MUD\WTR MRKTNG
Sometimes you can have a great product but poor marketing. Looking at you Betamax.
Sometimes you can have a bad product and amazing marketing. Looking at you Fyre Festival.
Sometimes you can have a great product and marketing. Looking at you MUD\WTR.
MUD\WTR is a coffee alternative “who generated more than $16 million in revenue in 2020, and is projecting $60 million for 2021.” This is in one of the most crowded verticals - morning energy - and they are extracting $60 MM plus per year out of a market that has deep moats built in. Starbucks alone spent $305 MM in marketing last year, let alone their earned media value derived from all the individual stores.
As fans of highlighting exceptional brands, we wanted to do a deep dive on MUD\WTR’s amazing marketing flow from ad to email to home.
Our ask as you read through this master class is to think how each step of the journey instills more confidence in the customer's mind for their purchase decision.
MUD\WTR on FB
Word choice matters and copy can often be an afterthought. There is a concept of God Terms in rhetoric - freedom, independence, power, choice, etc. - that trigger the audience to think in a new direction.
MUD\WTR is not replacing a habit. It is a new morning ritual with the key concept of elevating a morning coffee habit to replace that with a ritual. A word typically used for sacred practices versus bleary eyed, hot beverage making.
Outside of the elevation to “ritual” they choose a first person narrative in many instances. An interesting choice to make their ads feel more personable.
After The Click
They have captured a person’s attention and caused them to take the first small step, a click. What’s the reward for taking this action? An amazing landing page showing a product demo with simple copy to understand about the product.
The CTA is TRY IT over BUY IT as MUD\WTR knows that customers have a cost to switching. Now the key is to reduce a customer’s risk aversion through the flow by reducing complexity and increasing confidence in their choice.
What other elements do you notice?
After the Purchase Email
Derek Sivers sold CDBABY for $22 Million in 1998. He credits part of the business success to “this goofy little thing:
Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy. We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved “Bon Voyage!” to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Friday, June 6th. I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as “Customer of the Year”. We’re all exhausted but can’t wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!
That one silly e-mail, sent out with every order, has been so loved that if you search Google for “private CD Baby jet” you’ll get over 20,000 results.”
We think that MUD\WTR might be fans of Sivers as their email marketing takes inspiration from this story and doubles down on their playable traits.
If they care this much about their emails, how much do they care about ingredients? That is an amazing message to land with customers who just purchased but not yet tasted your product.
The follow up email extends the brand personality from order confirmation. It even adds in a bit of altercasting to the purchaser where you are already aligned to adopting the new morning ritual.
The Product Arrives
At this point, I was more than happy to see my product arrive. I had watched several videos about MUD\WTR and was ready to elevate my morning ritual.
Even better, they thought through this impression as well. The box is of course simple cardboard to be on brand guidelines but they extend the copy from its emails to the box.
At this point, I don’t know who could resist opening the package and making their first MUD\WTR on the spot.
Notice that they continue this turning of language throughout the copy - hut, vessel, shepherd, etc.
Again, if they care this much about the box - how much do they care about the ingredients? Continually landing with a customer that every touchpoint is driving the brand is something that can be missed entirely with many DTCs.
This is also where small companies can battle with the big box or online retailers is adding in these key personal touches.
If you're curious, the product is as good as their marketing!
Read next
User-generated content (UGC) ads are a powerful way to build trust and engage with local audiences. Creating and running localized UGC ads at scale can help businesses connect more personally with their target market. This method leverages real customer experiences and feedback, making the advertising content more relatable and authentic.
Localizing UGC ads involves tailoring the content to fit the cultural and linguistic nuances of specific regions. By doing so, businesses can make their ads more relevant and appealing to local customers. This not only enhances user engagement but also increases the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
To run these ads at scale, a streamlined process is crucial. Effective tools and strategies are needed to gather, curate, and distribute UGC quickly and efficiently. This ensures that the message remains consistent while still catering to the local tastes and preferences of different customer groups.
Developing a Strategy for Localized UGC Ads
Creating an effective strategy for localized UGC ads requires a clear understanding of how localized advertising works, how to leverage user-generated content, and the best ways to incorporate performance branding principles.
Understanding Localized Advertising
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Engaging with local influencers can also boost the credibility and effectiveness of the campaign.
Leveraging User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) involves real users creating content related to a brand. This content can include reviews, photos, videos, and social media posts. UGC is powerful because it’s seen as more authentic and trustworthy.
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Using UGC in ads helps build trust and shows real experiences with the product or service.
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This approach ensures that localized UGC ads not only engage users but also contribute to branding goals over time.
Execution and Scaling of Localized UGC Campaigns
To effectively run localized user-generated content (UGC) ads at scale, one must carefully plan the campaign structure, tailor the content for each market, and use the right tech solutions for efficient scaling. The goal is to optimize performance and reach the targeted audience with relatable content.
Creating the Campaign Structure
Success starts with a well-structured campaign. Begin by identifying the target regions and creating specific campaigns for each. Each campaign should have its own set of ads, keywords, and budget allocations.
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Content Customization and Approval
Localized UGC ads require customized content. Start by collecting content from users within specific regions. This can include images, videos, and testimonials. Authentic, local content resonates more effectively with the audience.
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Ensure that all content respects local sensitivities and regulations. For instance, an ad campaign for Paris might include different imagery and language nuances than one for Tokyo. This localization boosts engagement and relevance.
Technological Solutions for Scaling
Technology plays a crucial role in scaling UGC campaigns. Ad management platforms like Meta Ads Manager offer tools for creating, optimizing, and scaling ads efficiently. Automation tools help in adjusting bids, budgets, and placements in real-time.
Utilize analytics tools to measure performance across different regions, adjusting strategies as needed. These tools offer insights into what works best, enabling quicker and better decision-making. Leveraging AI can assist in personalizing content and targeting effectively.
Adopting Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) can further enhance ad performance. DCO automates the customization of ads based on user data, making tailored ads at scale possible. This leads to higher engagement and better ROI.
How to Build and Run Localized UGC Ads At Scale for Maximum Impact
Expanding your reach on Meta takes more than just regular posts. It requires creative thinking and innovative strategies. By exploring diverse audience segments and utilizing Meta’s range of tools, you can tap into incremental audiences that you might have missed before. These strategies can help you connect with new users, enhance engagement, and ultimately grow your presence on the platform.
For instance, leveraging lookalike audiences allows you to find people who are similar to your current followers. This can help you reach those who are likely to be interested in your content but haven't yet discovered your brand. Another effective lever is using video content, which tends to have higher engagement rates compared to images or text posts, thus capturing the attention of potential new followers.
Experimenting with boosted posts and paid ads tailored to different demographics can further broaden your reach. Meta offers detailed targeting options, enabling you to tailor your messages to specific groups. Using these tools smartly ensures that your content gets in front of the right eyes, driving growth and engagement.
Strategies for Expanding Audience Reach on Meta
Reaching new audiences on Meta involves optimizing digital campaigns and diversifying creative content. These strategies boost ad resonance and efficiently target broader or more specific groups.
The Importance of Digital Campaign Optimization
Optimizing digital campaigns ensures that ad spending is efficient. By tweaking variables like audience settings, budgets, and bidding strategies, businesses can better allocate resources.
Meta Advertising Strategies include using tools like A/B testing to compare different ad versions. Campaign Efficiency is improved by continuously monitoring results and making data-driven adjustments.
Broad targeting reaches large numbers of people but may lack precision. Narrow targeting hones in on specific demographics or interests, making ads more relevant to those users.
Creative Diversification: Enhancing Ad Resonance
Diversifying creative content is key to keeping ads fresh and engaging. Different types of visuals, messages, and formats can appeal to various audience segments.
Creative Diversification can involve using videos, carousel ads, and interactive content. This helps in capturing attention and maintaining engagement.
Enhancing Ad Resonance requires regularly updating ad creatives based on performance data. This way, ads stay relevant and appealing, reducing ad fatigue among the audience.
Targeting Mechanisms for Audience Precision
To reach the right audience on Meta, it's crucial to use targeting mechanisms that focus on age, gender, and geography. These tools help advertisers zero in on specific groups, making their ads more effective.
Decoding Age Targeting in Ads
Advertisers can tailor their messages to different age groups. By choosing the age range of their audience, businesses can make sure the content is relevant.
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Using age targeting ensures the right people see the ads, improving campaign outcomes.
The Role of Gender Focus in Advertising
Gender focus in advertising allows businesses to tailor their messages based on gender. This is especially useful for products with a gender-specific market.
For instance, a makeup brand may direct ads primarily to women, while men's grooming products are aimed at men.
Key Points
- Customizes ad content
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This targeted approach can lead to higher interest and sales, as the ads resonate more with their intended audience.
Maximizing Reach through Geographic Targeting
Geographic targeting helps advertisers show ads to users in specific locations. This is useful for businesses with physical stores or services tied to certain areas.
For example, a local restaurant can target ads to people living within a 10-mile radius.
Advantages
- Reaches local customers
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By focusing on geographic areas, advertisers can attract nearby customers, making their campaigns more effective.
