credit Phil Mansfield

...blog

The Chef’s Press: Influencer Relations Leads to 5,757% Increase in Social Media Following in 2.5 Years

THE SITUATION:

Chef Bruce Hill, creator of The Chef’s Press, knew he needed assistance in getting the word out about his cooking tool. It was popular among his chef friends in the Bay Area, but now that the press was available in stores such as Williams Sonoma and Trimark, Chef Hill wanted to extend his reach. With a small budget, he wasn’t sure what could be done to create buzz around the press.

THE SOLUTION:

Chef Hill hired Ellipses to manage his social media presence. We chose to focus on Instagram as it’s currently the best platform for reaching the most people organically – and ideal for a limited budget. We began posting videos and photos demonstrating the press in action including a variety of ways to use it in any kitchen. We shared photos that fans posted on The Chef’s Press feed, and deployed contests and giveaways to gain more fans, create more user-generated content, and build excitement around the product. We took advantage of popular weekly hashtags such as #MeatlessMonday, and strategically engaged with current fans and potential fans on a daily basis.

Most importantly, we made sure The Chef’s Press was delivered directly into the hands of influential chefs on Instagram. Using relationships from Chef Hill, Ellipses’ culinary clients and relationships fostered through our engagement efforts, we were able to get presses in the hands of chefs Chris Consentino, Jen Biesty, and David Kinch, to name a few.

THE RESULTS:

In two-and-a-half years, The Chef’s Press Instagram following went from 350 followers to more than 20,500 followers. Engagement continues to grow by an average of 150% each year. The Chef’s Press hasn’t spent any money on Instagram advertising, resulting in purely organic growth. Through careful and strategic engagement, a strong understanding of the audience, and a successful influencer relations plan, The Chef’s Press has now become a cult favorite cooking tool. This success has allowed Chef Hill to create a “Professional Line” (a line of presses made entirely in the United States, each one hand-finished by Chef Bruce himself) and brought about a fruitful collaboration with True Cooks, resulting in a special True Cooks + The Chef’s Press press.