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January 2007 - Strategy Magazine
Upfront

Cuisinart taps into "word of mom"

by Jesse Kohl
page 8

What began as a "word-of-mom" campaign in September has quickly morphed into something a little more permanent. Brampton, Ont.-based Cuisinart Canada has built a "Cuisinart Kitchen Party" section on UrbanMoms.ca, a popular online community for young mothers. Users visit the virtual kitchen to submit recipes and food stories, as well as answer polls and download a baby recipe book.

"If you're looking for hard selling, this is the wrong medium," says David Riabov, partner at Toronto-based Scratch Marketing, Cuisinart's agency. "Putting your brand out there and letting it speak for itself can be nervewracking unless you're 100% positive your brand is up to it. Cuisinart did not even hesitate."

So far the campaign, along with a viral e-mail component, has helped boost UrbanMoms.ca's national membership from 6,000 to 10,000.

Cuisinart plans to step up the effort in coming months, going social old school style, and hosting Cuisinart Kitchen Parties in homes of UrbanMoms.ca members across Canada. The women will be asked to invite friends over to learn time-saving recipes from one of Cuisinart's chefs. Participants will receive a gift and cookbook from Cuisinart and be encouraged to comment about their Kitchen Party experience on UrbanMoms.ca. Scratch will handle creative for some print executions and PR initiatives that will promote the events.

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