Goals and objectives
The primary objective of the campaign was to introduce Manuka Doctor, a New Zealand-based brand, to the German market, where both the company and the concept of Manuka honey were virtually unknown. The campaign aimed to position Manuka Doctor as a premium fitness and lifestyle brand while educating consumers on the unique health benefits of Manuka honey.
By emphasising its natural, science-backed wellness properties, the campaign sought to resonate with health-conscious individuals and differentiate Manuka Doctor from conventional honey brands. Key goals included increasing brand awareness, establishing a strong presence in the German health and wellness sector, and driving product sales through consumer education and emotional engagement.
KPI's
The campaign achieved exceptional results, significantly exceeding industry benchmarks. Key performance indicators included:
- Sales Conversion: 12.3% of readers who clicked through from BILD to the Manuka Doctor website made an immediate purchase.
- Engagement: Average dwell time on brand stories was 4 minutes and 10 seconds, surpassing benchmark averages and indicating deep user engagement.
- Brand Awareness: A 2,700% increase, demonstrating a successful market entry and transformation from an unknown to a beloved brand.
- Relevance in Consideration Set: A 381% increase, highlighting improved brand differentiation and market relevance.
- Purchase Intent: A 304% increase, driven by educational storytelling and targeted promotional efforts.
Target audience
Geography: The campaign focused exclusively on Germany, targeting its economically robust consumer base to establish brand recognition and trust.
Demographics:
- Age: 25–55 years old, including young professionals, active adults, and middle-aged wellness seekers.
- Gender: Both male and female, with a focus on individuals who prioritise health and wellness.
- Income: Middle to high income, reflecting the premium nature of the product.
- Education: College-educated or higher, likely to research health benefits before purchasing.
- Shopping Behavior: Preference for high-quality, natural, and sustainable products.
Psychographics:
- Interests: Fitness, holistic wellness, and health-focused nutrition.
- Lifestyle: Active individuals, including fitness enthusiasts and busy professionals.
- Values: Sustainability, natural ingredients, and science-backed health benefits.
- Attitudes: Health-conscious, brand-aware, and willing to invest in premium wellness products.
Strategy
The campaign’s strategy was rooted in emotional storytelling and credibility, essential for gaining consumer trust in a market unfamiliar with Manuka honey. Leveraging BILD, Germany’s most widely read media brand, the campaign ensured nationwide visibility and trust. A series of native brand stories was crafted to appeal to various consumer segments—from lifestyle content like “Hollywood’s Beauty Secret” to health-centric topics such as gut health and immune support.
To enhance credibility, the campaign featured expert testimonials from doctors and real users. A key activation was the “Honey Brunch” event, hosted in collaboration with STYLEBOOK and FITBOOK, which brought together influencers and health professionals for a honey-themed experience. The event generated organic social media buzz, extending the campaign’s reach.
For high-impact conversions, Black Week promotions combined emotional storytelling with exclusive offers and direct CTAs, all funneled through a custom landing page designed for seamless shopping. This integrated strategy effectively aligned with Manuka Doctor’s goals of building awareness, trust, and sales in the German market.
Creative idea
The creative concept centered on emotionally engaging storytelling that positioned Manuka Doctor as both a premium lifestyle product and a credible health solution. The campaign was designed to connect with audiences by addressing their aspirations and wellness goals. Using BILD’s platform, the campaign deployed a series of native brand stories tailored to diverse interests:
- Lifestyle & Beauty: Positioning Manuka honey as “Hollywood’s Beauty Secret” to appeal to trend-conscious consumers.
- Health & Wellness: Emphasising benefits for gut health and immune support to resonate with health-focused individuals.
To enhance authenticity, the campaign featured testimonials from doctors and real users. The “Honey Brunch” event served as a high-impact experiential activation, inviting influencers and health experts to engage with the brand. Their social media content generated organic reach and credibility. During Black Week, the campaign intensified engagement through emotionally charged promotional stories, CTA banners, and exclusive reader offers, driving high conversion rates.
This creative blend of storytelling, expert validation, and immersive experiences successfully positioned Manuka Doctor as a desirable and trusted brand in Germany.
Channels
The campaign employed an omnichannel strategy to maximise reach, engagement, and credibility. Key distribution channels included:
- Digital Brand Stories on BILD: Native articles tailored to lifestyle and health themes ensured visibility and relevance across target segments.
- Expert Testimonials & Influencer Marketing: Real-life endorsements from doctors and users were integrated into brand stories and social media to build trust.
- Social Media & Influencer Content: The “Honey Brunch” event encouraged attendees to share experiences, amplifying organic reach.
- Black Week Sales Campaign: Emotion-driven stories paired with CTA banners and exclusive offers targeted high-intent shoppers on BILD’s digital platform.
- Custom Landing Page: A dedicated landing page streamlined the customer journey, converting traffic from BILD stories and promotional banners into sales.
This multi-platform approach effectively combined education, engagement, and conversion to introduce Manuka Doctor to the German market.
Learnings
What Worked Well:
- Trusted Media Placement: Partnering with BILD delivered immediate credibility and extensive reach.
- Emotion-Driven Storytelling: Engaging content across lifestyle and health themes resonated with diverse audiences.
- Expert & Influencer Integration: Testimonials from trusted voices enhanced authenticity and consumer confidence.
- Event-Driven Engagement: The “Honey Brunch” created a memorable brand experience and drove organic social buzz.
- Sales-Focused Strategy: Black Week promotions and a seamless digital journey effectively converted awareness into sales.
Challenges Encountered:
- Consumer Education: Introducing an unfamiliar product required additional effort to communicate its unique value and justify premium pricing.
- Balancing Storytelling and Sales: Ensuring a smooth transition from engagement to purchase was critical for conversion success.
Insights for Future Campaigns:
- Expand educational content through explainer videos, testimonials, and interactive formats.
- Enhance social media activation to sustain organic reach and engagement.
- Incorporate limited-time offers beyond Black Week to maintain momentum throughout the year.
Surprising Insights
Unexpected Findings:
- High Engagement on BILD: Native digital stories outperformed expectations, proving long-form content’s effectiveness in consumer education.
- Influencer Event Overdelivered: The “Honey Brunch” generated more user-generated content than anticipated, extending campaign impact organically.
- Black Week Success: Emotionally driven stories and exclusive offers led to higher-than-forecasted conversions, showing the power of urgency in consumer behavior.
Impact on Future Strategy:
- Continue balancing science-backed messaging with lifestyle appeal to broaden reach.
- Expand influencer activations beyond single events to maintain year-round visibility.
- Test additional timed promotions to drive consistent sales growth.
These insights will guide future campaigns toward a more effective blend of awareness, trust-building, and conversion optimisation.