Nestlé is well-known for its plethora of resources, branching from its high-ambassador count and extending to its brand enthusiasts around the world. Now, it’s Coffee-mate brand is getting the Nestlé treatment, and it’s acquiring mass visibility during a survival resource week on college campuses.
The Ultimate Finals Week
Nestlé’s approach to Coffee-mate’s promotion is unique. It’s also highly geared towards college students. The Nestlé survival resource marketing event, taking place at Ohio State University, promotes the brand via a 20-foot-high Coffee-mate installation. Shaped as a cup, Nestlé’s powerhouse display recharges students.
It was set up in Ohio State University’s South Oval, and its runtime featured games, massages, charging stations and music. Of course, free Nestlé coffee was included. Each Nestlé ambassador rode around on bright red scooters, charging the brand’s display with intricate detail and instantly distinguishable brand pictures.
The Long Day Haul
Nestlé’s experiential event took activities to the street for 12 hours each day. The energy-spiked event was much more than a coffee cup installation. It was an activation beacon, powering Nestlé sampling tents fully equipped with 18 Coffee-mate flavors served up by the brand’s pro baristas.
Each sample was handpicked by OSU food service professionals, creating a hybrid event capable of harnessing the university’s love of coffee, the average student’s love of coffee and, naturally, Nestlé’s love of coffee, too. Coffee-mate’s newest seasonal offerings were put on the front line, ensuring top visibility by students enticed to create their own flavors. Each was shareable, and each was derived from pre-crafted “flavor profiles” before hitting the main stage.
Social Media Outreach
Nestlé’s big Coffee-mate display didn’t end at OSU. Rather, it branched out on Twitter under the #coffeelife banner. The #coffeemateatosu, too, made an appearance, offering brand-specific premiums to those posting pictures to further increase visibility. Sunglasses, coffee mugs and even Nestlé products were in the bag for many Twitter users.
Not all students can attend events, and Nestlé was sure to respect OSU’s dedication to education by offering text-for-delivery options. Offering a tweet alternative, the delivery system answered requests via scooter and tow-behind Nestlé stations. Upon meeting students, sampling stations would capture interactions on GoPro videos, creating a big database of event-promotional selfies.
Nestlé’s dedication to content is highly notable. It’s also well-planned. While many brands have targeted universities in the past, few have had the foresight to deliver products to students. The program was managed by 10 OSU ambassadors, as Coffee-mate upholds a formal partnership with OSU. The team similarly utilized 12 student representatives and a core group of brand ambassadors to accommodate for schedule flops and gaps.
Eight Days, 1,595 Gallons of Coffee
That’s right, Nestlé wasn’t playing around. In eight days, the brand succeeded in passing off its newest brand-babies, building awareness for the Coffee-mate throughout. Nestlé is always relevant, and its recognition of college tradition definitely spiked its success.
Enforcing its “surprise and delight” methodologies, Nestlé’s built-up social media campaign granted the brand considerable wiggle room within their outreach. Nestlé took to the sidewalks, took to the customers and took to great strategies—achieving fantastic results.
