A case study in innovative social media strategy
When you live in central Virginia in the middle of a heat wave, it’s best to plan your outings either for early in the morning, and or in the late evening. I confirmed this fact two weeks ago when I went in for my yearly eye exam.
Source: picryl/cruikshank del
I’d been lucky enough to snag an 8:45 a. m. appointment, which was great considering the heat index was predicted to be around 105 F. I woke up that morning in my air-conditioned apartment, got up, got dressed, took the elevator downstairs, and walked into a wall of dankness. I felt like I was breathing is swamp water, but I figured the office building would have adequate AC and didn’t think much of it.
Until the ophthalmologist pulled the phoropter up to my face and began making adjustments. Suddenly there was fog. Lots of it. We’re talking horns were blaring in the background. And what proceeded after was the longest eye appointment I’ve ever had as I stopped very few seconds to back up, blow on the lens until it cleared, and lean back in – stop, rinse, repeat.
An hour after arriving, I walked back outside, and could tell we were quickly approaching the high heat index of the day. Not there yet, but enough to that I wasn’t in any hurry to go to Walmart or any other brick-and-mortar store to order new glasses.
From watching YouTube and seeing their ads on Facebook, I knew about Zenni, but hadn’t considered using them because I need progressive (bifocal) lenses and wasn’t sure they offered them. I decided to look into it later, but still hoped for a break in the weather to make it to Walmart, our go-to optical retailer for the past several years.
Four Guys
That is until I read the case study of Warby-Parker in Strategic Social Media by Mahoney and Tang.
In 2010, a group four undergrads at the Wharton School of Business decided they were tired of paying high prices for eyeglass, and worked to develop a new business model for the industry – one that “focused on online distribution rather than showrooms.”
But first they had to win over customers.
Even though the first social media site, SixDegrees.com, debuted back in 1997, followed by a social media site explosion in the early-to-mid 2000s that included the emergence of FaceBook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, many businesses were still strictly brick-and-mortar. This was certainly true for prescription eyeglass retailers.
So how’d they do it?
Traditional media wouldn’t have made sense for them for a few reasons:
- an innovative online business model would need innovative media
- a linear model of communication, which is usually part of traditional media, wouldn’t help to ease any cognitive dissonance their new model may produce
So they decided to use social media technology to create a more transactional communciation action plan by:
- Using technology to engage customers to provide a more personalized experience – Warby-Parker sought to ease their customer’s concerns about the inability to try on frames in-store, by developing “a Home Try-On campaign,” which allowed people to order five frames to try on at home with no cost. They’ve also since added virtual try-on capabilities to their app.
- Encouraging transactional communication – This was done by responding to comments on social media platforms and encouraging customers to post pictures of their home try-ons on their own social networks.
- Offering expert advice on eyeglasses – Customers were able to watch information videos on YouTube that were posted by both the company and fans.
- Marketing for social good – The company partnered with VisionSpring to give free eyeglasses to those who needed them for every one purchased by a consumer.
(L Meghan Mahoney & Tang Tang, (Writer On Social Media, 2017)
Hindsight Counts Too
Overall, this seemed like a great business plan, but it’s not a perfect one. Since 2013, the company has opened 250 stores around the U.S. and Canada, and two-thirds of its sales come from these stores (Editors, 2024) Not that opening stores is the sign of a failed business model. It give customers choice, which is always a good thing.
But I feel that I again need to point out that despite their online presence and number of showrooms, I’d never heard of them before reading my marketing textbook. This tells me they might need an updated marketing plan that implements new trends in the field, like maybe partnering with social media influencers.
Takeaways
Speaking as a consumer, I liked the virtual and home try-ons, but wasn’t crazy about the limits on how many frames I could try at once. It took a week to receive my first box, and now I will have to wait another week for a second to arrive. If I’d gone to a store, I would have had all of the frames available to me at once. As a content-creator, I liked that they encouraged posting pics of their try-ons, and would like to incorporate that into my own marketing plan somehow.
Which of these strategies might work best for you? If you’re a writer, how might you use some of these ideas to build your author platform?
Sources Cited
Editors, R. (2024, July 2). Warby Parker Brick-and-Mortar Store Expansion Update. Review of Optometric Business; Review of Optometric Business. https://reviewob.com/warby-parker-brick-and-mortar-store-expansion-update/
Hill, C. (2024, February 1). 11 Social Media Trends You Need to Know in 2024. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-trends/
L Meghan Mahoney, & Tang Tang, (Writer On Social Media. (2017). Strategic social media : from marketing to social change. Wiley Blackwell.
THE CRAFTY QUILLER 
Hi Lisa!
I really love your creativity and detail as you described the struggle of actually having to go to an eye doctor appointment. I can relate to the heat as I live in Arkansas and August is well into the 100s. As you mentioned, traditional social media wouldn’t have made sense for Warby Parker because it wouldn’t have enticed their consumers to make the switch to ordering eyeglasses online through their website.
The “Home Try On Campaign” was a smart strategy used by Warby Parker because this allowed consumers that were skeptical to have the opportunity to try on the glasses before they buy them. To reduce consumer dissonance, Warby Parker offered free shipping and encouraged social media users to share their reviews of the company and post selfies wearing their new eyeglasses (Warby Parker, 2010). This helped by using already loyal customers to share their positive experiences with Warby Parker with their friends using social media.
I also really love that you tried them firsthand. As someone who has terrible vision and has worn glasses and contacts since 7th grade, I am strongly considering ordering my next pair of glasses from Warby Parker so thank you for your post and the insight.
Best of luck,
Courtney Watson
LikeLike
Hi Courtney,Thank you so much for your kind comments, and for selecting my webite for your discussion. I agree with your statements below whole-heartedly:
“The “Home Try On Campaign” was a smart strategy used by Warby Parker because this allowed consumers that were skeptical to have the opportunity to try on the glasses before they buy them. To reduce consumer dissonance, Warby Parker offered free shipping and encouraged social media users to share their reviews of the company and post selfies wearing their new eyeglasses (Warby Parker, 2010). This helped by using already loyal customers to share their positive experiences with Warby Parker with their friends using social media.”
LikeLike
Hello, Lisa!
I was surprised that this was a full product review. Initially, I was expecting to read about the marketing strategy. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that you took a more personal approach and actually ordered glasses for yourself.
Your review was honest and made a nod to the opposition. In your blog post, you mention that one of the draw backs is having to wait weeks between each shipment of frames. As a consumer, this level of transparency increases my trust. If I know these drawbacks before trying something new, I am prepared and am less likely to be disappointed.
Christa
LikeLike
Hi Christa, thanks so much for your kind comments! I honestly didn’t mean for it to seem like a product review. I was trying to hone in on the company’s key marketing strategy, The Try-On at Home Campaign, and thought since I had enough time and was in the market for eyeglasses, I’d see how effective it was in practive. Although, since I would say I was drawn in by this strategy, and did utilize this offer, that in and of itself proved its effectiveness.
LikeLike
Hello Lisa,
I feel I can relate very deeply to your circumstance. I have worn glasses from a young age and I know the struggle of finding the perfect pair. I did know about warby parker from their partnerships with some influencers. Mostly on YouTube, these mostly came in the form of sponsorships. I have however, not used their service for the same reasons you have described. The wait times around try ons and actually delivery are far too long. I generally only get new glasses after a prescription change or when mine wear out. So, that long wait proved to be a big enough obstacle to stop me.
I do want to touch one more time on your suggestion that Warby Parker use influencers to help their brand. A simple google search can show you all the people being sponsored by Warby Parker. Their encouragement to have people share their try on photos is done in an attempt to show regular people wearing their glasses and an effort to save money. “Companies incorporating UGC into their campaigns save an average of 15% on content creation costs.7 UGC content is 50% more cost-effective than traditional campaigns.7” (Linearity)
Eric Yates
References
Solomons, M. (2024, February 20). 90 UGC statistics: best practices, benefits, and future growth. Linearity Blog. https://www.linearity.io/blog/ugc-statistics/
LikeLike
Hi Eric, you’re absolutely right about their partnerships with influencers. I should have done my homework better, but also expand my meaning. I should have said broaden their use of influencers. I understand through studying them a little more that their target audience may not include me, as a Gen Xer. It occured to me that the influencers that I watch that partnered with Zenni were more my age, and wonder if that is why. Thanks so much for your feedback!
LikeLike
Hi Lisa,
First, I love how bright your blog is. Pink does happen to be my favorite color, so I am a bit biased. I also appreciate the use of white space on your blog. Not having to power through walls of text is very user-friendly. I also enjoyed the personal anecdote at the beginning. It framed the case study very well.
I think you offered a fair assessment of Warby Parker’s marketing strategy. Opening stores after such anti-store roots could be considered a failure, but you didn’t recognize it as that. I agree. I think it’s more of a pivot. Customers’ needs change. Business’ needs change. I think it’s nice to see that Warby Parker is able and willing to meet their customers where they are. That’s a sign that they’ll continue to have longevity and make smart business decisions.
Elements of Warby Parker’s social media marketing strategy that apply to building and maintaining relations with consumers or building and maintaining brand loyalty lie within their style of communication and their audience awareness. I pulled up Instagram, the social media platform I use most, to look at Warby Parker’s profile. The first thing I took note of was their bio: “Nice to see you. For every pair purchased, a pair of glasses is distributed to someone in need” (Warby Parker, n.d.). Immediately, you’re greeted with a warm welcome—nice for potential and current customers. Then, an incentive to purchase is made clear: the reward of giving back to communities by purchasing eyeglasses. This would appeal to consumers who are mindful of the impact of their purchasing decisions. In the article “Do Good, Better,” Mary Zalla (2016) states, “Millennials are increasingly interested in CSR efforts, and brands are responding in kind.” Warby Parker is very in tune with their target consumers’ profiles. Though I am a Zenni customer, I may be intrigued just enough to try Warby Parker just once.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lisa! This was a very thought-provoking post.
-Ashley Franklin
References:
Warby Parker [@warbyparker]. (n.d.). Bio [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from https://www.instagram.com/warbyparker
Zalla, Mary. (2016, June 3). Do good, better. AMA philadelphia. https://amaphiladelphia.com/do-good-better/
LikeLike
Hi Ashley, thanks so much for your kind comments! I do love pink, but what’s funny is that I didn’t like it as a child or teen. I’ve only really “discovered” it as an adult. Now everything I own is pink 😉 I’ve been interested in Zenni too; I purchased my W-P glasses this past weekend at one of their stores (light pink frames, of course) but might check them out for a second pair.
LikeLike