Creating a Brand Ambassador Movement: Fiskars Brands

Challenge:
There was no emotional connection between Fiskars Brands crafting division and their customers (scrapbookers and crafters).

Goals (by 12/06):
- Increase awareness and credibility
- Increase online conversations by 10%
- Create a community of 200 empowered, kindred spirits

Position and Solution:
We agreed the answer was to create a Brand Ambassador movement.

So we sent out a national call seeking four customers interested in a part-time paid position as a Fiskars Ambassador. They didn't have to be a crafting guru, but they did have to be a passionate, engaging communicator.

Soon after making a decision, we brought them to Fiskars HQ in Wisconsin for an intense weekend of teaching a tailored curriculum. It included everything from discovering their unique communication talents to what it means to be an Ambassador (always transparent, NOT a salesperson). They also rubbed elbows with product developers and other Fiskars employees.

Empowered and educated, these four went back to their sections of the country to spread the goodwill of Fiskars, uniting a community. They regularly post on www.fiskateers.com/blog about their lives -- never "selling" or saying something they don't believe. They attend tradeshows, lead classes in scrapbooking stores, build relationships with storeowners and host online chats.

Offline, each Fiskateer receives a welcome kit containing special scissors engraved with their Fiskateer number, a booklet outlining what it means to be a Fiskateer and tools used to recruit others. (The only way to join is to be invited.)

Results:
Since June 2006, (in only five months) the Fiskateer movement has:
- 815 members (goal=200) in 45 states
- Increased online chatter 341% (calling Fiskars products by name) (goal=10%)
- 130,000 visits to website/blog from 40 countries

The Fiskateers -- unprompted -- are creating their own marketing tools, planning events, and providing valuable feedback to marketing initiatives and product development while spreading "the Fiskars love" and strengthening the company's connection to customers.

Credit Information
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Client: Fiskars Brands
Agency: Brains on Fire
Budget: Less than $500,000
Date of Campaign: June 2006 - Present