Run by a small team, the social media channels of Australian innovation KeepCup successfully engage a community of enthusiastic users. 

Keepers

Abigail Forsyth, CEO of KeepCup previously owned Melbourne based Café chain, BlueBag. When she wasn’t able to source re-useable cups which fit under the coffee machine properly, she set to designing one of her own. Design and development of what are now the popular KeepCups started in October 2007. The product went on sale in June 2009.

“We wanted KeepCup to echo the disposable [cup], so that carrying the KeepCup would not necessarily be conspicuous. We wanted the silhouette to have soft, matt curved shapes as subtle clues to its difference and intention,” says Forsyth.

Online store

“We knew the business if successful would need to be global,” says Forsyth. The KeepCup online store now trades in six currencies and there are plans to include multi-language options in 2012.

Email

On 28 November subscribers to the KeepCup newsletter received a simple email, ‘Happy Cyber Monday! Like us on Facebook and we’ll reveal the deal.’ KeepCup Facebook likes increased by over 20% in one day.

Not to leave Twitter out of the mix, a new campaign for December sees KeepCup donate $5 to charity Coffee Kids for every Facebook like and Twitter follow received from 1 – 25 December 2011. The charity helps with the education and welfare of the children of families on plantations.

Transparency

“Social media is fantastic and really makes your brand and what you stand for transparent,” says Forsyth. “Social media provides us with a unique opportunity to connect and converse with KeepCup users, which builds trust, rapport and a clear voice in our network.  It enables us to visibly align our KeepCup with companies who have the power to influence its use,” says Forsyth.

Behaviour change

“With a behaviour change product like KeepCup it’s all about permission to use,” says Forsyth of the replacement for disposeable coffee cups. “There are lots of ways people seek that permission – the best is seeing others use the KeepCup, but the endorsement of enthusiastic strangers and the coffee community have been critical to the take up of the KeepCup.” 

Hot guys

One consumer comment can have a great effect. “Someone tweeted last week that a guy using a KeepCup is hot, we retweeted and I have seen it retweeted at least 10 times since!” says Forsyth.

Internal structure

KeepCup’s Twitter, Facebook and blog are managed by the marketing team, with input from Forsyth. “I really enjoy the connection to the customers, and you learn a lot from them.  It is also important in a business like KeepCup, that relies on word of mouth to establish a clear and consistent voice,” she says.

Future

KeepCup has plans to include video content in their communications in 2012. A collection of AFL and Artist Collab KeepCups will also launch in 2012.

KeepCup.com