Join Annie Belgrade, Senior Manager of Integrated Content Marketing at Ferrara Candy Company, as she shares insights into the sweet world of candy social media. Discover how Ferrara engages audiences during Halloween, blending proactive strategies with real-time interaction. Annie highlights the uniqueness of brand voices across platforms and the value of authenticity in content creation. She even serves up a secret recipe to win over candy corn skeptics! Get ready for a delightful mix of trends, creativity, and community engagement.
Embracing a lo-fi, authentic content style enables brands to connect more meaningfully with audiences who prefer relatable interactions.
Tailoring social media strategies to distinct consumer segments ensures brands effectively engage users across different platforms and demographics.
Deep dives
Engagement Through Authenticity
Brands are increasingly encouraged to break down the polished facade they often present and adopt a more authentic, casual style of content, resembling what consumers might share on their personal devices. By embracing a lo-fi approach, brands can foster a sense of connection with their audience, making them feel like active participants rather than distant observers. This shift reflects consumers' increasing desire for relatability in advertising, as they respond more favorably to content that feels genuine and unrefined. For instance, incorporating timely and relatable themes, such as the ongoing candy corn debate, can engage audiences and enhance community relations.
The Power of Earned Media
Effective social media engagement involves not just promoting products, but also nurturing community relationships and capitalizing on earned media opportunities. Building trust with customers and proactively participating in conversations can lead to valuable brand loyalty and greater long-term success. An example includes how a brand's transparent and engaging social media presence can lead to significant growth in reactions and sales, as illustrated by a brand's response to celebrity endorsements that spiked interest. This suggests that cultivating authentic connections with consumers is pivotal for successful marketing strategies.
Tailoring Strategies for Different Audiences
Brands must carefully consider their approaches to reach diverse consumer segments across various social channels. Each brand often has a unique voice and target audience, necessitating tailored strategies that resonate with users on their preferred platforms. For example, while TikTok may be the ideal space for engaging younger consumers through creative trends, Pinterest could better suit brands like Brock's that cater to a more family-oriented demographic. Successfully navigating these distinctions allows for a more impactful presence and maximizes the effectiveness of marketing efforts.
Candy fans unite! This episode is for you. Grab your favorite flavor of Nerds or indulge in some controversial candy corn and tune in to hear Annie Belgrade, Senior Manager of Integrated Content Marketing at Ferrara Candy Company, talk about finding the sweet spot in your social strategy.
Full Episode Details
Annie Belgrade joins us in the run-up to Ferrara Candy Company’s busiest time of year aka the “Super Bowl” of candy season, Halloween. With months of advance planning to real-time engagement, she reveals how Ferrara keeps its finger on the pulse of candy conversations across social media.
She talks about the challenges of managing multiple brand personalities under Ferrara Candy Company and how her team assigns unique voices to each depending on the audience that favors each brand. Conversations over social media with each brand are the results of tireless manual work, seeking out trending topics and candy talk on each platform. The result? Authentic and relatable content that feels like you’re chatting to a friend with a sweet tooth.
We hear how Ferrara Candy Company manages both organic and paid social, and why “LoFi” content is their preferred style over presenting a “polished façade.” As a bonus, Annie also shares a secret recipe that might just convert the candy corn haters.
In This Episode:
3:41 - An introduction to Annie’s role at Ferrara Candy Company
4:39 - How Annie’s team manage content during the busy holiday season through social listening and organic engagement
7:22 - The importance of manual work over automation
10:35 - A candy corn combo that might even convert the haters
11:42 - How Annie’s team manages accounts for at least 10 different brands
14:22 - How they determine which brands and platforms get more attention
16:27 - Why paid and organic social should complement each other
18:28 - Why “LoFi” content is gaining popularity
19:22 - What bugs vs. excites Annie about working with social media
21:53 - Annie shares her experience of winning a film fest award on TikTok
25:01 - How Ferrara Candy Company works with influencers and got a surprise endorsement from Kylie Jenner
28:58 - The most important social channels for Annie’s team
30:12 - Annie’s predictions for the future of content and influencer marketing
32:42 - Annie’s top tip for those aiming to become a social pro