Zappos launches micro-campaigns

By Tom Ryan

JANUARY 13, 2016

Zappos recently ran two small, quirky marketing campaigns. One was designed to demonstrate its commitment to customer service and the other its knack to "surprise and delight."

In its "Happy Returns" campaign, Zappos offered a $100 gift card to the first 500 callers of a toll free number between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Dec. 26 in exchange for any unwanted present they received for Christmas. Winners were shipped a pre-paid return label to send their unwanted gift to Zappos. The gift, which could have been bought anywhere, was then donated to charity.

"At Zappos, we consider ourselves to be a customer service-focused company — more than just an online retailer — and as such, we're always looking for new and exciting ways to engage with and give back to our customers in an effort to build meaningful relationships," said Kristin Richmer, a member of Zappos' Awareness Marketing team, in a statement. "Happy Returns is an exciting spin on our already great return policy."

In the "Zappos Loves Hanover" campaign, 35 Zappos employees dropped off 1,900 boxes in the early morning on the doorsteps of past customers in the small town of Hanover, NH. The packages, including a hat, neck warmer, sunglasses, socks and a backpack, reached 85 percent of the town's homes.

A video, distributed on YouTube, captured trucks rolling into town, packages being dropped off and the glee of a few of the surprised residents.

Kelly Teemer, a Zappos spokesperson, told Valley News that Zappos chose Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College, because the town is "filled with fiercely loyal customers."

Zappos in the past has provided free coffee and pastries to customers in Las Vegas coffee shops and handed out umbrellas in Boston on a rainy day, but had never executed a campaign of this scale.

"Zappos.com has a history of surprising and delighting their customers and we are always finding new ways to thank them," Ms. Teemer said.

Both of the campaigns were done in partnership with Boston agency Mullen Lowe.