Instagram is known for always innovating. In one of their latest attempts to push the boundaries, they released a new product known as ‘reels,’ short, fifteen-second clips you can create and share with the Instagram community. But because Instagram has been around for over a decade, users can become accustomed to the app’s basic features like posting, liking, and commenting— the company found itself needing a technique to promote their new capability in a way that would help make reels as integral to the Instagram experience as posting photos. By partnering with Food Truck Promotions, Instagram successfully made reels the new norm of content sharing, from coast to coast.
Food Truck Promotions knew that the two brand activations would need to take on different forms depending on the location. For example, in LA, we helped Instagram reach its key audience by tapping into the influencer scene via a branded ice cream truck serving up dairy-free Italian ice reminiscent of a cross between sorbet and soft serve. Meanwhile, in Miami, our strategy was to gain exposure during Latin Week 2021, which meant branding a vintage vehicle and partnering with artists of cultural importance specific to the South Florida community. If you want to know more about the unique approaches we took in two distinct markets with two distinct demographics, then read on!
In Los Angeles, Food Truck Promotions kicked off the campaign by organizing a one-of-a-kind content creator party. Our branded food truck visited different Instagram influencers’ houses with the ‘Happy Ice’ ice cream brand served in Instagram-branded cups and Instagram bucket hats perfect for photo ops— or, better yet, Instagram reels! The following day, the ‘reels on wheels’ promotion opened up to the public, and the branded food truck stopped at Melrose Trading Post to give out free ‘Happy Ice’ sweet treats and Instagram merch to anyone who tagged @instagramcreators in their stories. This meant that our pop-up mobile marketing event was able to make lasting in-person impressions, while also being an experience that could be shared online, on the very platform we were promoting.
In Miami, Instagram made a splash during Latin Week 2021 via an eye-catching, branded vintage Citroen that served complimentary free ice cream right from the beach. If an Instagram mobile parked right on the beach isn’t attention-drawing or ‘Miami’ enough, the branded promotion also featured appearances from artists like Farruko and Manuel Turizo, which attracted an even bigger crowd of beach-goers to interact with Instagram’s brand. By using the popularity and excitement already surrounding Latin Week, we were able to strategically promote Instagram’s new feature in a way unique and relevant to Miami. This is one of many examples of how meshing a marketing campaign with the local culture and events can boost a brand on social media or otherwise.
It’s no surprise that swirly, colorful Italian ice as perfectly Instagrammable as our ‘Happy Ice’ and a branded food truck surrounded by famous artists would have such a wide reach. All in all, Food Truck Promotions was able to hand out over 1,000 servings of Italian Ice and appear on thousands of Instagram stories, achieving exactly what the brand had hoped with some sprinkles on top. In both LA and Miami, our team was able to ‘reel’ in a huge crowd and create immersive, in-person experiences that translated perfectly into the digital space.
