When compared to other social media networks, Instagram boasts higher engagement rates (%). The engagement rate serves as an indicator of the brand's audience activity and the effectiveness of its Instagram strategy. According to Laurence (2018), Twitter and Facebook typically garner engagement rates ranging from 0.5% to 1.0%, while Instagram sees rates between 3% and 6%. Therefore, achieving an engagement rate exceeding 6% will position the brand for enhanced community engagement and increased revenue opportunities.

Lindt & Sprüngli Target Audience

The typical Lindt & Sprüngli consumer is typically over 30 years old, leading an upper-middle-class lifestyle, and appreciates the superior quality of the brand's chocolate (Townsend, 2015). Attracting a younger consumer is also essential, as they can contribute to brand awareness by sharing their experiences with the Lindt & Sprüngli brand with peers, potentially becoming dedicated customers of the brand's chocolate over time. 

Therefore, the upcoming public relations campaign will primarily target Instagram, catering to a younger consumer demographic. To ensure success in the digital space, Lindt & Sprüngli must move away from the current practice of publishing unrelated images with brief captions at irregular intervals. Instead, the brand should adopt a thoughtful strategy, establish a well-defined brand identity through visual creativity, employ effective community management, and maintain clear communication.

The Importance of Influencer Marketing

Instagram serves as a social media platform where brands can connect with relevant influencers who, in turn, play a crucial role in raising awareness and influencing purchasing decisions. Individuals seeking expertise often engage with influencers through blogs, discussion forums, and industry events. When influencers are genuinely aligned with a brand's message, use its products or services, and share its values, they are more likely to regularly disseminate meaningful and useful content. In some cases, influencers may spontaneously initiate conversations about the brand, contributing significantly to the success of the campaign. Consequently, the careful selection of influencers for collaboration holds paramount importance in determining the campaign's effectiveness.

Influencer marketing serves as a vital tool for elevating a brand's industry awareness. Key influencers are likely to review the brand's products, incorporate mentions in their posts, or write comprehensive reviews. Additionally, influencer marketing offers a platform to convey the brand's value proposition, offerings, and company background to a wider audience that may not have been reached otherwise. This increased exposure can lead to a surge in website visits, followers, and engagement on Instagram, subsequently contributing to the increase of sales.

Analysis of the Current Situation

Lindt & Sprüngli acknowledges encountering challenges in North America and, notably, in its domestic Swiss market; nevertheless, it remains on a growth trajectory. As outlined in the Chairman's semi-annual report for 2016, the primary obstacles faced by the company included consistently elevated prices of raw materials such as cocoa beans and cocoa butter, a chocolate market experiencing stagnation, and overall subdued consumer sentiment. Additionally, the Swiss market has been impacted by consumers opting to shop in neighboring countries, and the brand's retail partners are contending with pressure from hard discounters.

To enhance brand awareness and initiate a sales upswing, an effective approach involves delivering content that resonates with the brand's audience, encouraging them to accept and share it within their network. A potent avenue for content dissemination is through social media networks, with Instagram being particularly impactful. This platform enables users to share compelling photos or videos accompanied by succinct yet impactful descriptions.

Analysis of the Official Swiss Lindt & Sprüngli Instagram Account

Followers

As of January 2018, the official Instagram account of Lindt & Sprüngli in Switzerland boasts 6,135 followers. In comparison, its U.S. counterpart has amassed 100,000 followers, the Italian account has 56,300, the German account has 7,102, and the UK account has 8,501 followers. Given Lindt & Sprüngli's status as an authentic Swiss brand, it is imperative to position it as the forefront leader in the Swiss chocolate industry within the digital sphere as well.

Engagement Rate

At present, the official Swiss account maintains an average engagement rate of 4.11%, signifying active interaction between the brand and its audience through content. An examination of the account reveals heightened audience activity in April, potentially attributed to Easter holidays, and in December, correlating with the festive Christmas period when chocolate attains peak popularity. The three predominant hashtags are #happyeaster, #chocoletti, and #lindtswitzerland.

Instagram Influencers

Lindt & Sprüngli has established partnerships with various Swiss Instagram bloggers and influencers such as @tiphainemarie_, @lety_, and @iosononera. Although these influencers boast a substantial following, their association with chocolate or food-related subjects, particularly with the brand, appears less evident. Consequently, selecting individuals more closely aligned with the brand, possessing influence over the brand's target segment and potential buyers, becomes imperative.

Additionally, the company has entered into a long-term partnership with Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer to enhance the brand identification potential for Lindt & Sprüngli. Federer serves as a distinctive embodiment of Lindt & Sprüngli's core values, including "Swissness, premiumness, quality, and passion, making him an ideal global brand ambassador."

Objectives of the PR Instagram Campaign

The objectives of the current public relations Instagram campaign include:

• Increase brand awareness by attracting more consumers (followers) under the age of 30, who are active Instagram users, and organically growing Lindt & Sprüngli's Instagram following from 6,135 to 15,000 by the end of Q4 2018.

• Identify and connect with one relevant food or lifestyle influencer per quarter, and establish connections with a total of four influencers in 2018, exposing the brand to their substantial Instagram communities.

• Achieve a 20% increase in Lindt & Sprüngli sales from Instagram direct response campaigns by the end of Q4.

In this case study, you've gained insights into designing a public relations campaign for Instagram through the example of Lindt & Sprüngli. The provided structure can be adapted for traditional public relations campaigns, encompassing all essential elements for a successful project execution. When creating your campaign proposal, ensure clarity by using plain English. This approach helps management grasp the campaign's purpose, methods, and execution, fostering a clear understanding from the outset.