Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Our campaign recruited different mom and pop shops to create their own ads promoting their shops and local snacks along with the milk cans. The ads were then boosted as geo targeted ads to engage customers around each shop. This strategy allows each shop to create their own ad targeting customers in the same neighborhood. The insight is that people usually know the owners of their nearest mom and pop shops because they grow up going there and they’re like family.

Background

Dutch Mill's milk can products, Dmalt Can and White Gold Milk, are sold exclusively in mom-and-pop shops all over Thailand. However, these shops are struggling from declining sales due to the emergence of online shopping, the expansion of CVS, and the ongoing pandemic. Dutch Mill wanted to help out these small independent shops, which are the beating heart of Dutch Mill's business as well as the entire Thai economy.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

The sponsorship campaign kicked off with an online film, starring real shop owners. The film is stylized with a local mood and tone, both visually and through the score. It also functions as a recruitment for other owners to join by sending in their video clips promoting a selected local snack to pair with the milk cans. The clips are then promoted all over Thailand using geo-target ads to customers within a 1km radius around each shop.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

We found that our milk cans are often purchased in pairing with other snacks. Since each mom-and-pop shop sells their own signature local snack, we launched "The Sponsor of Mom-and-Pop Shops" campaign to drive sales for both Dutch Mill's milk cans and each shop's homemade snacks at the same time.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We kicked off with a recruitment Film asking mom-and-pop shops all over Thailand to submit homemade clips for advertising their homemade snacks with our milk cans. Then, Dutch Mill boosted these clips as geo-targeted ads to customers within each shop's 1km radius. Shop owners could also upload and boost their own clips via our DIY microsite platform. In addition, we also provided each participating shop with product posters and combo packs to help drive their sales at the point of purchase.

List the results (30% of vote)

- More than 200 mom-and-pop shops around Thailand joined the campaign by sending their clips to Dutch Mill - Average sales of all participating mom-and-pop shops increased by 20% - Dmalt Cans and White Gold Milk sales went up 200% - 40 Million Impressions - $500K Earned Media