{"id":1659,"date":"2014-11-12T10:23:02","date_gmt":"2014-11-12T10:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gravityjack.com\/?p=1659"},"modified":"2023-11-30T10:23:30","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T10:23:30","slug":"kraftingengagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gravityjack.com\/news\/kraftingengagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Kraft-ing Engagement | Kraft Foods White Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Kraft-ing Engagement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How creative digital agency, Gravity Jack, partnered with one of America’s most timeless names to create the future of brand engagement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s world of major corporations, it\u2019s not uncommon that any substantial need of a major company is brought \u201cin house.\u201d This can be done for any number of reasons (including the bottom line, protection of the brand, and more) but when this occurs, brands risk losing a very valuable perspective: A fresh one<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Kraft Foods, one of the world\u2019s largest and most established and well-known brands, the approach is entirely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team at Kraft is responsible for running one of the most established organizations in the world \u2014 and, if you\u2019ve kept any kind of an eye on the company\u2019s stock over the past 5 years (here\u2019s a hint: it\u2019s going well), you\u2019ll see their staff of nearly 23,000 do a fantastic job. When it came time for the brand to re-strategize for the future, however, they came to a massive realization: Very little (if anything) was being done to capitalize on one of the single largest, fastest growing, most brand-valuable platforms in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A platform, literally at consumers\u2019 hip for 16 hours each day \u2014 not to mention, in the palm of their hands a whopping 6 hours a day. A platform where communication is instant, engagement is more valuable than ever, and commerce grows exponentially each year. A platform called \u201cdigital.\u201d Specifically, mobile \u2014 and Kraft realized they were missing out on a great opportunity and needed an approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many companies the size of Kraft would have created a department internally, or worse, commissioned an existing, sort of related department to adjust and learn what needed to be done \u2014 desperately hoping that the makeshift team magically becomes part-time mobile developers, designers and user experience visionaries \u2014 only to play catch up for years, before coming to an all-too-common tough realization: Experts may be needed and forever resort to a bitter claim of \u201cwe tried digital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kraft, and arguably one of their most beloved brands, Oscar Mayer, had a far different approach. Seeing the importance and the urgency in not only establishing a plan, but executing with expertise and proven experience, Oscar Mayer, supported by Kraft\u2019s \u2018Innovation\u2019 team, approached America\u2019s 30 top, most established creative digital agencies and firms \u2014 and asked one primary question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“If we gave you complete freedom and support, how would you build the ultimate Wienermobile digital strategy?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That was seriously it! It was a blank canvas. A badge of warranted trust. A chance to go wild \u2014 or, more professionally speaking, a golden opportunity to bring a major, blue chip brand into the future of consumer engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOW IT ALL BEGAN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the evening of October 23rd, 2013, a sales lead came to our team like many others do \u2014 through our website (www.gravityjack.com), dropping into the inboxes of our team. Instantly, we began imagining the creative possibilities \u2014 especially with such a well-known brand. It was nothing short of exciting, but in order to help lead a brand into the future, you must be aware of its past and the culture that defines every decision made. The first step was meeting with both Oscar Mayer and Kraft\u2019s innovation team, for an introductory meeting. In that meeting they advised that we were one of the 30 agencies being considered as a potential partner for a revolutionary new project, for the iconic brand! They expressed basic needs and gave us a few very high-level suggestions of what they had in mind. Then, they set us free!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An effective strategy of any kind isn\u2019t all just \u201cmac and cheese.\u201d It takes hard work and a core level of understanding for the mission, values and goals from the most grounded-level of the \u2018front lines.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily for us, Oscar Mayer\u2019s \u2018front lines\u2019 just happened to be driving through the area that week! The world-famous Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Hot Doggers, a team responsible for some of the biggest smiles and most timeless interactions with Kraft Foods consumers, was poised to make a stop just 10 minutes west of our hometown, in Spokane, WA. What most agencies might overlook, we saw as an opportunity to connect, at a face-to-face level with those who are on the ground, for our newest potential client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We didn\u2019t go in barking consultation, with the goal of making a long-term client \u2014 but rather, started with our focus on making friends and understanding that we were offering to become a part of their culture \u2014 not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We sent out a company-wide calendar invite, letting our entire team know that we\u2019d be taking a field trip. A trip to a big hot dog, parked in the middle of a grocery store parking lot (which so happened to also be in the pouring rain).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, a trip to meet our new best friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOT DOG, WE GET ALONG!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nearly our entire team was able to make the trip, and we ended up immersed in conversation with the Hot Dogger team, discussing their favorite parts of the job, the tough parts of being on the road for weeks on end, and some of the most common questions they get from visitors and fans \u2014 just like us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We left the conversation, Oscar Mayer whistles in-hand, and our team agreed that it seemed like there were a few main answers that everyone who visits the Wienermobile wants to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. When will the Wienermobile be near me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Can I drive the Wienermobile?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. How do I get it to come to my event — or house?!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    THE APPROACH<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    We knew there were other agencies who had the chance to prove themselves, just like us, and we were up for the challenge! The team banded together. How could we answer the three questions that we felt were critical, in a new, engaging way that both parents and kids would want to use?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We brewed a cafeteria-sized pot of (Maxwell House, of course) coffee and got to work! Our business development got to strategizing, our creative director assembled the designers and our marketers began pulling the pieces together. The solution that the our team came up with not only needed to entertain, inform and meet the needs of loyal Oscar Mayer customers, but it needed to introduce the future in a way that skillfully aligned with one of America\u2019s most timeless, historic brands. The result was a completely transparent, honest and excited explanation of our team, abilities, expertise and passion for amazing software and digital campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    THE PROPOSED SOLUTION<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The proposed solution was the Wienermobile app for iOS & Android devices \u2014 a digital adventure that not only enriched the on-site Wienermobile and Hot Dogger experience but achieved the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n