Jamie Stein (photo), Director Digital Initiatives, PepsiCo, tells us about the launch of the Woman Inspiration Network and how it relates to its wider marketing objectives.
Portada: What is WIN?
Jamie Stein: "As part of PepsiCo’s commitment to Performance with Purpose, we are spotlighting the role women play in making a difference around the world …in sustainability and the environment, in how they feed their families, and in how they foster and inspire change everyday in the world around them.
WIN is an online interactive network offering a global female perspective of inspiration and idea sharing through experts, influencers and real women around the world. It is a channel of compelling, inspirational, video content that fosters meaningful conversations among influencers relevant to women globally
– We share a behind-the scenes look at events, offer interviews with experts across a variety of topics, and discuss trends and latest digital information
– We cover both the fun and the informative
– It’s a network for all who are interested in listening, engaging, enabling and supporting women."
Portada: Why did you start it?
Jamie Stein: "PepsiCo believes in the power of digital to help achieve our company visions and goals—and as leaders in the digital arena, key to our commitment is reaching and engaging women. We wanted to create a forum to spotlight women making a difference, to provide access to compelling content women wouldn’t normally have access to – behind the scenes footage at interesting events, interviews with experts on compelling topics, and trends on the horizon.
Women are the most influential social media users, and as a company, we are investing in efforts to engage them at a corporate level as well as across the PepsiCo enterprise
86 percent of women in the U.S. have a profile on a social networking site and 72 percent log on everyday
Of those online women:
– 44% are mothers
– 33% are college grads
– 11% have incomes of 100k +
– 60 percent are married
– And social and digital marketing is impacting what they buy — 53% of women who use social networking made purchases based on blog posts."
Portada: Is this just for your brands?
Jamie Stein: "Across our enterprise, we have some of the most powerful brands in the world – and many of them got to their level of leadership by paying attention to women and helping to champion women in everything they do. PepisCo WIN amplifies our brands’ commitment and takes it to the next level of corporate support."
Portada: Why are you launching WIN now?
Jamie Stein: "Now is the perfect time to launch an online channel for women. The digital media trends continue to prove that as a medium, it is the fastest means of influence in the world and women are driving that evolution. Women are the most influential social media users, and as a company, we are investing in efforts to engage them at a corporate level as well as across the PepsiCo enterprise."
Portada: What is the long-term vision?
Jamie Stein: "Today is only the beginning of our global conversation. Our long-term goal is to create a robust online community with interesting, informative content provided by PepsiCo, but also contributed by women around the world. We want to foster a two-way dialogue and provide a snapshot into what is going on with women, and what is important to them on a global scale."
Portada: What other women-focused digital initiatives has PepsiCo or its brands executed in the past?
Jamie Stein: "PepsiCo and our brands have long been ahead of the curve in creating digital campaigns to engage women. Tropicana, for example, was among the first to do an in-depth partnership with BlogHer, creating an online channel called “The Juice” where bloggers posted commentary about interesting topics, as well as advice on healthy living to launch the brand Trop50. Meanwhile, Quaker has used Facebook as a platform for a social media campaign featuring celebrity trainer Bob Harper to provide insider-tips for healthy ways for women to start the day."
Portada: What is the significance of WIN as a corporate-wide, cross-brand initiative (vs. solo brand-driven efforts—e.g., TropiMamas)?
Jamie Stein: "This is a significant initiative to share PepsiCo’s vision and commitment to women around the world. As a company, and among our vast individual brands, we are dedicated to our mission and beliefs – Performance with Purpose in sustainable practices, nutrition and wellness, and supporting our people in communities around world.
We aim to do so by continuing to be a leader in the rapidly evolving world of digital media and by helping to power the business change we seek in our diverse portfolio. Our brands and businesses support these beliefs and continue to work toward impacting women, and now at a corporate level we are furthering that effort with PepsiCo WIN.
For PepsiCo WIN, we hope to foster conversations and a two-way dialogue, offer interesting points of view on topics both fun and information, provide an insider’s access to information normally not available, and ultimately be a source for inspiration."
Portada: Why is it significant that WIN is being launched during Social Media Week?
Jamie Stein: "Many of PepsiCo’s biggest impacts, in both digital and social good, have been announced at Social Media Week, like Pepsi Refresh last year. This year is no different. PepsiCo is tapping into the power of women, in the digital space and beyond, with the introduction of the Women’s Inspiration Network.
As part of PepsiCo’s commitment to Performance with Purpose, we think it is important to spotlight the role women play in making a difference around the world …in sustainability and the environment, in how they feed their families, and in how they foster and inspire change everyday in the world around them. All eyes are on digital leaders during Social Media Week, we thought it the perfect time to announce our new venture furthering PepsiCo’s leadership in the digital and social space."
Portada: Do you have any Hispanic initiatives?
Jamie Stein: "The Hispanic market is very important to us. We’re always tailoring our content to discuss issues and trends that are relevant to every community."