As a chocolate that many of us remember from our childhoods, Mandolin made a smooth comeback to the market using the slogan of “mix sense,” a play on the words “makes sense.”
Throwback > Mandolin is Back to The Egyptian Market, Makes Sense?
Some responded in a negative way mocking the chocolate’s return. One Facebook post believed that Mandolin should not share the same fridge with other international and more expensive chocolate brands, it did not make sense to them.
Mandonlin Listen and Respond: Appreciation is the Key!
The post quickly became viral, with people giving their opinions. Mandolin quickly responded, stating that people do not have an appreciation for the home grown and classic things anymore.
They released a video earlier this month as a response for the negative feedback, highlighting the brand history and discussing its presence in the market for over 20 years, and explaining that it is here to stay.
https://www.facebook.com/MandolinEgypt/videos/806888886134236/
The video’s focus on its past and shared memories with consumers, continued presence and its origin as an Egyptian chocolate and brand are all wonderful things about the ad.
Mandolin takes “appreciation concept” to the next level
These marketers listened to their customers, listened to the haters and critics, and took it all to prepare a great come back. They had guts.
This Ramadan, the chocolate bar manufacturer has developed a campaign to combat the growing trend and remind us of the authentic traditions and Ramadan legacy.
https://www.facebook.com/MandolinEgypt/videos/819009778255480/
The marketers have shifted their focus from their presence as something that “makes sense” to something that needs to stay, almost like a national treasure. The video’s focus on its past, continued presence and its origin as an Egyptian chocolate and brand are all wonderful things about the ad.
Listening to the market
Using social media monitoring (Social listening), Mandolin was able to take the criticism and transform it into a campaign that is quickly gaining attention. A campaign that many could understand and relate to.
Capturing market insights and listening to voice of customers (VOC) can make a significant shift in developing a re-creating new key messages that can be more relevant to consumer’s mindset and hence effective decision making.
The marketers and brains behind the campaign saw an opportunity and used it to their advantage, rather than simply doing the usual PR and nice comments.
Marketers should take note of this case; by listening and understanding the consumers thinking and their brand perception, Mandolin was able to grab a bad situation and turn it into an opportunity to improve their relationship with the audience and reinforce brand position among competitors.
Do you think that Mandolin is right by taking the criticism and pushing forward with a campaign against it? Let us know in the comments.
