice to the care and effort put into daily chores. Consumers could see themselves in the campaign, making it more relatable and impactful. This focus on authenticity resonated deeply, making the campaign far more meaningful than a traditional product push.
Community Engagement: Whirlpool’s partnership with Crowdtap to build a community of 17,000 advocates was a stroke of genius. These advocates shared personal stories of everyday care through images, videos, and text, creating a movement that spread organically across social media. Over 44,000 pieces of user-generated content (UGC) were collected, making the campaign feel real, inclusive, and community-driven.
Whirlpool successfully addressed the social and consumer experience by fostering an emotional connection with its audience and providing a platform for genuine engagement.
Microsite as a Central Hub: The dedicated whirlpool.com/everydaycare microsite served as a library of real stories, creating an interactive space for visitors to explore, contribute, and connect with other consumers’ experiences. It became more than just a campaign—it was a community where Whirlpool users could reflect on the value of care in their everyday lives.
UGC Curation and Amplification: Whirlpool carefully curated the best user-generated content and cross-promoted it across paid, earned, and owned channels. This approach elevated consumer stories, showing that Whirlpool was truly listening to its customers. By sharing this content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even television, Whirlpool expanded the campaign’s reach while keeping the message personal.
Broader Engagement: From promotions with country artist Hunter Hayes during the GRAMMY Awards to a partnership with Upworthy for the "Perceptions of Care" documentary series, Whirlpool extended the campaign beyond digital media. These partnerships gave the campaign credibility and visibility in mainstream culture, allowing it to resonate with a wider audience.
Was this approach successful? Absolutely. The results spoke for themselves: a 12% year-over-year unit growth and a 6.6% lift in sales, outperforming Whirlpool’s category in both unit and sales growth. Consumer sentiment improved significantly, as did brand health metrics like preference and purchase intent, showing that Whirlpool’s new, emotional approach had a lasting impact.
Whirlpool handled its digital media followers with care and precision. By integrating user-generated content into the broader campaign, Whirlpool gave its followers an active role in the storytelling process. This strategy made followers feel like valued participants rather than passive viewers.
Building a Community of Advocates: Whirlpool didn’t just rely on traditional social media marketing tactics; it invested in a community of passionate advocates via Crowdtap. These advocates became brand ambassadors, fueling the campaign with their personal stories and organically extending its reach. This sense of inclusion and participation strengthened the bond between the brand and its followers.
Cross-Promotion: By promoting the best user-generated content across various media (paid, earned, and owned), Whirlpool effectively kept its followers engaged and inspired. The brand didn’t limit itself to one platform but created an integrated experience that followed users across their digital journeys.
While Whirlpool’s campaign was a resounding success, there are always areas for potential improvement.
Deeper Personalization: Whirlpool could have explored more personalized communication with individual followers. Sending personalized emails or notifications based on a user’s engagement with the campaign, or offering exclusive content to their most active community members, might have further deepened the emotional connection.
More Interactive Features on the Microsite: While the microsite served as a library of user stories, adding more interactive features could have enhanced the experience. For example, Whirlpool could have created a space for users to respond directly to each other’s stories or added tools to personalize their stories before sharing them. This additional layer of interaction might have boosted engagement even further.
Expanded Use of Emerging Platforms: During the time of the campaign, platforms like Instagram and TikTok were rapidly growing. While Whirlpool focused on major social platforms like Facebook and Twitter, exploring newer, more visual platforms could have brought even more visibility, especially to younger audiences.
Whirlpool’s “Every day, care” campaign is a textbook example of how a brand can successfully transform consumer perception by shifting the narrative from product-focused to human-focused. By tapping into real emotions, encouraging user participation, and creating a platform for consumers to share their stories, Whirlpool changed the way people engaged with the brand. It was no longer just about appliances—it was about care, love, and the small, everyday acts that shape our lives.
The campaign not only boosted sales and consumer sentiment but also strengthened Whirlpool’s reputation as a brand that truly understands its customers. Moving forward, brands looking to create meaningful connections with their audiences can take inspiration from Whirlpool’s approach to turn everyday moments into something much bigger.
Shorty Awards article, #EveryDayCare – Whirlpool, DigitasLBi and Crowdtap - The Shorty Awards
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