Dive Brief:
- Engagement Labs’ first-ever TotalSocial rankings named Kellogg and Hershey as its top companies when it comes to the most important drivers of brand performance through social media and word-of-mouth conversations for U.S. food brands, according to Convenience Store News.
- In ranking 500 brands, Engagement Labs considered each one’s individual strengths and weaknesses. Many food brands were classified as “Whisper Brands,” defined as performing below average, both offline and online.
- General Mills' Betty Crocker brand took the top spot in the rankings when it came to online scores.
Dive Insight:
Kellogg and Hershey have long been brands of choice for millions of consumers, so it’s not much of a surprise that both ranked strongly in TotalSocial's rankings.
The rapid growth of the Internet has forced food and beverage companies to become more active online and engaged with their consumers, using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to not only supply information about their products, but to have two-way conversations.
The TotalSocial data revealed that the food category as a whole performed equally offline and online.
Much of Kellogg's success comes from its offline presence, the study said. With initiatives like the Kellogg's NYC cereal cafe and the pop-up Pop-Tarts Cafe, it's generating buzz for the brands that everyone knows about. Even though fewer consumers are picking up boxes of cereal at their neighborhood grocery stores, the upscale New York eatery makes them excited about the idea.
Hershey has been active on social media, with active Twitter accounts and campaigns for many of its popular candy brands. Executives are optimistic that big things are ahead for recently released Cookie Layer Crunch bars as more consumers interact with Hershey’s social media campaign and other marketing measures.
