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Mondelez Uses CTV to Reach Walmart Holiday Shoppers

Acorn CEO Heather Nichols and Mondelez's Emily Curry reflect on the results of a past campaign that brought influencer-created content to connected TV.
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Nabisco 'Season of Giving' Instagram Update

Consumers spend $3.8 billion on cookies and crackers during the holiday season, and Mondelez International wanted to secure its share of that spend in 2023 by standing out in a highly saturated market. 

They found success by partnering with Acorn, New Engen’s creator marketing solution, for an omnichannel “Season of Giving” campaign targeting Walmart shoppers that brought influencer-created content to connected TV.

The company drew on insights from MRI Simmons that found that more than half of U.S. consumers tried new recipes they saw on social media and that 59% were looking forward to baking or gifting baked goods during the holidays. Mondelez has also learned from its 2022 holiday campaign that consumers were most engaged with recipe videos that focused on the food rather than influencers.

“This preference underscored the importance of aligning content with audience interests in cooking and culinary inspiration, supporting our strategy of activating both social celebrities and power middle influencers to create disruptive and engaging recipe content distributed through Meta and TikTok,” Heather Nichols, Acorn chief executive officer, told the Path to Purchase Institute.

Acorn and Mondelez chose a group of four influencers for the “Mondelez Snack Squad” who each created holiday recipes using a different Nabisco product that earned between 75,800 and 291,200 engagements. They also spotlighted a $100,000 donation the company made to Feeding America. The content was distributed through paid social ads and Walmart Connect CTV, airing across streaming services including Paramount+, Disney+ and Roku.

"CTV provides an opportunity to utilize engaging content and elevate it to new audiences along the path to purchase,” Emily Curry, director of shopper marketing, Walmart and Sam’s Club, at Mondelez, told the Path to Purchase Institute. “It’s a way for us to inspire purchases during TV time and connect to retail purchases in the moment. We plan to continue testing and learning." 

Acorn leveraged first-party data from Walmart DSP to reach verified shoppers, driving engagement through QR codes and shoppable recipes. More than 110 million Gen Z and Millennials use CTV, and 88% of U.S. households had at least one internet-connected TV device in 2023. CTV accounted for $1 in every $10 spent on digital advertising in 2023, making it the fastest-growing ad channel in the U.S.

“By leveraging programmatic ads featuring influencer content, we enhance visibility beyond social platforms, meeting consumers at the right place, time, and device,” Nichols said. “Premium ad placements, supported by our dedicated media team, ensure success and visibility.”

The campaign targeted current and lapsed Nabisco customers, competitive brand shoppers, and baking enthusiasts. The CTV ads had a 99% completion rate, reaching 875,219 unique viewers and earning a $5.57 ROAS. Acorn plans to do more with CTV in the future to continue to maximize marketing investments.

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