Analysis: How Tesco's Easter #findtheeggs Competition Generated Buzz

The Social Supermarket:
Tesco Hops to the Top

An analysis of social media
conversation about Easter retail

Presented with:

© 2013 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and Confidential 0513

The Social Supermarket: Tesco Hops to the Top

Table of Contents
Introduction: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Methodology:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Social Media Chatter and Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Deals, Discounts and Competitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
. .
Make Deals and Discounts Easy to Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Capitalize on Competitions and Offers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
. .
Capture Consumers’ Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Deals, Discounts and Competitions – The Verdict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Customer Service and Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Customer service instore can impact online reputation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Put in place a consistent social CRM strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Consider a separate channel for customer service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Customer Service and Advice – The Verdict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Product Information, Sharing and Reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Make the most of online video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
To Pin or not to Pin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Give customers a voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Product Information, Sharing and Reviews – The Verdict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Presented in conjunction with Media Measurement
© 2013 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and Confidential http://www.salesforcemarketingcloud.com/

2


Introduction
Media Measurement studied social media conversation mentioning the UK’s top supermarkets
in relation to Easter. By analysing social media conversation mentioning Tesco, Asda, Morrisons,
Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Aldi, Lidl and The Co-operative, we reveal the supermarket,
which generated the most Easter buzz, and the key themes running through conversation about
Easter retail.
Our analysis shows the myriad insights, that retailers can gain by monitoring social media
conversations.


3


Methodology
Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s listening solution was used to monitor social media conversation
mentioning nine retailers in relation to Easter, from Wednesday 6th March to Wednesday 3rd April 2013.
This date period was used to capture conversation about Easter purchases before, during and after
Easter, which fell on 31st March 2013. In some instances comparative data was used from the previous
Easter (which fell a week later, on April 8th 2012). Comparative data from 2012 covered March 14th 2012
to April 11th 2012.
Boolean searches were used to find posts about UK Easter supermarket retail. The quantitative data
does not include all social media sites; notable exclusions include Google+, Pinterest and Instagram.


4


Top Retailers

Fig. 1: Number of posts by supermarket, mentioning Easter-related topics

Conversation about Easter was dominated by mentions of the UK’s biggest supermarket chain, Tesco.
While it is unsurprising that the largest chain received the most mentions, the large lead it had over its
closest competitor, Asda, at almost three times the number of posts, was extraordinary. Comparative
data from the same period around Easter 2012 found that, while Tesco was mentioned the most, the
supermarket received only 31% more posts than Asda, compared to 197% more posts than its nearest
rival in 2013.
The key factor in Tesco’s increased volume of
buzz this year was its #findtheeggs competition;
a virtual Easter egg hunt using Google Street
View, which prompted thousands of posts.
M&S saw a large increase in posts from last year
(+73.30%); in part due to conversation about its
chocolate and orange hot cross buns, which
were lusted after following a TV advert. The
Aldi adverts for hot cross buns and chocolate
bunnies were also popular, but did not result in
the same level of uplift as conversation about
M&S chocolate hot cross buns.

Fig. 2: Number of posts by supermarket, mentioning
Easter-related topics: 2012 vs. 2013


5


Not all of the increased conversation was due to advertising and marketing efforts from the
supermarkets. The increase in posts mentioning Waitrose was in part due to a joke about a recipe
released by the supermarket chain to use up ‘leftover Easter eggs’, as some were bewildered as to
how anyone could have not finished their chocolate eggs. There was also a widely Tweeted #pippatip
mentioning Waitrose hot cross buns from a popular Pippa Middleton spoof Twitter account.

Fig. 3: Spoof ‘#PippaTip’ mentioning Waitrose was Retweeted 205 times


6


Key Themes Competitions, Offers and Reductions
The primary reason for Tesco’s prominence and increase in social media conversation from Easter last
year was its #findtheeggs competition, which generated at least 9,293 posts. The competition involved
using Google Street View to locate hidden eggs to win prizes, including chocolate and tablet PCs.
The innovative use of Google Street View generated praise from social media and marketing circles,
and proved to be very popular with the public. #findtheeggs was by far the most frequently mentioned
hashtag, accounting for 7,062 posts in the sample; #easter was the second most popular, with far less
posts (1,397). While many of the posts simply shared that they had taken part in the competition, or had
hidden some eggs for others to find, others shared how much they had enjoyed it (Fig. 4).
By comparison, Asda also held an innovative
competition, creating an in-store augmented
reality egg hunt using smartphones and tablets.
However, the Asda competition was eclipsed by
Tesco’s #findtheeggs in terms of social media
buzz (9,293 vs. 133 posts), in part due to the
competition being based in-store. While Tesco’s
Fig. 4: Tweet about #findtheeggs
competition was based online, it still encouraged
footfall as winners of thousands of chocolate prizes had to pick them up at a Tesco store. Tesco
also used multi-channel marketing to promote its competition, highlighting the competition hashtag
#findtheeggs in its TV advertising and using its social media profiles to post regular updates about the
competition.
Sainsbury’s also ran an Easter competition in which it asked its Twitter followers to post a picture of
their Easter food, using the hashtag #foodsnap. (Fig. 5) 133 posts in total mentioned the hashtag during
the period, indicating that the competition was moderately popular, but did not have the impact of
Tesco’s #findtheeggs.
Social media users regularly communicated about Easter-related
offers and deals available at the supermarkets. Tesco was
mentioned more than the other supermarkets in relation to deals,
offers and reductions, with its offers of half price lamb, Cadbury’s
eggs for £1 each and others, being shared widely. Deals
were most frequently mentioned on forums, such as forums.
moneysavingexpert.com (400 posts), mumsnet.com (43 posts),
netmums.com (42 posts) and hotukdeals.com (30 posts).

Fig. 5: #Foodsnap Tweet


7


During the Easter period, many people posted in anticipation of leftover Easter eggs being offered at a
reduced price. However, some also expressed disappointment, as their local supermarkets did not have
much leftover stock.

Fig. 6: Tweet mentioning lack of reduced price Easter eggs

Stock Levels
One of the key topics of discussion was stock levels for Easter treats. Over 2,400 posts were about the
fact that supermarkets had sold out of Easter confectionary or hot cross buns. Asda was mentioned
most frequently in relation to lack of stock (973 posts), followed by Tesco (739 posts).

Fig. 7: Number of posts per day mentioning lack of Easter stock

8


Complaints about low stock peaked on Easter Saturday (see Fig. 7) as those shopping last minute for
Easter goodies came away from stores empty handed, or had to visit multiple stores to find what they
wanted (see Fig. 8).

Fig. 8: Disbelief that supermarkets had sold-out of Easter eggs

While most of the posts criticised the shortage of Easter eggs, the majority of posts about low stock
at M&S focused on its Chocolate and Orange Hot Cross Buns (Fig. 9). M&S, and other supermarkets,
could monitor social media conversation to help gauge the level of interest in specific products,
particularly following a large advertising campaign such as that featuring the sought-after hot cross
buns.

Fig. 9: Tweet asking M&S if they would continue to sell chocolate hot cross buns after Easter


9


Adverts
The supermarkets’ Easter advertising campaigns were one of the key factors generating buzz over the
period. Aldi’s and M&S’ television adverts were mentioned the most.

Fig. 10: Number of posts mentioning Easter adverts, by supermarket

Aldi released two adverts for Easter products; one
for its chocolate bunnies, which were compared with
the famous Lindt bunnies and one focused on its hot
cross buns, which were compared with those from
Waitrose.

Fig. 11: Aldi “Chocolate Bunnies” Easter Advert 2013


10


The bunny advert attracted slightly more attention than the hot cross buns advert, and most people
commenting said that they found the ads funny. The adverts inevitably prompted social media users to give
their own verdict on which product was nicer. This was especially the case with the Lindt bunny vs. Aldi’s
own brand version. While some were complimentary of the Aldi version, most said they preferred Lindt.

Fig. 12: Preference for Lindt chocolate

M&S’ Easter TV advert featured its chocolate hot cross buns, lamb, and Percy Pig Easter egg. Of these
featured products, the chocolate hot cross buns attracted by far the most attention, as the many people
posted that they wished to try the buns after seeing the advert. Of the 4,048 posts mentioning hot cross
buns in relation to one of the nine supermarkets in this study, 65% referred to M&S buns.

Fig. 13: Twitter comments about the M&S Easter advert

As was previously mentioned in this report, there was some criticism of M&S for failing to stock enough
of the chocolate hot cross buns to keep up with the demand sparked by the advert, with one social
media post joking about ‘nearly riot conditions’ in M&S as the ‘blue rinse brigade’ were unhappy that
the buns had sold out but were still being advertised on TV.
Tesco’s #findtheeggs advert was mentioned less frequently than those from Aldi and M&S, but was
praised for the choice of song, Bizarre Inc.’s ‘I’m Gonna Get You Baby.’


11


Opening Hours
Opening hours was one of the more minor themes running
through the social media posts during the Easter weekend,
with mentions in 583 posts.
Tesco and Sainsbury’s were mentioned most in relation to
Easter opening hours, as both of the chains have smaller
stores (Tesco Metro & Sainsbury’s Local) which are open on
Easter Sunday.

Fig. 14: Enquiry on Twitter about opening
hours on Easter Sunday

While there were more mentions that stores were closed
for Easter Sunday, there was also some criticism aimed at
Tesco for opening some of its stores on Easter Sunday.

There were a number of enquiries made to the supermarkets via Twitter about opening hours for Easter,
indicating that there is an opportunity for supermarkets to use social media to signpost where this
information is available online. That could also help the supermarkets reduce the number of customer
queries. (Fig. 14)

Easter Confectionary

Fig. 15: Top confectionary brands mentioned in posts also mentioning one of the nine supermarkets

Cadbury was by far the top brand of Easter confectionary mentioned in relation to the nine
supermarkets (Fig. 15). This was mostly due to popularity of its Creme Eggs which were by far the most
frequently mentioned individual product (Fig. 16), followed by Mini Eggs.


12


Fig. 16: Most frequently mentioned confectionary product in posts mentioning of the nine supermarkets

Social media conversation about Cadbury’s Crème Eggs indicated that the product was seen as
synonymous with Easter time in the UK, and as one person expressed, the point where Creme Eggs
are no longer available in stores signifies that Easter is over for another year.

Fig. 17: Creme eggs are synonymous with Easter

The popularity of Creme Eggs as expressed in social media posts during the Easter period indicates
that there may be some benefit in making the product available longer, as some consumers said that
they were stocking up for the rest of the year.

Fig. 18: May be year-round demand for some products usually only available at Easter


13


Discussion of the availability of speciality Easter products, such as organic, Fairtrade, or that suitable for
people with specific dietary requirements was a fairly minor topic of conversation. Organic produce was
mentioned the most, followed by Fairtrade and gluten-free products (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19: Number of posts mentioning speciality products

Asda was mentioned less frequently in posts about speciality produce than its biggest rivals Tesco and
Sainsbury’s. In addition to the big two, Waitrose was commonly associated with organic ranges, Co-op
with Fairtrade and Aldi with gluten-free.
39% of posts about Fairtrade products referred to the Meaningful Egg Company’s ‘The Real Easter
Egg’, which aimed to spread the ‘true’ Christian meaning of Easter, as the egg was Fairtrade.
Considering the widespread mainstream media coverage about the egg, there was little social media
conversation about it in the sample of posts about the supermarkets, accounting for around 1% of
posts mentioning branded confectionary.


14


Summary
Our analysis of conversation about the nine UK supermarkets in relation to Easter revealed a number of
interesting insights for those considering how social media monitoring could benefit retailers.
Social media monitoring can be used to analyse the success of campaigns, such as Tesco’s
#findtheeggs Easter competition. Our analysis showed that the competition was a key contributing
factor to a large increase in buzz for the supermarket over the Easter period compared to last year,
making the retailer far more visible than its competitors. Tesco’s clever initiative took a multi-channel
approach, with TV advertising and social media being used to promote the competition, and despite
#findtheeggs being based online, prizes had to be collected from a store, driving footfall.
Social media monitoring could help retailers to spot potential stock issues, as indicated by conversation
about Marks & Spencer’s chocolate hot cross buns. Following the M&S advert featuring the buns,
social media conversation indicated that lots of people were eager to try the buns; however, many
noted disappointment in the run-up to Easter that the buns were out of stock. Retailers could monitor
social media, particularly following high-profile advertising campaigns, to get an early indicator of which
products are likely to be in high demand.
Retailers and manufacturers can also use social media listening to spot potential opportunities. Our
analysis indicates that Creme Eggs are the most frequently mentioned confectionary product at Easter,
and that some people love the eggs so much that they trying to stock up for the rest of the year. This
could offer an early indicator that Creme Eggs could be a successful year-round product; a strategy last
attempted in the eighties which might be ripe for another trial. Or perhaps this manufactured scarcity is
a marketing technique that has clearly paid off, as a scarcity of Creme Eggs is considered a sign that
Easter is over.
Social media monitoring offers a valuable customer insight tool, which retailers can use to tap into
trends and opinions in real-time.
Please note, the charts in FIGS. 1 & 16 were made using http://infogr.am

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