Dive Brief:
- Nutella, a Ferrero brand, partnered with women’s content and culture platform Betches Media to roll out a book club series to connect consumers with its line of biscuits, according to a press release.
- Betches Book Club will kick off on Oct. 28 at Bibliotheque in New York City. At the event, attendees will be able to hear a discussion of “The Midnight Club” featuring Betches co-founders Aleen Dreksler, Sami Sage and Jordana Abraham, along with author Margot Harrison.
- On Nov. 11, Betches will launch a podcast miniseries dedicated to discussing “Such A Bad Influence” by Olivia Muenter. The virtual book club will release new episodes weekly. The promotion arrives as the popularity of book-related communities, including TikTok #BookTok, are on the rise.
Dive Insight:
Nutella Biscuits, which are popular internationally, were introduced to the U.S. last year. The partnership with Betches for an event and podcast series allows the hazelnut-spread brand to leverage the growing popularity of book clubs and in-person events to engage with a young and attentive consumer base. Additionally, the approach aligns with Ferrero’s American expansion plans.
Partnering with Betches enables Nutella to tap into an existing audience of interested consumers. The women-forward company was acquired in 2023 by youth-based publisher LBG Media, which also owns the LADbible Group.
Book clubs have been on the rise for a few years, with Eventbrite ticketing listings for such events growing 24% in 2023 compared to 2022. However, book clubs today can look very different from the wine-and-cheese version popular in the past. TikTok communities such as #BookTok have given younger consumers a place to discuss books. The Betches Book Club helps to satisfy the desire for in-person events while leveraging a viral community.
The news underscores how brand spending on experiential marketing has exceeded post-pandemic levels and consumers have a clear desire to return to live programming. The Betches Book Club appears to be a more intimate version of what many alcohol brands are doing at large music festivals, namely engaging with a targeted audience through an in-person gathering.
