Case Study: Driving Trial, Reviews, and Authentic Social Buzz for a Premium Chocolate Brand
The Challenge
A premium chocolate brand available through a national grocery retailer was looking to accomplish three important objectives:
- Drive product trial and kickstart sales
- Populate retailer item listings with authentic customer reviews
- Generate organic social media awareness among relevant consumers
Like many emerging brands, they faced a common challenge: how do you encourage real consumers to discover, purchase, and talk about your product without relying on expensive influencer campaigns?
The Solution
The brand partnered with Field Agent's SocialMentions program to activate everyday Canadian shoppers.
Participants were asked to:
- Visit a local store and purchase the product
- Try the product at home
- Leave an honest review on the retailer's online product page
- Share their experience through an authentic Instagram post on their personal account
Importantly, these participants were not influencers.
They were everyday Canadians sharing genuine experiences with the people who already know and trust them.
Campaign Execution
Shopper Activations
Consumers were sent into stores to purchase the product themselves, creating immediate sales while ensuring participants experienced the product exactly as a typical shopper would.
Retailer Reviews
After trying the product, participants submitted authentic reviews to help strengthen the retailer's online product listings and provide valuable feedback for future shoppers.
Organic Social Sharing
A subset of participants were then invited to create Instagram posts featuring the product in a way that felt natural and relevant to their audience.
Rather than providing scripted influencer-style content, participants were encouraged to share their genuine experience in their own voice.
Results
22 Organic Instagram Posts Generated
The campaign resulted in 22 authentic Instagram posts from real Canadian consumers.
Average Audience Size: 1,199 Followers
While none of the participants were influencers, each had their own network of friends, family, and followers.
Across the Instagram participants, the average audience size was 1,199 followers per person. Therefore, the total follower reach across all 22 posts (22 × 1,199) was 26,378 potential followers reached and educated about the product.
This represents a significant opportunity for brand discovery among highly relevant, like-minded consumers who are far more likely to trust recommendations from people they know than from paid influencers.
Multiple Objectives Achieved from a Single Activation
Through one coordinated campaign, the brand was able to:
✓ Generate verified product purchases
✓ Create authentic retailer reviews
✓ Increase product visibility on retailer websites
✓ Produce user-generated social content
✓ Introduce the brand to thousands of potential new consumers
Why This Approach Works
Consumers increasingly trust recommendations from real people over polished advertising.
SocialMentions bridges the gap between product trial and word of mouth marketing by turning everyday shoppers into authentic brand advocates.
Because participants purchase, try, review, and share the product themselves, brands benefit from content that feels credible, relatable, and trustworthy.
The result is awareness that feels organic rather than promotional.
Looking Ahead
For brands looking to drive trial, generate reviews, and create authentic social buzz, SocialMentions offers a scalable way to activate real consumers and amplify word-of-mouth at the same time.
Interested in seeing how SocialMentions could work for your brand?
Reach out to us today to learn how we can help you generate authentic shopper advocacy, retailer reviews, and social engagement from everyday Canadian consumers.
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