CASCADIAN FARM: BRANDED ORGANIC CROP ON FARMVILLE

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Social Media Marketing

Advertiser: CASCADIAN FARM

Product/Service: ORGANIC PRODUCE (BLUEBERRIES)

Agency: STERLING-RICE GROUP

Date of First Appearance: Jul 19 2010

Entrant Company: STERLING-RICE GROUP, Boulder, USA

Interactive Production Manager: Melissa Eccles (STERLING-RICE GROUP)

Account Director: Laura Slavec (STERLING-RICE GROUP)

Managing Director: Sheila Rosen (STERLING-RICE GROUP)

Senior Technology Manager: Matt Laufer (STERLING-RICE GROUP)

Executive Creative Director: Steve Witt (STERLING-RICE GROUP)

Media placement: Social Media - Facebook/FarmVille - 19 July 2010



Insights, Strategy & the Idea



Drive CASCADIAN FARM awareness and trial.

Provide mass education on the benefits of organic.

Increase our social footprint.



Women 35+ who want their family to experience the joy of an active, healthy life. She has a strong affinity with the brand because it’s been committed to making the best-tasting, certified organic foods that are good for her family and the planet since 1972.



The target believes the well-being of her family is interconnected with the health of her community and planet. Her core values are (1) I am responsible; (2) today’s choices shape the future; and (3) we are all connected. She feels a connection to brands that share her commitment to improving the future of the world we share.



The target is an engaged, passionate consumer who loves to share her knowledge and values. We needed a platform that exposes her organic values with her social graph.



Creative Execution

For 40 years, CASCADIAN FARM’s mission has been to influence the conversion of conventional farmland to organic. Now, we wanted to impact the world’s largest virtual farmland by becoming the first ever branded crop on FarmVille (the biggest social gaming application in the history of Facebook, with 65 million global users and 22 million U.S. users monthly). For one week in July 2010, players had a chance to plant CASCADIAN FARM Organic Blueberries, the highest-yielding crop in the game. A “What is this?” message explained more about the crop benefits, the brand, and organic. And, a CASCADIAN FARM Organic “Master the Crop” sign would be planted on users' farms and posted across Facebook newsfeeds.



Integrating a social gaming platform, the campaign exposed consumers, on their terms, to the benefits of the brand and let them relate to like-minded consumers in a fun, engaging way.



Results and Effectiveness

CASCADIAN FARM Organic Blueberries became FarmVille’s most planted crop, with over 700 million planted by 16 million users.



1.2 million people received a permanent CASCADIAN FARM Organic sign for their farms, which were placed on newsfeeds for friends to see.



2.2 million people clicked on the “What is this?” message box.



49 million PR impressions and 2,200 placements were made in national media. Facebook, Twitter, and the blogosphere were ablaze with the news of this campaign.



o CASCADIAN FARM sales increased 25%.

o Long- term awareness grew 20%.

o Trial of CASCADIAN FARM increased 11%.