Fiskars Brands: Creating a Customer-Led Ambassador Movement

Challenge:

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

Goals:
- Increase awareness/credibility
- Increase online conversations 10%
- Create community of 200 empowered, kindred spirits
- Increase sales

Position and Solution:

Create a Brand Ambassador movement.

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.

After interviews and selection, 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.fistateers.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.)

We are currently empowering our volunteer Fiskateers by certifying them to teach classes at their local stores. This not only gives them an added source of income (from the stores), but it increases their ownership and involvement in the movement.

Results:
Since June 2006, the Fiskateer movement has:
- 2200+ members (goal=200), 49 states, 47 countries
- Increased online chatter 446% (calling Fiskars products by name) (goal=10%)
- 400,000 website/blog visits from 50+ countries
- Stores that have had a visit from a lead Fiskateer experienced 3X the sales growth of other stores in Q1, 2007.

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
Case Study URL: www.brainsonfire.com