Drive Engagement Beyond Reach

Objective:

To develop a data-informed, creative-led organic and paid content strategy for Sarson’s by testing a variety of visual assets and messaging styles across Meta (Facebook & Instagram) and analysing beyond surface-level metrics.

The Brief:

Sarson’s sought to reposition its brand through richer storytelling that went beyond traditional product usage and “fish & chips” associations. The objective of the testing phase was to determine what types of content and messaging resonated most in terms of true engagement, not just reach.

Between June and July 2025, we launched a test-and-learn campaign on Facebook and Instagram using six creative variants:

Content Types & Themes

1. Testimonial (Static)

Focus: Brand heritage and emotional connection

Purpose: Build trust and legacy through real stories

2. Comparison (Static)

Focus: Everyday swap-in uses of vinegar

Purpose: Showcase versatility and convenience

3. Recipe (Static)

Focus: Functional recipe inspiration

Purpose: Demonstrate vinegar's role in delicious meals

4. Usage (Static)

Focus: Broader kitchen utility

Purpose: Highlight beyond-the-obvious uses

Key Visuals

5. Key Visual – Static

Type: Image

Focus: Pack and brand-led visuals

Purpose: Reinforce branding and visual identity

6. Key Visual – Video

Type: Motion

Focus: Scroll-stopping branded animation

Purpose: Capture attention through movement and design

We created a blended scoring system to rank performance across multiple weighted KPIs:

Reach over a certain threshold

Post engagements

Engagement rate

Reactions

Post comments

Testimonial & Recipe content outperformed across nearly all metrics, combining emotional connection with function-led ideas.

Engagement Rate was strongest when content felt relatable and human-led, not overly polished or packshot-heavy.

From Vanity to Value

“This campaign moved the brand away from vanity metrics like reach alone, and instead drilled into why people engaged.”

Impact on Strategy

From this test phase, we identified:

A move toward human-first content (testimonials, tone, community)

Reduced focus on passive content (e.g. generic usage or static food shots)

Importance of multi-metric reporting and platform + website data blend (GA4 + Meta)

A roadmap to develop a content matrix, balancing format, frequency, and message pillars

This was more than a performance test. iIt was a creative audit powered by real engagement. By moving past reach and impressions and using multi-point scoring across data sources, we’ve laid the groundwork for a content strategy that drives relevance, connection, and brand momentum.