Case Study: Storytelling & Online Market Expansion for Educational Snacks
Client: Educational Snacks
Industry: Food & Beverage (Grain-free, sweet crackers helping kids eat right and do well in school)
Project Type: Social Media Kick Starter Program: Brand Storytelling Strategy, Social Media Management, Creative Content, Influencer Outreach Campaign
Timeline: 3 Months
Agency: the PR Poet
Executive Summary
Educational Snacks, a food & beverage and educational brand based in Troy, Michigan, partnered with us to develop storytelling strategies to emotionally engage and expand their online customer base. The goal was to develop a refreshed social media experience that would resonate with online educators and the busy lifestyle of parents, while maintaining Educational Snacks’ existing commitment to supporting educational initiatives in school districts.
In just three months, we delivered new brand storytelling strategies, social media management, and influencer outreach that led to a 207% increase in reach, converting to a 32.3% increase in new followers.
*This data is based on a 30 day analysis across Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.
About the Client
Founded in 2010, Educational Snacks is on a mission to help kids eat right and do well in school. The brand is represented by real people that believe education takes a community and that together, we can all make a difference in the lives of children.
Popular with school districts looking for ways to bring educational enrichment and nutrition into the lunchroom, Educational Snacks built a loyal niche following through in-person events, trade shows, and peer-to-peer sales, and ready to grow their online customer base.
The Opportunity
With a strong customer base, with 90% of the business serving US school districts on a monthly basis, Educational Snacks was ready to grow their online customer base and raise awareness for their six Educational Snack varieties and LEARN MORE digital magazines.
A need for an internal content calendar promoting varieties, enrichment offerings, and various industry initiatives efficiently.
Develop storytelling content that features an engaging and educational brand experience.
A need for increased internal capacity for building relationships with influencers to help expand the business.
Goals and Objectives
Showcase real people experiencing the brand and products in real life.
Refresh Educational Snacks’ social media presence aligning content with a humble, neighborly, friendly, educational lifestyle brand voice.
Grow social media audience by 10%.
The Strategy
We developed a digital storytelling strategy rooted in four pillars:
Clarity: Communicate product and educational content quickly and clearly and make e-commerce easy to navigate.
Consistency: Establish a flexible brand storytelling system for day-to-day social media management.
Lifestyle: Appeal to parents and educators who value wholesome, healthy, educational brands.
Conversion: Drive online audience growth and sales through digital storytelling and strategic partnerships.
Execution
Digital Marketing & Content Strategy
Developed an internal monthly content calendar based on monthly themes, i.e. Cinco de Mayo, Statehoods, Field Day, Last Day of School, Summer Camp, Back-to-School, etc.
Leveraged user generated content.
Created a linktree optimized for mobile and sales conversion.
Storytelling Content Creation
Launched #LifeLessons with Dick & Jane showcasing the brand philosophy behind Educational Snacks and making learning fun every day.
Developed animated storytelling content for #FunandFitnessFridays, including a carousel showcasing how friends of Dick & Jane use Educational Snacks to create #TeachableMoments.
Directed, shot, and edited “Let’s Pack a Snackbox” as a way to #MakeLearningFun everyday in real life.
Designed content featuring quotes from the U.S. Presidents, promoting Educational Snacks’ LEARN MORE digital magazine, included on every bag of Educational Snacks.
Built brand goodwill through the launch of the “Pop Quiz” series, featuring multiple choice questions about various topics included in Educational Snacks’ LEARN MORE magazine. The content series both raised awareness for snack varieties and provided engaged consumers with an opportunity to receive a promo code for a box of Educational Snacks.
Produced lifestyle content and voiceover scripts, providing community with educational content.
Influencer Relations
Co-developed an influencer relations back-to-school to school campaign, securing coverage from @crunchesandcrayons (17.7K followers), @bossbabykiki (19.2K followers), and @alexisamomdotcom (22K), while also building a narrative around Educational Snacks’ commitment to public education with the integration of the Adopt a Classroom program.
Secured user generated content from creators, including featured content for Educational Snacks’ States & Capitals and Presidents editions captured on a creator’s family road trip to Washington D.C., a teacher & personal trainer sharing Educational Snacks’ Fun & Fitness edition with her classroom, and an educator finding creative ways to get her kids thinking this summer with Educational Snacks.
Instagram Results
Views: 21.3K, 202.9% increase
Reach: 10.7K, 62.6% increase
Content Interactions: 592, 236.4% increase
Link Clicks: 5,433
Social Media Audience Growth: 59 followers, 1.8% increase in audience base
Lessons Learned
Storytelling rooted in real values and relatable experiences (e.g., interactive educational content, videos featuring a brand representative) can effectively drive engagement and brand love.
Investment in brand influencers pays off when scaling for an online consumer base.
Quotes, questions, and human-centered, visually interesting content engages new conversations and how to bring Educational Snacks into consumer lifestyles.
Conclusion
Educational Snacks partnership with the PR Poet’s Social Media Kick-Starter program demonstrated how quickly brands can grow with a good strategy, creative content, and a consistent presence, setting the stage for higher customer demand.
Want to grow your brand with creative storytelling content?
Reach out at stephanie@theprpoet.com
View more work at www.theprpoet.com