Waitrose has the most successful social media marketing of the major UK supermarkets. People who actively engage with a supermarket's social media pages, such as liking or commenting on Facebook, are twice as likely to shop there for Christmas compared to those who just view the pages. Waitrose attracts users through high-quality video content and two-way conversation on its page, and is most likely to gain new customers by taking them from Tesco. The key to driving sales through social media is encouraging active engagement like sharing content rather than just passive views or likes.

1. Supermarket UK:
A Very Social Christmas

2. The battle for attention at Christmas has
reached epic proportions
• In a severe economic downturn, the pressure upon supermarkets this
Christmas to compete with each other over customers is huge.
• Last year the top six supermarkets spent over £69m on media support for
their Christmas campaigns – with similar levels indicated for this year.
25,000,000
20,000,000
15,000,000
£ Door Drops
10,000,000 Direct Mail
Internet
5,000,000 Radio
Outdoor
0
TV
Source: AdDynamix
1

3. But the key battle grounds are
increasingly social spaces
No. of channel views
/ fans / followers
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
YouTube - total channel views
0
Twitter followers
Asda
Co-op
Morrison’s Facebook fans
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Waitrose
Source: Google, Facebook, Twitter, Dec ‘11
2

4. The
issue:
the contest has been conducted
without knowing what has been
working or who is winning -
what is the value of a fan?
3

5. We have benchmarked
brand performance in
social spaces
Supermarkets are investing Tesco have acquired the most The Waitrose audience has
significant sums into social Facebook fans through a grown more organically,
marketing, but often without strategy of investing in attracted by rich video content –
knowing if it will translate into expensive ‘reach blocks’ (owning are those consumers more loyal?
sales every ad slot on the Facebook
newsfeed page for the day) – but
will they be able to keep this
large audience engaged?
Starcom MediaVest Group’s The SMBI demonstrates that
Social Media Behaviour Index Waitrose is more successful at
(SMBI) is the first significant, engaging people on their
robust quantitative study to social sites and that these
benchmark brand performance consumers are more likely to
in the social space and answer convert into shoppers and
those questions. advocates than visitors to any
other supermarket page.
4

6. 5

7. 6

8. on the opportunity a brand
has to increase brand
actions through social
media engagement
7

9. As SMBI takes account of on the differing factors, it
many opportunity a brand
is never seen as a positive or to increase rather as a
has negative, brand
bespoke measure of the strength of relationship
actions through social
between content and its influence on consumer
media engagement
behaviour. So the higher the SMBI score the more
opportunities have been identified to improve
influence and lower the score, the less opportunity
because the brand is already doing well here.
8

10. 9

11. 6 supermarket brands
1500 supermarket sample
Christmas shopping
intentions surveyed in
November 2011
10

12. TOP FINDINGS

13. People who are active on a Supermarket
Facebook page are 2x more likely to shop there
this Christmas than those who just view a page
SMBI across all Shop at store this
supermarket Christmas
brands
43%
87%

14. That’s even more true
on YouTube
SMBI across all Shop at store this
supermarket Christmas
brands
36%
89%

15. Any twitter engagement is a
strong sign of brand commitment
Likely to: Shop at store this
Christmas
Follow 92%
Tweet about 93%

16. At Christmas the value of a supermarket social
action is greater than the retail category norm
Likely to do a social media action + a brand action
Likely to visit only + do a brand action
Supermarkets
at Christmas 43%
87%
200
Retailers
43%
82%
191
Likely to do a social media action + a brand action
Likely to visit only + do a brand action

17. SMBI – a measure of opportunity:
The higher the SMBI score, the greater the opportunity to increase
brand action through social media engagement
Likely to : Shop here this Christmas (Brand Action)
Visit only 30% 32% 35% 38% 42% 59%
Do a social media 87% 76% 84% 85% 83% 92%
action
Waitrose has a low SMBI, indicating that site visitors are
already highly engaged – the brand is currently performing
the best on the social media engagement scale
16

18. The effect of active involvement on
recommendation is even more strongly
pronounced
Likely to : Recommend the brand (Brand Action)
Visit only 7% 7% 7% 10% 17% 17%
Do a social media 81% 73% 65% 71% 79% 72%
action
Waitrose do have a huge opportunity to increase brand
advocacy – and site visits alone won’t achieve that
without further engagement
17

19. The brand social action table
Average
Likely to:
Play a game 39% 40% 44% 37% 38% 34% 39%
Enter a competition 61% 54% 59% 61% 56% 54% 58%
Watch a/another video 59% 36% 49% 50% 41% 52% 48%
Post a positive
45% 38% 48% 50% 44% 52% 46%
comment
Share page 35% 28% 41% 35% 34% 42% 36%
Follow on Twitter 16% 10% 18% 14% 23% 31% 19%
Post a tweet on Twitter 13% 7% 16% 10% 21% 24% 15%
Average 38% 30% 39% 37% 38% 41% 37%
Waitrose visitors are most likely to take a further social action
18

20. Waitrose’s strong page engagement: content
that makes consumers think and feel
Overall Ranking
60%
53%
47%
46%
45%
42%
19

21. Waitrose’s strong
Co-op, 1%
Facebook page is most Morrisons, 3%
likely to poach from M&S
Tescos 4%
ASDA, 9%
Of those who said that they would be
more likely to shop at Waitrose after Sainsbury’s,
visiting their page, only half already 10% Waitrose, 52%
showed a preference for Waitrose.
48% had a different preference before
interacting with the Waitrose page. Tesco, 18%
% Supermarket preference before
interacting with Waitrose Facebook
Page
20

22. How Waitrose gets
it right
1. Extensive use of video, with quality,
engaging content – easy to share
2. A conversation – not a broadcast.
Prominent and responsive ‘Ask our
Experts’ section.
3. Helpful tools and advice - like the
interactive planner for the perfect
festive feast – ‘sticky’ content that
encourages return visits
21

23. Supermarkets must include social media in Waitrose is the most successful at engaging
their marketing mix if they are to gain people on their social sites and converting
attention this Christmas social visitors into shoppers
People who are active on a Supermarket The success of Waitrose social marketing is
Facebook page are 2x more likely to shop most likely to poach from Tesco. Sainsbury’s
at that store this Christmas than those who and ASDA should also be targets.
just view the page
Of the major platforms twitter activity
converts best to shopping intention
The key to social media marketing success is Quality content will ensure the site is ‘sticky’ –
in driving behaviour – actions are proven to visitors return – and they share the content
have a significantly greater effect on within their networks. Most importantly it will
intention to shop than liking, visiting or encourage deeper actions, proven to drive
fandom alone brand preference and intention to shop.
Site content needs to be engaging using
interactivity and quality video content. It
needs to be relevant and useful and engage
consumers in a two-way conversation.
Content should also be ‘portable’ i.e. Easy to
pass on.
22

24. About Starcom MediaVest
Group and Supermarket UK
Supermarket UK is an industry-wide series of studies into the changing values and behaviours of
shoppers to the big six supermarkets – Tesco, ASDA, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Co-
Op. It will investigate the effect of societal changes - including the economy, new technologies
and social media - on supermarket consumer behaviour, and examine trends for the future. This
report is the second in a series - a third phase of research will be released in Q1 and will
culminate in a full report to be published later in 2012.
Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) is a global leader in communications strategy, media buying
and management, response media, internet and digital communications. SMG operates two
separate agencies under the group banner –MediaVest and Starcom– each built around a
distinct focus and expertise set, representing global brands such as Proctor & Gamble,
Samsung and Honda.
SMG is part of Publicis Groupe, the world’s second largest media counsel and buying group,
the world’s third largest communications group and a the world’s leading supplier of media
services to FMCG brands.
We can help plan, design, activate and measure your social media and integrated campaigns.
Get in touch to discover your brand’s SMBI.
23