For a piece of that delicious, moreish and addictive Digital Marketing cake, you will need:
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
People
Physical Evidence
Process
But what are these ingredients and what do they mean?
Let’s take a look at them in context using my favourite cosmetics brand, Sugarpill. In particular their recent Oh Honey palette in collaboration with Trixie Mattel.
The Product: A limited edition eyeshadow, blush and liquid lipstick set.
The Oh Honey palette was a limited edition collaboration in partnership with popular Drag Queen and country music singer, Trixie Mattel. The palette featured 6 eye shadows, a blush and a liquid lipstick.
All of Sugarpill’s cosmetics are cruelty free, vegan (in the vast majority of cases) and paraben free.
Price: Around $45
When purchasing the palette, you were also offered sale items at a heavier discount rate.
Place: Sugarpill’s website, e-commerce only.
The palette was only available directly through Sugarpill’s website.
After the initial launch, a few palettes were made available to buy from Suagrpill’s booth at Dragcon NYC.
Promotion:
Launch video featuring Trixie Mattel, Amy from Sugarpill and Wigs and Grace.
Packaging mimicked the photo shoot, with yellow paper, fake straw and gold gilded presentation boxes.
Mentions in podcasts
Promotional postcards featuring Trixie
Advertising through Facebook, but mostly Instagram Stories
Encouraging use of hashtags including #sugarpill, #ohhoney & #trixiemattel
A competition with a chance to win a signed palette, sharing Sugarpill’s post using designated hashtags, meaning anyone searching #sugarpill would see the Oh Honey palette
Sending “influencers” advance sets for them to demonstrate, inlcuding Katya, Courtney Act, Jaymes Mansfield & Pearl Liaison.
Selling palettes at events including Dragcon NYC in September 18
Signing up for newsletters
People: How are your customers getting information about your product or company?
Sugarpill have an active Instagram account, and often respond to comments and queries.
They have a prominent FAQ section on their site, which includes information on their cruelty free stance and international shipping.
They also have a long About section written by company owner, Amy, AKA Shrinkle.
Physical Evidence: This is about winning customer trust.
Sugarpill advertises heavily with their cruelty free stance, with the owner having a well known love of animals. They are ‘leaping bunny’ certified, meaning they meet PETA’s standards of being cruelty free.
Their website is secure, meaning you can check out safely.
Process: How a customer buys or interacts with your product, from beginning to end.
The Sugarpill website operates in a similar way to any e-commerce site.
Prices are prominently displayed, with the option to switch currencies.
You add your item to the basket, and can check out either as a guest or as a regular user with an account. They offer PayPal or Visa/Credit card as payment options.
Once your order is placed, you receive an email with a tracking number and are provided with regular shipping updates.
Together, all of these contributed to record sales for Sugarpill. The palette sold out in under a month, and the exclusivity means the palettes will only become harder to come by, and will increase interest in Sugarpill for returning customers.
Through featuring Trixie and Amy on their Instagram Stories, Sugarpill added personalisation and showed real passion from the creators in what they were selling.
Fans of both Trixie and Sugarpill were engaged via a huge competition, Sugarpill remained active throughout their social medias and offered support and assistance when asked.
All Aboard The ApprenticeSHIP 