Thoughtpick: A unique perspective of the Web and social media...
A unique perspective of the Web and social media...

February 6, 2010

Learn Social Media by Example: Vistaprint Gives Back Campaign

Campaign Name: The Vistaprint Giveback Giveaway
URL: Vistaprint giveback giveaway
SM Channels used: Facebook, Twitter
Prize: Lots of prizes listed on their website
Target Audience: Current customers
Date: Jan/2010
Campaign Duration: 1 month

The Vistaprint Giveback Giveaway by Overdrive Interactive. Vistaprint is a one stop shop for small businesses marketing and printing needs. They offer services ranging from printing marketing materials to providing marketing services such as copy-writing and design.

The company touts serving more than 8 million people per year and provides its services in 20 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.

What is it about?

Vistaprint, as an online business, already utilized its social media profiles on Twitter and Facebook and benefited from the interactions that it had on those medium. According to Trynka Shineman, chief marketing officer of Vistaprint North America, they have seen their community grow exponentially on those social media profiles. Therefore, they wanted to thank their community for connecting with them on a very personal level and allow current members to win some great prizes and potentially attracting some new members as well.

All you have to do is go to the “Vistaprint giveback giveaway” website and enter your name and email and share the contest on Twitter or Facebook for a chance to win. The campaign duration was the week of 1/17/2009 ending on the 23rd of January.

Buzz Generation

Although the campaign is very young, it has already been reported on by Yahoo, MSN, and CNN Money generating interest in the campaign that reaches beyond the social media sphere and it has been well received by social networks with messages on Twitter and Facebook promoting the campaign and thanking them for it.

Facebook reactions

Facebook reactions

Traffic Stats

Twitter: 225 tweets 1,900 Following 979 followers 25 Listed (1/17/2009)

Facebook: 6,168 fans

Why did it do what it did?

The campaign seems to generate success judging from the reactions and sharing that is going on through Twitter and Facebook. Since the campaign gets people to participate in it by sharing the contest with them it is highly viral, having great prizes also helps people to maintain Vistaprint’s brand in a positive light.

Having it featured on MSN Money and CNN Money opens the campaign to an entirely new audience that is different than the social media audience and helps to highlight some of services they provide through social media. This, indirectly, helps promote not just the brand but provides some real life examples of their support channels that exist in social media.

Customer Support

Customer Support

What do you think of the Vistaprint campaign? Did you hear of the company previously? Are you going to participate? Let us hear your thoughts about it…

Success 3/5, Virality 3/5, Innovation 1/5, Feels like an ad 4/5, Brand visibility 5/5
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • StumbleUpon
  • Sphinn
  • Slashdot
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Mixx
  • Ping.fm
  • FriendFeed
  • BlinkList
  • Technorati
  • HackerNews
  • email

Possibly related posts:

  1. Learn Social Media By Example: Dunkin Donuts Campaign
  2. Learn Social Media by Example: The Zack16 Campaign
  3. Learn Social Media by Example: “It Has to be Heinz — Dip & Squeeze” Campaign
  4. Target’s Super Bowl & Valentine Campaign — Learn Social Media By Example
  5. Learn Social Media by Example: “Give Me My Chuck” Campaign
M. Bamieh: An Electrical and Computer Engineer who accidentally started writing and blogging. Now, he enjoys doing a little bit of everything. Bam likes to describe himself as "an enthusiast with an insatiable appetite for yummy technology".
  • jeffespo
    Thanks for this great article. Please let me know if you would like to discuss further.
  • Hmm... quite a mediocre idea from them! So half ass!
  • Harry Gold
    Thanks for the great post!
    Harry J. Gold - CEO, Overdrive Interactive
  • I love the idea of "giving back"; sounds very sincere and well thought of! I think this is a great way for Vistaprint to retain their target audience and get their loyalty... I just think the idea is not that innovative and the method is not that attractive it could have been more colorful or creative!

    My rating would be: Success 3/5, Virality 3/5, Innovation 1/5, Feels like an ad 3/5, Brand visibility 5/5
blog comments powered by Disqus