British retailer Fortnum & Mason is taking a look inside consumers? picnic baskets through a social effort promoting its hamper selection.

Fortnum & Mason is known for its signature hampers filled with seasonal foods and sweet treats, which has provided the department store with a channel to promote its culinary offerings through imagery shared via social media. Since there are no primary gifting holidays occurring in the summer months, a seasonal picnic promotion interjects Fortnum & Mason into the conversation as consumers plan outdoor activities.

?Fortnum & Mason is giving consumers a unique way to consider the brand and its associated product set,? said Janice Pollard, senior marketing manager at HelloWorld, Pleasant Ridge, MI.

?In creating a user-generated content campaign and creating a shopping occasion, they?re giving potential customers a fun way to align themselves with the brand and drive awareness via social channels,? she said.

Ms. Pollard is not affiliated with Fortnum & Mason, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Fortnum & Mason did not respond by press deadline.

A picnic basket fit for Yogi Bear
Fortnum & Mason offers a number of ?Deli Picnic? hampers that are ?perfect for a sunny afternoon in the park.? Since many consumers purchase Fortnum & Mason hampers as gift, this is a prime opportunity for the retailer to position its baskets as being fit for any occasion, especially self-gifting.

Each basic is stocked with ?perfectly appointed? items such as handmade Scotch eggs, traditional pies, sweet treats and elegant wines. Ranging in price from $38 to $400, Fortnum & Mason offers a picnic basket that is ideal for all consumers to experience the brand?s gastronomic picks.

Fortnum & Mason?s highest priced hamper, The Festival Picnic, includes a ?festival of flavor? for four presented in a traditional wicker basket. Its contents includes rare Glenarm salt aged fillet beef carpaccio style, a variety of smoked fishes, hand-sliced York ham, a potato salad with creme fraiche and a chocolate tart with vanilla Chantilly cream, among other foodstuffs.

The hamper also includes beverages such as still and sparkling water and three wines: muscadet, a cotes du rhone and prosecco.

To further promote its summer hamper options, Fortnum & Mason is asking followers on social media to share pictures of the perfect picnic for a chance to win a basket.

Consumers can share an image of the perfect picnic, such as a ?sunny afternoon in the park, a first-class feast placed on a beautiful picnic rug or even treats by the sea.? Entries are eligible for submission on Instagram or Twitter from July 17 until July 30.

Submitted entries must be captioned with Fortnum & Mason?s handle, @Fortnums and the hashtag #ShareYourSummer. Entrants must also follow the retailer for consideration.

In the coming days, Fortnum & Mason will be creating a user-generated gallery of its favorite submissions to serve as inspiration.

The winner will receive one of Fortnum & Mason?s hampers, either the Richmond Picnic, the Primrose Picnic or the Hampton Picnic.

Summertime and the living?s easy
Fortnum & Mason has also programmed events that revolved around the summer social calendar.

In May, for instance, Fortnum & Mason prepped for special occasions this summer with a weeklong event for consumers.

Guests were able to finalize the finishing touches with millinery experts, jewelry advisors and accessory consultants in-store. As the weather warmed consumers began attending more events and have a higher need for assistance in finalizing outfits, but may have been unaware of the help Fortnum & Mason can offer (see story).

Last summer, Fortnum & Mason partnered with the Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall, England, to reach foodies outside of its store.

For the festival, which ran from July 24-27, Fortnum & Mason offered dinner service, a pop-up bar and special hampers created with festival-goers in mind. By bringing the in-store food experience to an outdoor venue in the countryside, Fortnum & Mason will be able to connect with consumers outside of the London area, who may be more inclined to visit on their next trip to the city (see story).

Incorporating social media into an effort may help Fortnum & Mason to increase followers as well as repeat consumers.

?The use of social and hashtags will help increase their following in the short term,? Ms. Pollard said. ?If the content remains relevant to consumers? lifestyles and provides inspirational reasons to stay connected, they can expect to see the followers turn into consumers.?

Final Take
Jen King, lead reporter on Luxury Daily, New York