Gift-xiety

Etsy

Influencer Campaign

Project Collaborators: Samiha Akther and

Emma Herrera

The Client

Etsy has been a premiere stop for purchasing homemade goods but with the rise of other competitors in the space such as Amazon, the brand is now seeking a differentiator. Enter Etsy's brand new "Gift Mode", an AI-powered feature designed to match consumers with tailored gift ideas based on specific preferences. Consumers are presented with a series of gift guides that correlates with more than 200 different personas.

The Audience

15 - 26 years old (Gen Z)
In high school/college or newly graduated
Females
Employed part-time or full-time (and have disposable income)

The Stitch-uation

How do we extend the news cycle of Etsy's "Gift Mode" announcement to help cement the brand as the premiere platform for year-round gifting?

Key Insight

People feel anxiety when it comes to gifting as they don't want to be perceived as a bad gift-giver, or worse, a bad friend.

The "Invisible String"

The Feeling of Safety

When creating a tight-knit community, safety, or the illusion of, allows people to be more open-minded

in the face of anxiety.

Selected Influencers

Choosing the Pattern (Strategy)

Leverage influencers to speak authentically to niche audiences within the larger gifting community.

Overall, PR has the power to meet consumers where they are to increase top-of-mind awareness for Etsy and their "Gift Mode" feature. By employing influencers to push this messaging out to consumers, it feels more intimate and authentic--like gifting should be.

"The Pattern" for this problem involves carefully selecting influencers to address various verticals of larger gifting culture: "just because" gifts, holiday gift guides (ecommerce specifically), and thrifted gifts.

Leah

@leahsgiftguide

Annaskshea Azor

@annasaskhea

Anna Moran

@annamoraan

Medina Colaku

@medinacolaku

Stitching It Together
The "Threads"

Building a "Gift-xiety Support Group"

Social Media Challenge

Creating a Safe Space

Consumers will be encouraged to share their bad gifting experiences alongside influencers
using #byebyegiftxiety and
#etsygiftmode.

This helps to break the ice and build a sense of community and unity amongst consumers

Instagram/TikTok Live

Building Community, Influencer-Led

Two influencers, Leah and Medina, will team up on Instagram and TikTok Live to host a "get-together session", both with a guided, DIY gift and conversation around mental health.

In-Person Activation

Creating an IRL "Support Group"

Ten randomly selected followers who participated in the previous Instagram Live/TikTok Live will be invited to a pop-
up event in NYC where they'll get to

meet the influencers and talk through
common causes of gift-xiety.