Society of Good Taste

+ Oh Grey Poupon. Its ads from the 80s became pop culture status. In a decade of living the spendy lifestyle, it worked. If you don't remember, here is the original and a follow up that ran a few years later.
 



This week, Grey Poupon launched a digital campaign with an app on Facebook via CP+B that I'm digging. This NY Times article explains the what and why of the campaign, which is targeted at increasing sales with the 18-34 year old demographic. What is interesting about it, is that you're not hit with a traditional "like gate".

After going to the Grey Poupon Facebook page, users can agree to have their Facebook profile scoured to see if their selections measure up to the brand’s parameters. For example, if a Facebook user’s profile lists suitable choices for “newsworthy happenings,” “their place of residence,” “social standing” (i.e., how many Facebook friends they have) and “curiosities and tastes,” he or she can score in the top 20th percentile, which allows membership in the Society of Good Taste. Grey Poupon’s Facebook page has about 20,000 fans, and Ms. Braun said Kraft expected to expand that number with its campaign. Those who are accepted in the society will have a chance to win a cookbook like Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” or a Grey Poupon shopping bag because, she said, “people who uphold high standards should be rewarded.” Grey Poupon is also overhauling its Web site by rebuilding it on Pinterest, which would enable customers to see its visuals and make it easier to pin and share visuals and other content.

We passed this around our creative department. I got in on the first go, although my use of "OMG" in one Facebook post was not received well. Another coworker tried to get in and didn't, so she updated her Facebook to get in. Now, being in the ad biz, part of the motivation for that was to see what it was and did. But will other "average Joes" do the same? There is something to the exclusivity that just might make them behave in the same way. Super smart.

Also, the fact that you can't just like the brand without going through this "approval process", is interesting as well. When brands talk about wanting engaged fans, not just huge numbers of them, this is the kind of thing that creative teams should come back with. But often, you can't sell it in because clients worry about it being "too exclusive" and "what about causal users?". Once you're in, there are also "Tasteful Rewards" which began with an "Eco-curean Tote Bag". More are to be revealed, and it will be interesting to see what those rewards are. Definitely a carrot to some to come back and check it out. We'll see if it helps to grow the fan base too, beyond ad folk checking it out. ;)