Chase Sapphire Uses Social Media to Put Brand Values into Action
Chase Sapphire re-launched two golf-related promotions for 2013, including one with a fun social element that brings the Sapphire brand to life.
Now in its third year, the Chase Sapphire Golf Experiences program gives cardholders access to premium golf packages that include playing 18 holes on a world-class course and meeting PGA players like Webb Simpson and Stewart Cink (both past winners of Major Championships). Space for these packages is very limited, making them exclusive, even among Sapphire cardholders.
This promotion feels right on for the target audience. Sapphire is marketed at affluent consumers, and the product strives to bring cardholders unique, exclusive and unexpected experiences that allow them to enjoy life more. The Golf Experiences program fits right into that approach.
Since golf is also a very social sport, it was great to see content on the Chase Sapphire Facebook page that also captures the spirit of the Sapphire brand, but in a more accessible way.
Beyond the Tee is a Facebook app that allows customers to make their own pegboards, which are part wish list and part travel log. The boards are lists of well known courses like Kapalua, Bethpage Black and Pebble Beach, and Likers can indicate “I want to do this” or “I have done this” for any of the locations listed. A few Sapphire Golf Experience Packages are highlighted, and cardholders can select golf achievements or aspirations like “I hit the green on my first try!” Likers can add comments to items on pegboards and share their boards with friends.
What we like: For some companies, brand expressions can be intangible and may lack proof. We love seeing a brand come to life in ways that place real weight behind what it stands for, and we especially love to see it done through social media. In particular with Beyond the Tee, Chase gets a lot of things right:
- they use a hook that directly relates to the brand;
- they target a specific segment of their base with content that is highly relevant to passionate golfers; and
- they give Facebook Likers something extra, including video content with tips from the pros.
Golfers love to talk about golf and Chase gives them a fun and easy way to do that.
What we think could work better: Not much really. Maybe, Chase could make a more explicit connection between the two promotions to help drive traffic from the Golf Experiences site to Beyond the Tee (bringing in some new Likers). However, they both do a great job on their own, and an implicit connection might be enough.
Overall this is another great example of how banks and issuers can develop social media content that is engaging, on-brand and part of its unique customer offering.
