PICKERINGTON, OHIO: National slipper brand Dearfoams is introducing its first significant social media push as part of its integrated “Dearfoams Fairy” holiday marketing effort. The goal is to reach a younger, 18-40-year-old market, explained Rachel Iannarino, senior brand manager at Dearfoams.
She added that the budget for the campaign, including PR, social media, and traditional advertising, is in the high-six-figure range.
“We have great brand awareness among the 50-plus consumer because we've been around for so long,” she said. “We didn't actively talk about our brand for a number of years, but now we're trying to expand our consumer-base.”
The team, including AOR Brand Building, is launching the campaign on November 15, with interactive activities such as a “Sing it” and “Say it” user-generated contest that encourages consumers to submit original “Slipper Fairy” songs and/or ideas for the perfect holiday gift, for a chance to win a number of pairs of slippers to give to friends or charity. Also interactive, via a new microsite, is a “Match It” chance game and Twitter component encouraging consumers to tweet about to whom they would like to give slippers.
In late October, the team also kicked off a college sampling tour in California and Ohio, and on Monday it plans to post tour videos and photos.
“Social media and word-of-mouth outreach goes beyond Facebook and Twitter. It's interacting with consumers and having a two-way dialogue,” she said. “We're really trying to encourage them to have fun with our brand.”
In the paid promotion category, the company arranged for a 90-second Jimmy Kimmel skit about the "slipper fairy," slated to air on November 30. The company is also doing out-of-home, TV, and online advertising.
Dearfoams is owned by R.G. Barry Corporation.
