Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE Coffee) is recognized as the world’s leading coffee company, headquartered in the Netherlands, with a presence in over 80 countries. Recently, its team in Italy reached out to us with the goal of enhancing the visibility of its premium coffee brand, L’OR. The primary objective was to increase market share and attract a broader consumer base.

Influencer Marketing Strategy

To achieve these goals, we crafted an influencer marketing strategy focused on sharing authentic stories that resonate with influencers and their followers, transforming them into true brand ambassadors. The approach aimed to generate a snowball effect, amplifying consumer advocacy.

L’OR targets individuals over 30 years old, with middle-to-high incomes, who use Nespresso Original machines, and who make purchases both online and in physical stores, valuing the quality and pleasure of coffee. The strategy also sought to attract consumers from competing brands such as Nespresso, Illy, Lavazza, and Starbucks.

With this vision in mind, we developed a 2024 influencer marketing strategy with the following key objectives:

• Increase brand awareness and visibility through high-quality content on social media, product trials, and valuable recommendations, both online and offline.
• Reach and educate potential new consumers about the brand.
• Drive conversions and boost sales.

Campaign Implementation

Our annual campaign included the activation of 11,100 nano influencers and 9 macro influencers throughout the year. The nano influencers were selected from our trnd community, ensuring that each owned a Nespresso Original-compatible coffee machine and either had a friend or family member with one, or had access to one in the office.

For the macro influencers, we selected 9 profiles from the family, lifestyle, and food sectors. We tasked them with creating engaging and creative content, including original coffee recipes.

To maintain brand visibility throughout the year, we developed a monthly creative concept tied to the benefits of the products, the brand’s image, and key calendar moments such as Easter, summer, back-to-school, Halloween, Black Friday, and Christmas. This provided a roadmap for the influencers to create relevant and captivating content.

Impressive Results

The campaign delivered outstanding results. Over the course of 2024, nano influencers generated +40M organic impressions, while macro influencers contributed an additional +18,5M impressions (including organic and paid media boosts). In total, the campaign achieved +58,9M online impressions through the creation of 14,691 pieces of content.

The nano influencers also tested L’OR capsules with friends, family, and colleagues, generating +187K product trials and +1,7M personal recommendations. Additionally, +28K clicks were recorded on purchase links shared in the influencers’ posts. Over 91% of participants said they would purchase the product after the campaign, showcasing the initiative’s success. The brand also noted that just three months after the campaign’s launch, L’OR had reached a record in brand image and awareness.

Community Management and Organic Growth

To maximize the campaign’s impact, we implemented community management throughout the year. Effective community management improves engagement and organic visibility. The primary goal was to increase followers on L’OR’s Instagram profile. Over the course of the campaign, we shared 395 stories, achieving an average engagement rate of 2.5% and a 43% increase in reach. This resulted in 3,940 new followers, representing a 132% growth throughout the year, bringing the total to 6,923 followers and significantly strengthening the brand’s online presence.

Results Evaluation with Circana

During the March activation, we partnered with Circana, a leader in market analysis, to assess the sales effectiveness and ROI of the campaign. The study compared sales before, during, and after the campaign in a test region (Milan) versus a control region (Turin), using scanner data from 11 retail chains.

The results showed the campaign achieved:

• A positive sales impact, with a 10.0% increase in value during the March campaign (+10.9% long-term).
• A 7.2% increase in units sold during and after the campaign.
• A positive ROI of €6.34 (gross).

Nationally, the campaign resulted in a 19.6% increase in sales value and a 12% increase in volume during the campaign period. Long-term, the increase was 21.9% in value and 16.6% in volume.

Conclusion

The influencer marketing strategy executed for L’OR not only significantly boosted brand visibility but also drove tangible sales results. With a 19.6% increase in sales value and a 12% increase in volume during the campaign, the initiative was a clear success. Additionally, a positive ROI of €6.34 highlighted the effectiveness of the marketing investment. The collaboration with influencers and the creative approach to content solidified L’OR’s position as a top choice in the competitive premium coffee market. With such exceptional results, JDE Coffee is well-positioned for continued growth and expansion in the future.