Consumers trust bloggers more than they trust brands. That’s why Ugg is using the credibility and influence of bloggers to expand its social media footprint and build awareness of the brand and its products.
Like many brands, Ugg Australia is on the hunt for content that won’t come across as run-of-the-mill marketing material. So it’s linked up with a disparate group of eight bloggers to do the work for the brand.
The “Ugg Creative Council,” as the brand is calling it, was created by 360i. It runs the gamut of style, music, art, architecture, pop culture, interior design, fashion, travel and food. The posts will live on each blogger’s site but also have a home on Ugg.com. One thing the content won’t be is typical marketing boilerplate extolling products.
“The content is truly reflective of each individual — with our brand delivering it to the digital world,” said Ugg vp of marketing Nancy Mamann.
The fact that Ugg has stepped aside and is letting the bloggers produce the content is a smart move because brands aren’t in the business of content creation and their agencies aren’t that good at it either. It also makes it more authentic.
The program will run for a five-month period (July – November). Depending on the specific blogger, posts might go up daily for a period of time or roll out on a weekly basis for the duration of the effort.
Ugg hopes by not requiring bloggers to write solely on products the content will attract a wider audience. Chris Cantalini’s, who writes the music blog Gorilla vs. Bear, was asked to attend a GvsB event in Dallas. Cantalini created a video to summarize the happenings of the night. Sian-Pierre Regis’ daily style blog, Swagger, was tasked with covering what one’s fall color palette should look like. Some of the bloggers will travel the United States for a photo series, while others will work out of a studio in Paris, creating video content from key events. The bloggers all disclose their affiliation with Ugg in posts Ugg has commissioned.
The content effort is meant to help Ugg better connect with its target audience through content. Each blogger is encouraged to share the commissioned content with their social media followings. These can be substantial. Swagger, for instance, has 100,000 Facebook fans.
“Our strategy is simple: to expand consumer perception and understanding of our brand through the lens of influential tastemakers,” Mamann said.
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