Igor Gorgonzola, a leader in Italy and worldwide in the production of Gorgonzola DOP, has chosen IAKI for its Facebook marketing strategy, the aim of which is to develop the brand’s presence on the social media. Franco Lualdi, General Manager of IAKI, tells us how it went.

What are the objectives of a Facebook marketing strategy for a product as well known to consumers as Gorgonzola?

The idea was to give Igor a strategic presence on the social media with a view to further expanding its high consumer base, communicating the product characteristics to groups of people other than those who are already familiar with it. Another goal, and perhaps the most important, was to ensure that Igor became synonymous with high quality Gorgonzola in Italy, both to put a clear distance between the brand and its competitors, and to associate the product’s quality with the company’s excellence.

How did this strategy develop?

Gorgonzola is a very versatile cheese that lends itself to a remarkable variety of recipes, and this is definitely one of the strengths that the Facebook marketing strategy sought to emphasise.  We therefore decided to concentrate on the versatility and unique taste of Igor, focussing on different tasting opportunities and identifying each with a specific creative format. Another focal point was to highlight the extensiveness of the Igor range, giving consumers a space to share their experiences of the product.

How did you choose the tasting opportunities?

There is no shortage of situations where Gorgonzola is a must, so we selected the most significant that best reflected the objectives of our strategy: and aperitif or snack, to appease those sudden hunger pangs. These opportunities include moments of both personal and shared pleasure, with the consumer either dipping into the fridge for an impromptu snack or preparing finger food for a happy hour among friends. There are also more standard occasions, such as a lunch or dinner enriched with a taste of Igor, either at home or at the restaurant.  We have also introduced an “after sport” tasting opportunity, to underscore the energy properties of Igor Gorgonzola which many are not familiar with or mistakenly associate with an increase in cholesterol.
It is interesting to note that each tasting opportunity corresponds to a time when users tend to browse on Facebook, and often even corresponds to the topics posted on their social profiles.

If you had to choose one of the creative formats you created for the page, which would you choose and why?

Definitely “Fridge Faces”! It is an innovative format that changes the perspective on the world, with the fridge acting as the observer. It consists of a Facebook tab where Igor recipes are contextualised and described based on a series of lifestyles. The images seem to be taken from inside the refrigerator the moment someone opens the door to prepare a recipe using Igor Gorgonzola. They are amusing pictures that represent excellent opportunities for conversation, as they draw on everyday experiences and therefore generate authentic customer engagement.