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The client
New Balance needs no introduction. As one of the most successful athleisure brands to enter the Asian market, New Balance is a renowned global sportswear brand known for producing quality footwear, apparel, and accessories for athletes and fitness enthusiasts for over a century. In Singapore, New Balance is continuously building its ongoing presence in the market, catering to a diverse audience of runners, gym-goers, and fashion enthusiasts.
The objective
This campaign aimed to raise awareness of New Balance's apparel and shoes by increasing brand recognition. The campaign partnered with nano ambassadors passionate about fitness in Singapore to:
- Increase brand awareness for New Balance's apparel and shoes.
- Create authentic content and engaging social media posts to showcase New Balance's apparel and shoes.
- Reach out to a diverse audience to drive sales.
The approach: Leveraging nano ambassadors for maximum impact
What is an ambassador campaign?
An ambassador campaign is like having a squad of influencers who work with a brand for an extended time. When working with brand ambassadors, there are different arrangements to consider. They could be short-term ambassadors involved in a one-time project or have a contract to represent the brand for a specific duration, ranging from a few months to a year. In the latter case, they form a curated group of influencers who commit to posting consistently for your brand over an extended period, varying from 3 to 6 months or longer. It's important to note that during this period, ambassadors typically refrain from posting about competitor brands, ensuring exclusivity and focused promotion.
The reasons why we decided to go with a nano ambassador campaign
New Balance is a well-known brand, but it wanted to strengthen its position and solidify its brand in the market. With strong competitors in the industry, we knew we had to do something different. With the Nano Ambassador campaign, we wanted to create a loyal community of fans who love New Balance–a group of enthusiasts who live and breathe the brand. The nano ambassadors were everyday people, like their audience, who loved and wore New Balance. It would establish a strong connection between the brand and its community.
How we determined the nano ambassadors
So here's the scoop: we started by running an interest campaign to find the perfect ambassadors for the brand. We had hundreds of people sign up, but we knew we strategically had to select the right people. After careful consideration, we chose the 26 nano ambassadors who we felt best aligned with the New Balance brand and its values. These nano ambassadors were a suitable fit to help spread the word about the products and engage with their communities genuinely and authentically.
The interest campaign is essential in selecting ambassadors for a brand. It allows the brand to gauge the interest and enthusiasm of potential ambassadors and see how well they align with the brand's values and message. Running an interest campaign allows the brand to filter and narrow the pool of potential ambassadors.
What was the campaign brief for the nano ambassadors?
Once onboarded, the nano ambassadors were tasked to create content for New Balance Singapore for three months. The best part? They would receive in-store credits to purchase a selected range of shoes and apparel during the three months. We wanted the ambassadors to pick items of interest to them so they could genuinely showcase how the New Balance product plays a part in their lives.
Their task was simple: create one Instagram carousel post or video per month for three months highlighting some of the unique selling points or positive attributes of the products they chose. By consistently posting about the brand and its products over time, the ambassadors played a massive role in reinforcing the brand image and messaging in the minds of their followers. By doing so, the nano ambassadors could demonstrate to their followers how much they loved and enjoyed wearing New Balance. We wanted to highlight a genuine day-to-day showcase of how they are sporting New Balance products.
The results
The results of the nano ambassador campaign exceeded our expectations. We set out to create a loyal community of fans who not only loved New Balance but who lived and breathed the brand. Thanks to the 26 ambassadors who helped showcase New Balance products in their everyday lives, the campaign achieved a remarkable 19% engagement rate–which is more than double the average for a typical nano ambassador campaign. It was a small step in creating a loyal fanbase.
But that's not all. Over 3 months, the nano ambassadors collectively reached a whopping 140,000 views on Instagram. Their reach was diverse, which targeted different groups of people just in Singapore alone. It's remarkable to see the impact that a group of everyday people can have on a brand, and both the brand and Partipost couldn't be more thrilled with the results.
Should brands try nano ambassador campaigns?
The nano ambassador campaign for New Balance Singapore highlights the potential benefits of using this approach to reach and engage with target audiences. With a considerably high engagement rate and significant reach, the campaign demonstrated the value of utilising nano ambassadors with smaller followings to create authentic and relatable content.
This approach may work for brands looking to build a loyal community of fans and increase brand awareness on a smaller and more efficient scale. By working with nano ambassadors, brands have the opportunity to indirectly create meaningful connections with consumers while also providing a platform for everyday individuals to share their stories and experiences.