Founded in 1888 by Mr. Lee Kum Sheung in Guangdong, China, Lee Kum Kee boasts a 135-year legacy as a global culinary icon. Known for its pioneering creation of oyster sauce, the brand is now cherished in over 100 countries. In Australia, Lee Kum Kee offers a diverse range of products including Oyster Sauce, Gluten Free Soy Sauce, and an array of Ready Sauces, delivering authentic flavours to kitchens Down Under.
Lee Kum Kee (LKK) faces several critical challenges in the Australian market. First, the evolving culinary landscape with the rise of Japanese and Korean cuisines has led to a decline in engagement with Chinese cooking. Chinese cuisine is often perceived as traditional or basic, and LKK needs to rejuvenate its image to show that it offers diverse and exciting culinary options beyond the stereotypes.
Second, LKK's long history and association with older generations create a potential branding issue. To attract younger consumers, the company must modernise its image and showcase itself as a contemporary, vibrant brand relevant to the younger demographic.
Furthermore, competition from supermarket home-brand Asian sauces poses a threat, mainly as they are often seen as lower-priced alternatives. LKK must find ways to communicate its products' value for money and emphasise its premium positioning.
To address these challenges, LKK partnered with Crackling Media to build brand awareness, retain its relevance and vitality in the mainstream consumer market and create a second wave of hero products among the younger generation.
Crackling Media's collaboration with LKK represents a comprehensive strategy to address multiple challenges. Firstly, it aims to redefine perceptions of Chinese cuisine by consistently generating digital assets such as articles, recipes, photos, and videos. These assets are disseminated across various marketing channels to establish a brand identity that focuses on educating, inspiring, and influencing Australian consumers.
Crackling Media also manages LKK's social media platforms, crafting content and engagement strategies that emphasise its unique value propositions tailored to distinct customer segments. This involves the development of Tone, Visual, and Brand Guidelines for different types of social media content, along with the creation of new templates and design elements. To optimise engagement, a qualitative assessment of social media content effectiveness was carried out, discerning the most engaging post types and themes. Close platform monitoring guarantees ongoing interaction with potential customers.
Moreover, Crackling Media conducts targeted Advertising & Promotional Campaigns across social media and Google, addressing various demographics to drive conversions. For example, impactful social media and advertising campaigns were executed in support of LKK's Masterchef Partnership or for instore promotions at prominent national supermarket chains like Woolworths. These campaigns are supported by the high-quality content that serves as a persuasive tool in convincing customers.
In addition, the Crackling Media regularly organises Social Media Competitions on Facebook and Instagram, promoting engagement and brand awareness.
Recognising the limitations of relying solely on social media, Crackling Media advocates a multi-channel approach, leveraging websites, ads, and other campaigns to effectively meet LKK's business goals. This holistic strategy aligns with the agency's extensive experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, aiming to secure LKK's sustained growth and brand relevance.
The marketing actions undertaken have yielded significant and tangible results for Lee Kum Kee. Firstly, they successfully reinvigorated the brand's identity, establishing Lee Kum Kee as a preeminent Chinese sauce and condiments brand. Over 20 insightful articles, an equal number of new recipes, and engaging videos were created, breathing new life into the brand's image.
Furthermore, these efforts led to a substantial increase in brand awareness and the recruitment of fresh, particularly younger, users. On Instagram, the brand saw a remarkable growth of over 2000 followers annually, while on Facebook, an impressive 8000 followers were added each year.
Lastly, the marketing actions proved effective in fostering consumer engagement and loyalty. More than 20,000 actions were recorded annually across various social media platforms, including profile views, website clicks, comments, shares, and saves. This heightened level of interaction demonstrates Lee Kum Kee's ascent as the top-of-mind choice for sauces and condiments in Chinese home cooking, solidifying its position as a beloved and trusted brand among consumers.
