YETI

Page 1

group 1: Yassine Abdallaoui, Zac Bodner, Nicholas Sattler


table of contents 5 25 31 36 53 68

Research Summary #AnswerTheCall Customer Journey Communications Plan U/X Plan Conclusion


Abstract

Our client is YETI, pioneers of the luxury cooler line, and future Unicorn brand from Austin, TX.

After experiencing widespread growth and success in their first years of business, YETI now faces the challenge of maintaining their brand’s momentum.

They have reached out to the McCombs School of Business for strategic recommendations on how to meet this challenge.

3


Project objectives •

Find a new, profitable segment for YETI to attract

Articulate the stages of the segment’s customer journey

Develop a campaign and media strategy by which to reach them at each stage, utilizing all of YETI’s marketing channels

Influence them to conversion 4


RESEARCH / baseline 5


Background

• • •

Yeti was founded in 2005 by brothers and avid fishermen, Roy and Ryan Seiders. They wanted to create a cooler that could stand up to the rigors of their outdoor hunting and fishing excursions. Primarily, they wanted to build a cooler strong enough to stand on top of while fly-casting and looking for Redfish. 6


market research - U.S. Outdoor Recreation • Technology is changing outdoor recreation, with new electronic devices like GPS units and digital cameras. • Given relatively cheap gas prices and strong consumer outlook, more Americans are expected to travel and take their families on outdoor adventures, which will help drive growth in the outdoor and camping-related products industry. • In regards to fishing, the sport continues to grow with 8.6 million newcomers to fishing in the last two years alone. Fishing participation as a child has a powerful effect on future participation – 83% of adult anglers fished as a child. And, Hispanic fishing participants average 24.4 days on the water per year, almost five days more than the average for all fishing participants.

Hunting and firearms equipment Exercise equipment Golf equipment Bicycling equipment Camping equipment Fishing tackle Binoculars and sunglasses Archery equipment Soccer balls Baseball and softball equipment Water sports Shoe inserts (orthotics) Billiard and indoor games Basketball equipment Tennis equipment

6,746.2 6,480.2 3,408.2 2,288.3 1,675.6 1,547.5 1,340.6 660.8 598.2 592.4 467.5 398.4 369.5 258.2 255.9

0

1750

3500

5250

Equipment sales in million U.S. dollars

Share of participants

90.0%

60.0%

4-11 annual outings 52-103 annual outings

7% 15%

16%

16%

16%

20%

8%

12-23 annual outings 104-259 annual outings

11%

9%

9%

8%

18%

15%

15%

15%

16%

16%

15%

19%

19%

19%

19%

19%

20% 30.0%

13%

13%

19%

18%

14%

13%

13%

18%

18%

19%

6%

10%

10%

11%

2011

2012

13% 13%

10% 0.0%

2009

10% 2010

2013

2014

50

Number of outings

1-3 annual outings 24-51 annual outings 260+ annual outings 120.0%

49

38

33

33

Caucasian

African American

31

25

13

0

Hispanic

7

Asian/Pacific Islander

7000


Design and Engineering Regular coolers glue two pieces of plastic together, where the seam is a failure point. Yeti uses one piece Rotomolding, which produces a stronger, more rigid cooler.

T Latch

Tie Down Slot

Lid

Heavy duty rubber latches fit into ball and socket type closures.

You can stand on it. Fully insulated. Has a full-farm sealing gasket (like a fridge) to keep out circulating air, which keeps the inside cooler.

Integrated sleeve for tie down onto a tailgate rack or boat.

Feet

Handles

Non-slip rubber that won’t scratch fiberglass boats, also creates space to prevent convection. Can be switched out for plastic ones to slide into and out of a truck bed.

Two sets, one is integral to the molding, for one person carry. There are two rope handles, for two person carry. Both protect knuckles from scraping.

Drain

Grizzly Proof

Angled along the bottom with a detachable hose fitting.

Slots designed for locks to keep bears out. 8


Brand Image U T I L I T Y, ADVENTURE, S TAT U S • Smart marketers don’t sell

products. They sell attitudes and feelings.

• Yeti knows this well. • They sell a status symbol. • They sell the promise of

adventure, relaxation and good times with friends. 9


Target Personas Outdoorsman

I’m Yeti’s bread and butter. I spend lots of time hunting and fishing and I need a product that can hang. I don’t have time for Bears or coolers that are not up to the challenge.

Weekend Warrior

I love tailgating, barbecues, and anything where I can drink beer and hangout w/ friends. Status and Lifestyle are very important to me.

10

To Be Decided

I’m the next persona/ segment Yeti will go after. Finding me is one of the primary challenges of this assignment.


Products

TUNDRA

The cooler that built the Yeti brand. Seamless, single-frame, unbreakable construction called Rotomolding. Bear proof, outdoor adventure proof, keeps anything cold for weeks.

RAMBLER

HOPPER

Like the Tundra, but ultra portable. Still keeps things cold for days. Leakproof, rugged construction.

Yeti’s insulated drink container. The next logical extension of their technology. Keeps drinks “As cold as science allows.”

11

TANK

The non-portable version. Two sizes. Great for parties that don’t move and kegs.


Website Audit Same interactive design as the product listing.

Very simple and effective landing page. They offer products, and stories. What’s your fancy?

Here, visitors can view some of Yeti’s content marketing. Each video highlights a story of a character and how Yeti fits into their lives.

If you scroll down a little on the landing page, you get details. Yeti is smart in their design, they know these categories are secondary to the needs of their consumer. Responsive design allows quick access to an overview of product offerings. Each product description includes a story and compelling color photography. They include customization of color features, quick access to product reviews, and most importantly - the “get it” button. 12

The website does a great job of straddling the line between meeting their business objectives and the needs of their consumers.

Yeti wants to sell products and create a brand story centered on adventure and self-reliance.

Their consumer wants to buy products and envision their own story involving it.


Facebook Audit (1) • Yeti has a very

multidimensional brand, and they use Facebook to showcase their assets well. These include: • Videos and product

stories

• Partnerships with

brand ambassadors like Steven Rinella, outdoor adventure man extraordinaire

• In-person meetups • A Spotify channel

and its contributors, like Country music star Chris Stapleton

13


facebook audit (2) • Great recognition of the brand on Facebook • Showplace for outdoor activities; pictures of the lifestyle and the products

14


instagram audit (1) • One of Yeti’s key strengths

is how they leverage the power of imagination in their consumers. As previously stated, they don’t just sell a cooler. They sell a vision. • “What amazing things could

I be doing with these products?” is the question Yeti nudges into the minds of their consumer. • They use Instagram to help

answer this question through outstanding photography.

15


Instagram audit (2)

Similar amount of followers to Facebook

Extension of Facebook photograph themes Strong mentions on platform, beyond company name Multiple unofficial accounts supporting the brand

16


Twitter audit

• Used similarly to Facebook,

with the addition of retweeting fans and enthusiasts tweeting pics of them and their Yeti stories/ adventures

• Also push product, videos,

and events

17


twitter audit (2) • Fraction of the followers from Instagram or Facebook • Employed to showcase pictures or videos from other channels – very little organic content or posturing • Some links to ambassador pages

Uniform branding: 1. Cover photo 2. Logo 3. Tag-line Long history

Tweet frequency 18


youtube audit (1) • Yeti does a great job of

delving into some additional aspects of their brand’s personality on this platform. • “YETI Versus” highlights

their humorous side. • “My Old Man” highlights

their human side. • They also use this channel

to push product videos and the adventure stories from their website, FB, and Twitter. 19


youtube audit (2) • Smaller “following” than even Twitter, but videos are viewed on Facebook and Twitter in addition to YouTube • Wide diversity of topic on Youtube

Uniform branding Outdoor activity tutorials and showcases of rough uses of products

Strong brand connection amongst “similar” channels

20


competition Yeti opened a new market (blue ocean) : the high end cooler market Not as durable, much cheaper, keeps ice cold for almost as long

As the product is hardly patentable, many competitors are coming into this niche. Large cooler manufacturers are catching up by developing their own premium range.

More sizes, dual drain plugs, comparable in price

Cheaper, Rotomolded but not single frame, brass latches 21

Cheaper, has held ice longer in consumer tests, not as durable

Longer lifetime warranty, has held ice longer in consumer tests, not as durable


advertising

McGarrah Jessee is Yeti’s creative agency. They have done an effective job of communicating some of the primary themes of the Yeti brand. These are: strength and durability, the wonder of the outdoors, an independent spirit, and a sense of humor. 22


SWOT STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

1) Product design and engineering 2) Creative content creation 3) Social and digital marketing initiatives 4) Loyal brand following

1) Prohibitive price point 2) Not a national brand yet 3) Limited product scope

1) National expansion 2) New product offerings 3) Increased ambassadors and partners

1) Patent Infringement 2) Copycat technology 3) Diluting brand image with new products

S.W.O.T. Analysis

OPPORTUNITIES

23

THREATS


takeaways / challenge statement •

YETI has experienced nearly unprecedented growth and success since their beginnings in 2005.

They pioneered the luxury cooler line.

They are a textbook example of how to build a brand and following through:

product design and engineering,

brand story telling, content marketing and use of social media

utilization of partnerships, influencers, endorsements and word of mouth

CHALLENGE STATEMENT - How can YETI continue their rapid growth while remaining true to both their brand and their core consumer?

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#ANSWERTHECALL

25


campaign idea to meet objectives •

When tasked with coming up with the solution to YETI’s marketing challenge, our team was faced with two options: make small improvements to a well-oiled machine, or create a whole new machine. YETI believes in doing things big, so we chose the latter.

Right now, YETI makes products for people who already love the outdoors. They love these products because they make their time spent in the Wild more productive, valuable and memorable.

But what if YETI took up a new role? One that extended past engineering and producing products?

26


campaign idea explained # ANSWERTHECALL (1) •

Our idea is for YETI to begin a new services division to their organization. A division whose sole purpose is to act as a resource for people who want to learn how to engage more in outdoor activities - like camping, fishing, and hunting.

•

We propose that YETI utilize their network of ambassadors to begin organizing group excursions, where participants learn how to fish and hunt and camp. We propose that they leverage their love and knowledge of the outdoors to act as resources and teachers; in doing so, they will inspire a whole new generation of outdoor enthusiasts, and loyal YETI followers.

27


campaign idea explained # ANSWERTHECALL (2) •

#AnswerTheCall is an integrated marketing campaign aimed at one thing: equipping people with the tools, knowledge, resources and community to get out into the Wild.

These are the objectives:

1) Produce and distribute (sell) new outdoor field guides, (see next page) aimed at teaching first timers anything and everything they might need to know about the Great outdoors. This includes camping, fishing, hiking, and bear rasslin'.

2) Produce and curate “how to” content across all of YETI’s social channels, organized by the hashtag #AnswerTheCall.

3) Introduce, organize and launch guided tours with YETI ambassadors.

4) Provide a way for first timers and enthusiasts to learn how to hunt, fish, and camp in a group setting.

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SAMPLE COMPONENT - Field guides

Where’s the best place to go fishing close close by? Know how to tie a Josephine Knot? What constellation is that? Thus far, YETI has catered to an audience that is already passionate about engaging in outdoor activities. They’ve done such a phenomenal job turning the wilderness into a beautiful narrative, that most who come across their creative soon catch the itch that only the Wild can scratch. This is what happened to all the members of our group while working on this project. But thus far, YETI’s creative communications have been one sided.

29


SAMPLE advertising copy - Guided excursions / tours •

Remember how crystalline blue that water was the last time you went fishing, when you were eight?

Ever get tired of that suit and tie and that little computer in your pocket that runs your life?

Ever think about those silvery stars you used to lay under next to the fire back in summer camp?

So do we. 30


customer journey 31


abstract

•

Let’s take a look at our target consumer, and walk with them a bit along their customer journey.

32


target customer SEGMENT

WANT TO LEARN TO ENGAGE IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
 (CAMPING, FISHING and HUNTING) NEED RESOURCES AND ON-BOARDING LOW END YETI PRODUCT OWNERS BRAND ENTHUSIASTS INSPIRED BY YETI SOCIAL MEDIA

WORK HARD/PLAY HARD DISPOSABLE INCOME and LEISURE TIME MEN OR WOMEN, MARRIED OR UNMARRIED

33


customer journey

RESEARCH

AWARENESS CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

articulate need, find brand/service to meet need

acquire detailed information, explore options

YETI OBJECTIVE

introduce new service

educate, inform, inspire,

KPI’s

hashtag usage, social video views/shares, email ctr’s, press release acquisition/distribution, AdWords ctr’s, views and impressions

Guide downloads, in-store registrations, excursion information requests, excursion sign ups

1) Intro Emails

Owned

2) Sponsored Video Posts

Earned

1) Website

2) Social Pages

Paid Owned

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS

3) Press Releases 5) In-Store Displays/Guerilla

4) PPC Campaigns

Paid

6) Casting Stations

34

3) VR Stations

Paid

4) Customer Service/Sales


customer journey

CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

decision

purchase

post-purchase

answer questions of price, utility, value

find cheapest, most convenient, most valuable method of purchase

loyalty of brand, further purchase incentive, recognition of network

make process as seamless/convenient/ easy as possible

advocacy, customer loyalty

guidebook and excursion purchases

user generated content, shares, hashtag usage, referrals

YETI OBJECTIVE

secure conversions (sales, signups)

KPI’s

page visits and interaction, information sheet downloads, guidebook previews

WEBSITE

WEBSITE

WEBSITE

RETAILER

SOCIAL

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS tour guide excursion 3) info/contact 1) information pages sheets 2) guidebook customization

1) 1) field guide purchase

35

2) excursion purchase

3) share content/ 2) referral experience Academy discounts #answerthecall


communications plan

36


customer journey CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

CUSTOMER JOURNEY awareness phase

articulate need, find brand/service to meet need

YETI OBJECTIVE

introduce new service

KPI’s

hashtag usage, social video views/shares, email ctr’s, press release acquisition/distribution, AdWords ctr’s, views and impressions 1) Intro Emails

Owned

2) Sponsored Video Posts

Earned

Paid

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS 3) Press Releases 5) In-Store Displays/Guerilla

37

4) PPC Campaigns

Paid

6) Casting Stations


customer journey - awareness •

YETI faces the challenge of introducing an entirely new division to their organization. They now aim to become a service provider, as well as master product engineers.

Since they have such a massive and loyal following, awareness won’t be as much of an issue as it would be for a startup or a challenger brand.

YETI’s challenge is thus: can they produce content and messaging that is compelling enough to spur their following to action? 38


1) Email

Media Type - Owned, then Earned through shares (ideally)

Why - YETI loves to use their ambassadors as assets, because people trust their expertise. In this vein, we want to leverage our trusted consumers to begin spreading the word amongst their networks.

Description - Introductory emails introducing the new campaign and its hashtag

KPI’s - Email click throughs, Shares 39


2) TWITTER/INstagram/FB - Sponsored video posts •

Media Type - Paid, then Earned through shares (ideally)

Why - Highly targeted (interests, searches, demographics), native and cost effective (CPV) model. Will help reach mobile-first users.

Description - These videos are meant to inspire, and afterwards link to the Website which will house the outdoor resources, including how-to-videos. Users will be encouraged to tag friends they want to learn and adventure with.

KPI’s - Views, (shares) organic vs. paid views, hashtag usage

40


3) PRESS RELEASES •

Media Type - Earned

Why - YETI is a unicorn brand riding a wave of popularity and speculation leading up to their IPO. The world is tracking their movements for free. This means pretty much any news they make can be broadcast to a huge audience. This is not an innovative or groundbreaking digital strategy, but it will be extremely effective in promoting awareness.

Description - YETI will send PR’s to media outlets all over the country to announce the beginning of their new initiative.

KPI’s - # of releases distributed through which outlets.

41


4) PPC CAMPAIGNS •

Phase - Awareness

Media Type - Paid

Why - Highly targeted (interests, searches, demographics), cost effective (PPC) model, utilizes most popular search engine in the world.

Sample Search Queries - First time” hunting,” “Where to go fishing,” “Outdoors Groups near me,” “First time Camping”

KPI’s - CTR, Unique Page Visitors

42


5) In Store DISPLAYS •

Phase - Awareness

Media Type - Paid, Earned (hopefully)

Why - This will be a unique, attention grabbing, playful way to promote the campaign. Users will see these and search the hashtag.

Description - In local supermarkets, these toothpick signs will be placed next to the fish’s mouth (in the display cases) to make it look like they are encouraging shoppers to #AnswerTheCall.

KPI’s - User Generated Content

43


6) Casting stations on town lake •

Media Type - Paid, Earned (hopefully)

Why - This will give folks a taste of what’s to come in the Fishing category.

Description - At one mile increments on Town Lake, YETI will set up instructional stations where joggers and passersby can learn how to Fly Cast.

KPI’s - User Generated Content,

44


customer journey

customer journey RESEARCH phase

CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

acquire detailed information, explore options

YETI OBJECTIVE

educate, inform, inspire,

KPI’s

guide downloads, in-store registrations, excursion information requests, excursion sign ups

1) Website

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS

Owned 3) VR Stations

Paid

45

2) Social

4) Customer Service/Sales


customer journey - research •

It will be crucial that YETI’s new target have easy access to any and all information they will need to make their decisions.

They will be able to do this through some of the usual channels of web, social and customer service; they will also be treated to augmented reality stations (VR) at YETI retailers, where, utilizing fun and immersive technology, they can experience some of the adventure that awaits them. 46


1) WEBSITE •

Media Type - Owned

Description - There will be a new section of the YETI website. It will be an aggregation of content, resources and videos aimed at one thing: preparing the consumer to get out into the wild. They will gain information, watch videos, read about YETI’s new field guides, learn about the new excursions/guided tours and sign up for them.

The customer will be able to create an account through which YETI can monitor their progress and reach out at various points of their customer journey.

KPI’s - Unique visitors, video views, resource downloads, sign ups

47


2) SOCIAL

Media Type - Owned

Description - The new content and resources, along with all pertinent information about outdoor groups and upcoming tours will be posted throughout these channels.

A new Facebook group will serve as a forum for the customers to meet up, form adventure groups, and pose any questions about the new services.

KPI’s - Group members, video views

48


3) VIRTUAL REALITY STATIONS - IN STORE •

Media Type - Paid, Earned (hopefully)

Description - Wherever YETI is sold, there will be VR Stations where users can experience the Call of the Wild in an immersive, virtual environment. It will be an awesome way to feel, touch and experience the brand and adventure.

From here, they can sign up for more information, or if they want - for an upcoming guided excursion.

KPI’s - Tour registrations, information requests

49


4) Customer Service/Sales

Media Type - Owned

Description - If any questions cannot be answered from the website, the chat, or the Facebook group forum - customer service and sales are available by phone, with a press to call feature on the website/mobile site.

KPI’s - Registrations, Information Requests

50


PRODUCTION CALENDAR

51


EDITORIAL PLAN CHANNEL

CONTENT

FREQUENCY

SOCIAL

HOW TO VIDEO

1 new per month, 3-4 times posted a week

SOCIAL

GUIDED TOUR INFO

5-7 times per week

SOCIAL

OUTDOOR RESOURCE

1-2 times per week

SOCIAL

INFLUENCER ARTICLE

1-2 times per week

SOCIAL

SOMETHING FUNNY

1-2 times per week

SOCIAL

PROMOTED VIDEO

5-7 times per week

SOCIAL

FIELD GUIDE

1 new per month, 3-4 times posted a week

WEBSITE

HOW TO VIDEO

1 new per month

WEBSITE

GUIDED TOUR INFO

1-2 times per week

WEBSITE

FIELD GUIDE

1 new per month

52


user experience plan

53


CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

answer questions of price, utility, value

YETI OBJECTIVE

secure conversions (sales, signups)

KPI’s

page visits and interaction, information sheet downloads, guidebook previews

WEBSITE

customer journey decision phase

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS 3) tour guide info/contact pages

1) excursion information sheets 2) field guide previews

54


customer journey - decision •

Usually, the decision phase is best for providing the consumer the last nudge that they will need to convince them to convert.

This may take the form of white papers, or customer reviews, or case studies.

Since this campaign hasn’t started yet, YETI has none of these assets. So, this phase will serve more as an extension of the Research. 55


excursion information sheets

These will include all pertinent info about the upcoming guided tours/excursions. This includes locations, itineraries, FAQ’s, equipment check lists.

FAQ’s include pricing, what to expect, group size limit, duration.

KPI’s - pdf downloads

56


tour guide information / contact •

A natural question participants will have is, “Who will I be learning to hunt/fish/ camp with and when the weekend is over will I be as cool as they are?”

In this section of the website, the customer will be able to answer this question by reading up on each tour’s guide. They can even fill out a form and be contacted over the phone by the guides themselves, which will create a tangible connection and encourage sign ups.

KPI’s - page visits, contact form submissions

57


Field guide previews

Ultimately, the #AnswerTheCall campaign is centered on one conversion - sales. The two items for sale are the 1) field guides, and the 2) guided camping/ fishing/and hunting trips.

On this section of the website, the customer will be able to download a preview of the field guide before purchase.

KPI’s - pdf downloads

58


customer journey purchase phase

CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

find cheapest, most convenient, most valuable method of purchase.

YETI OBJECTIVE

make process as seamless/convenient/ easy as possible

KPI’s

guidebook and excursion purchases

WEBSITE

RETAILER

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS

guidebook purchase

59

excursion purchase


customer journey - purchase •

The point of this phase is to make the act of purchasing as easy as possible, and provide the consumer with as many avenues to do so as possible.

•

YETI will make purchases and sign ups available through the website, at YETI retailers, over the phone through customer service, and through online retailers like Amazon. 60


field guide purchase •

After the pdf preview download, the customer will have the option to purchase the guide from the site, or find a list of retailers close to them by plugging in zip code.

These will include anywhere that YETI products are sold, book stores, and online retailers like Amazon.

KPI’s - purchases, zip code submission to find retailers close by

61


excursion purchase

If this campaign and customer journey was successful, YETI will have begun their transition from master product engineers to purveyors of adventure, knowledge, and community.

From the website or at any YETI retailer, the customer can sign up for the beginning of their new life as a Wild Child of the Great Outdoors.

KPI’s - purchases

62


customer journey post-purchase phase

CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE

loyalty of brand, further purchase incentive, recognition of network

YETI OBJECTIVE

advocacy, customer loyalty

KPI’s

user generated content, shares, hashtag usage, referrals

WEBSITE

SOCIAL

CHANNELS/ TOUCHPOINTS

Academy

63

referral discounts

share content/ experience #answerthecall


customer journey - post purchase •

Building brand advocacy is about showing love to your consumer and providing them with further incentive to remain loyal.

•

YETI will tackle this phase by: providing new ways for the consumer to build on their outdoor adventure, discounts for referring other future Wildlings, and interaction through the hashtag. 64


YETI

Now that the tamed businessman/ student/house dweller has gotten a taste of that wild life, there’s no turning back.

The YETI Academy is a certification system where the Tour Guided becomes the Tour Guide. It’s basically the Master’s Degree only nature can provide.

KPI’s - registrations, enrollment

Academy

65


referral discounts

YETI was built on the loyalty of their customers. Now this loyalty will be returned. Referrals to guided tours will net discounts for the referred and the referrer.

KPI’s - new referrals

66


#answerthecall •

The participants are going to be chomping at the bit to share their experience via their own social channels. They’ve been introduced to new knowledge, adventure, and community.

#answerthecall will categorize and organize the content they share through their social channels, including posts, videos, and photos. They will tag friends they made during their trips and friends they want to bring next time. They will shout out YETI and thank them for the experience.

YETI, in turn will continue its tradition of reposting and retweeting brand love they receive from their followers and consumers.

KPI’s - hashtag usage, user generated content

67


conclusion 68


conclusion •

The greatest and most beloved brands are the ones that truly incorporate themselves into the narratives of our lives.

They not only meet the needs that we have; they awaken dormant ones within us.

Like the need for adventure, community, and inspiration.

YETI was built on a foundation of love and admiration for the outdoors; it was built to help the Wild get Wilder.

Our campaign is about taking that love for the outdoors and sharing it with a whole new generation of people who were Built for the Wild, whether they know it yet or not. 69


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