Unilever: The Return of the Marmarati

Over the past 3 years We Are Social has worked with Unilever to create a secret and exclusive society of Marmite lovers:

The Marmarati

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Our original campaign involving the Marmarati, the launch of Marmite XO, marked Unilever’s first product launch solely using

social media, with no supporting media spend

It won 13 industry awards, including 2 BIMAs, 2 WOMMYs and Best Use of Social Media in the 2011 Revolution awards

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Marmite XO has recently been re-branded with new labeling and a new jar

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This served as the perfect opportunity not only to get XO back into consumers minds but also deepen the membership of the Marmarati

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We reactivated the existing Marmarati by staging a trial, attended by 60 members from around the country

The previous Lord Marmarati (Marmite’s Brand Manager) was tried and found guilty of crimes against Marmite

St. John O. Skelton (the Master Blender of Marmite) was elected by the jury to become the new Lord Marmarati

After the trial we launched the refreshed marmarati.org

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Where we one again chose to target only the most hardcore Marmite lovers to become new members

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Where they had to prove themselves worthy of joining the Marmarati by completing a series of challenges

And they proved worthy indeed

Over the course of the 8 challenges users could upload text, photo or video entries

There was an easily browsed gallery of users’ entries

And a ‘hot or not’ style voting mechanic encouraged users to vote on and share other peoples’ entries

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Once submissions were closed, we had received 1,888 entries, from which we chose the 300 new members of the Marmarati

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They and the existing Marmarati were then given access to an exclusive members only shop featuring Marmite XO merchandise

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Including teapots, silver tankards, pocket watches, cufflinks and scarves as a thank you for joining

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We further strengthened the passion around Marmite XO

And Unilever now have a bigger, more engaged community of Marmite lovers, ready for participation in new product

development and to feedback on all things Marmite