Reshaping Phone Calls As a Form of User Generated Content (UGC) to attract new audiences

Marketing is all about creativity—thinking outside the box and having the guts to put your ideas out there.

Crafting perfect Google Ads or Facebook Ads isn’t enough to make your brand stand out. You need to be bold and innovative.

User generated content (UGC) was the hot trend for a while, but it’s lost some of its charm.

Why? Well, it’s getting harder to convince people that UGC is authentic and trustworthy.

Here’s the problem:

• Too many paid partnerships are blurring the line between genuine UGC and promotional content.
• Too much fake UGC is out there, making it tough for brands to be seen as real and trustworthy.

So, what’s next? Let’s dive into how Poppi is shaking things up with its new marketing campaign by using phone calls in a fresh and exciting way.

Yes they did!

And the reactions? ⬇️

We know that Poppi is all in for social media and partnerships, but promoting a campaign in SERPs? We love it!

Behind Poppi’s Marketing Strategies

Poppi, a leading prebiotic soda brand, has achieved remarkable success by leveraging innovative marketing strategies that resonate with Gen Z and Millennials. Their approach combines a focus on health and wellness with trendy, engaging campaigns that capture the attention of younger consumers.

Key Marketing Strategies:

1. Targeting Health-Conscious Consumers: Poppi positions itself as a health-focused alternative to traditional sodas, emphasizing the benefits of prebiotics for digestive health. This appeals to consumers increasingly mindful of their wellness and dietary choices.
2. Social Media and Influencer Marketing: Poppi has harnessed the power of social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, to create buzz and build a loyal customer base. Collaborations with influencers and celebrities help amplify their message, making the brand more relatable and trendy among younger audiences​.
3. Creative Pop-Ups and Events: To boost brand visibility and consumer engagement, Poppi organizes creative pop-up events. These events not only provide a hands-on experience with the product but also generate social media content that further extends their reach​.
4. Comprehensive Advertising Campaigns: Poppi’s largest consumer-driven ad campaign bridges streaming, social media, and out-of-home advertising across major markets. This multi-channel approach ensures they capture attention from various consumer touchpoints, increasing brand awareness and driving sales​.
5. Innovative Product Launches: By consistently introducing new flavors and products through strategic launches, Poppi keeps its offerings fresh and exciting. These launches are often accompanied by targeted marketing efforts that highlight the unique attributes of the new products, keeping the brand dynamic and appealing​.

Through these strategies, Poppi effectively reshapes soda culture, making it healthier and more appealing to modern consumers. The brand’s marketing tactics demonstrate a keen understanding of its target audience and a commitment to staying ahead in the competitive beverage market.

Behind the UGC 1-8330-HI-POPPI Campaign – Real Testimonials by Real Soda Lovers

Poppi’s latest campaign, running throughout the summer, cleverly leverages the power of nostalgia by incorporating a Y2K aesthetic. This strategic choice appeals to both Millennials, who have a nostalgic fondness for the early 2000s, and Gen Z, who find the Y2K style novel and trendy. By tapping into this trend, Poppi creates an emotional connection with its audience, making the campaign more engaging and memorable. Nostalgia marketing can evoke positive emotions, which can lead to increased brand affinity and customer loyalty.

Encouraging UGC Through Voicemail Stories

A key element of the campaign is its focus on user generated content (UGC). Poppi encourages participants to leave voicemails about their favorite flavors, fostering a sense of community and greater engagement. UGC is a powerful tool in modern marketing, as it makes customers feel part of the brand’s story. This approach generates a wealth of authentic content that can be shared on Poppi’s social media platforms, enhancing visibility and interaction. Moreover, participants often share their entries with their networks, providing the brand with organic, peer-driven promotion.

Fostering Emotional Connections with Personalized Narratives

The campaign’s emphasis on personalization and storytelling further enhances its effectiveness. By inviting customers to talk about a “date” with their favorite soda flavor, Poppi encourages creative and personal expressions. This personalized storytelling approach makes the interaction more fun and relatable, fostering a deeper emotional connection with the brand. When customers share personal stories, it humanizes the brand, strengthening the bond between the company and its audience.

Boosting Engagement Through Interactive Voicemail Entries

Interactivity is another critical aspect of the campaign. Instead of asking for simple text entries, Poppi requires participants to leave voicemails, adding a unique and engaging element. Interactive campaigns tend to have higher engagement rates as they stand out from more traditional, passive forms of participation. This interactive nature not only boosts participation but also makes the campaign more memorable, increasing the likelihood of it being shared and discussed.

Creating Buzz and Virality with Playful Content

Creating buzz and virality is an inherent part of Poppi’s strategy. The cheeky, playful nature of the campaign, combined with the potential for humorous or heartwarming voicemails, is designed to generate interest and excitement. People enjoy sharing funny or unique content, which can lead to the campaign going viral. Poppi amplifies this effect by regularly publishing the best voicemails, encouraging others to participate. Viral campaigns significantly enhance brand exposure, attracting new customers and engaging existing ones.

Driving Participation with Enticing Giveaways

The giveaway component of the campaign serves as a powerful incentive for participation. Offering a reward motivates people to engage with the campaign, increasing participation rates. This not only creates excitement around the brand but also provides an opportunity to collect valuable customer data and insights. Giveaways can be an effective way to drive engagement and foster a sense of community around a brand.

Maximizing Reach Through Multi-Channel Promotion

Finally, Poppi ensures maximum visibility and reach by promoting the campaign across multiple channels, including social media, the company website, and email newsletters. This multi-channel approach helps in reaching a broader audience, ensuring the campaign message is seen by as many potential participants as possible. Regular updates and publication of the best voicemails maintain ongoing interest and participation throughout the summer, keeping the campaign dynamic and engaging.

In summary, Poppi’s campaign is a well-rounded strategy that leverages nostalgia, user-generated content, personalization, interactivity, and incentivization to effectively engage with their audience. By tapping into current trends and fostering a sense of community, Poppi creates a memorable and shareable experience that resonates with both new and existing customers.

To further enhance the effectiveness of Poppi’s campaign, leveraging call and conversational analytics is essential. This approach provides deeper insights into customer interactions and behaviors, enabling more targeted and refined marketing strategies. Key metrics and data points to track:

1. Call Volume and Patterns: Tracking the number of voicemails received over time can help identify peak engagement periods and understand the overall volume of participant interactions. Analyzing patterns in call volume can reveal the most effective times for promotional activities and content releases.

2. Geo-Location Tracking: Geo-location tracking provides data on where calls are coming from, helping to identify geographic trends and tailor local marketing efforts. This feature can be particularly useful for regional promotions or understanding market penetration in different areas.

3. Call Duration and Sentiment Analysis: Monitoring the duration of voicemails can indicate the level of engagement and interest. Sentiment analysis tools can evaluate the tone and emotion in the voicemails, providing a qualitative measure of customer satisfaction and enthusiasm about the brand and specific flavors.

4. Keyword and Topic Analysis: By analyzing the content of the voicemails, keywords and common themes can be identified. This helps in understanding which flavors are most popular and what aspects of the product or campaign resonate most with customers. It also aids in discovering any common issues or suggestions that customers might have.

5. Engagement Rate and Conversion Tracking: Tracking how many participants in the voicemail campaign go on to make a purchase or engage further with the brand can provide a clear measure of the campaign’s effectiveness. This data can be used to calculate conversion rates and determine the ROI of the campaign.

1. IVR Story Quest

Imagine turning your IVR system into an interactive adventure. Greet callers with a friendly message explaining how they can contribute to your brand’s story. Guide them to press specific numbers to share different types of content. For instance, ask them to press 1 to tell a story about how your product helped them achieve their goals, or press 2 to share their best tips and tricks. This choose-your-own-adventure format makes the experience engaging and fun for your customers.

2. Voice Message Challenges

Run themed campaigns where customers leave special voice messages. During holidays or special events, encourage customers to share themed stories. For example, invite them to press 3 to share their favorite holiday memory involving your product. Host creative contests where they can leave a voicemail to participate, such as describing their most innovative use of your product. These challenges not only generate content but also create excitement around your brand.

3. User-Generated Greeting Messages

Encourage customers to leave greetings for your community. This can foster a sense of connection and belonging. Ask them to press 4 to record a greeting that you can feature on your website or social media. These personal messages highlight the human side of your brand and can be a great way to show appreciation for your customers.

4. Customer Feedback and Reviews

Use your IVR system to collect detailed reviews and suggestions. Prompt callers to press 5 to leave feedback on your latest product or to share ideas for improvement. This direct line of communication makes customers feel heard and valued, and their insights can be incredibly useful for product development and marketing strategies.

5. Success Stories and Milestones

Celebrate your customers’ achievements. Invite them to call in and share milestones they’ve reached with the help of your product, such as fitness goals, business successes, or personal achievements. Guide them to press 6 to share their success story. These narratives can be inspirational and highlight the real-world impact of your product.

6. Mystery Caller Rewards

Add an element of surprise to your inbound calls. Inform callers that every 100th message wins a special prize, or randomly reward customers who share their experiences. This not only encourages more participation but also adds excitement and a sense of fun to the interaction.

7. Voicemail Talent Show

Host a talent show where customers can showcase their creativity related to your product. Ask them to press 7 to leave a voicemail featuring a jingle, short poem, or innovative use of your product. Let the community vote on their favorite submissions via your website or social media, with winners announced monthly. This approach can uncover hidden talents and create engaging content for your brand.

8. Customer DJ Mixes

Turn your customers into brand DJs. Encourage them to call in and add their favorite songs to a brand-themed playlist. Share these user-curated playlists on your website or social media. It’s a fun way to involve your community and create a unique soundtrack that represents your brand.

9. Interactive Trivia and Games

Host trivia games where customers call in and answer questions related to your brand. Use your IVR system to guide them through the game, adding an element of gamification to your customer interactions. This can be a fun way for customers to engage with your brand while testing their knowledge.

10. Voice Acting Contests

Invite customers to leave voicemails acting as characters who use your product. This can be a playful and creative way for them to engage with your brand. Host a contest for the best voice acting, featuring winners in your promotional content. It adds a creative twist to your marketing efforts and makes your content more dynamic.

11. Interactive Art and Creativity

Encourage customers to contribute to audio art projects. Ask them to leave voicemails that will be combined into a sound collage or spoken word performance. You can also create a collaborative storytelling project where each caller adds to an ongoing narrative. This fosters a sense of community and creativity among your customers.

12. Customer Advice Hotline

Set up a hotline where customers can leave advice for new users of your product. Compile these pieces of advice into a guide or audio series, showcasing the supportive community around your brand. This peer advice can be incredibly valuable for new customers and demonstrates the strong community backing your brand.

13. Themed Voicemail Series

Keep your content fresh by changing the theme of voicemail requests daily or weekly. For example, on Mondays, ask customers to share a funny story about their first time using your product, and on Tuesdays, a heartfelt moment. Aligning themes with seasons or holidays can also keep your content relevant and engaging.

14. Soundscapes and Ambience

Ask customers to record the sounds of their environment while using your product, creating an audio diary. Blend these recordings into a community soundscape that tells a unique story about your brand’s impact in different settings. This adds a rich, sensory layer to your brand’s storytelling and can be used in various marketing materials.

For a campaign like this one you will need some features to make sure that you offer an exceptional call experience while being in a good place in order to track & analyze the results.

Call Experience Features

• Keypad Entry (or IVR): A keypad entry or IVR functionality is essential for directing callers to the appropriate prompts based on the content you want to gather. Ensure your IVR setup is user-friendly and engaging. You can include personalized greetings and clear instructions to guide your callers seamlessly through the process. A well-designed IVR system can make the experience enjoyable and encourage more participation.
• Call Greetings: Personalized and welcoming greetings set the tone for the call. Custom prompts can make the experience feel unique and engaging. Tailor your messages to match the tone of your campaign, whether it’s fun and playful for a talent show or heartfelt and sincere for sharing success stories. This personal touch can make your customers feel valued and more inclined to participate.
• Voicemail Recording and Storage: A reliable voicemail recording system is necessary to capture high-quality audio submissions. Ensure that your system can handle multiple callers simultaneously and store recordings securely.
• Real-Time Feedback and Notifications: Provide real-time feedback to your callers to keep them informed and engaged. For example, if a caller’s story is selected for a contest, notify them immediately. Automated notifications can also be used to thank participants for their contributions and inform them about the next steps, such as when their content will be featured.

Tracking & Analyzing Results

Let’s face it, most marketers would rather be brainstorming creative campaigns or crafting compelling stories than wading through endless spreadsheets and reports. But like it or not, the reality of modern marketing is that managers love their data and KPIs.

So these are a must-have:

• CRM Integration: Integrating Caller ID with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system allows you to personalize the call experience based on the caller’s history with your brand. This integration can help you track interactions, tailor prompts, and follow up with participants more effectively. It also ensures that high-value customers receive the recognition and engagement they deserve.
• Transcription and Keyword Spotting: Consider using transcription services to convert voice messages into text. This makes it easier to review and analyze the content. Keyword spotting tools can identify specific words and phrases relevant to your campaign, providing insights into customer preferences and highlighting recurring themes. This data can be invaluable for tailoring your marketing strategies and improving customer satisfaction.
• Call Analytics and Reporting: Robust analytics and reporting tools are crucial for tracking the success of your campaign. Monitor metrics such as the number of calls, types of content submitted, caller demographics, and engagement levels. Analyze this data to understand what resonates with your audience and optimize future campaigns. These insights can help you refine your strategies and achieve better results over time.

Poppi’s innovative use of phone calls for user-generated content demonstrates that blending nostalgia with fresh approaches can effectively engage audiences and restore authenticity to marketing efforts. By embracing creativity and boldness, brands can navigate the shifting dynamics of user trust and create impactful, memorable campaigns. This example serves as a reminder that the key to successful marketing lies in continually pushing boundaries and finding new ways to connect with consumers.