DISCUSSION
Can Instacart transform from a transactional to an inspirational shopping platform?
Written by Tom Ryan
Instacart has retained Grammy winner Lizzo as the face of its biggest brand campaign to date to introduce Carts, an in-app experience that will enable pop culture personalities, retailers and online creators to share shoppable, curated content.
The shopping and delivery platform’s app users can view and be inspired to purchase a grocery list of Lizzo’s favorite items, including vegan Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Impossible Burgers and Takis hot lime tortilla chips.
https://youtu.be/fxxUfW0AGBw
Instacart has released a 30-second spot, "The World is Your Cart," to mark Carts’ launch. It debuted following the singer’s performance during Sunday’s 2022 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). The company ran a full-page center spread advertisement featuring Lizzo in Sunday’s New York Times.
Beyond Lizzo, Cart will eventually feature similar favorite foods lists from influencers, including The Old Gays, and retail partners, in addition to themed lists such as Self Care Sunday, Late Night Noms and Date Night. Brands selling on Instacart can support online discovery through Brand Pages, Shoppable Display and Shoppable Video ad formats.
The shoppable feeds aim to replicate the discovery experience of scrolling on Instagram.
“We’re thinking about how we go from being a transactional to an inspirational platform,” Laura Jones, Instacart’s chief marketing officer, told Advertising Age.
Daniel Danker, Instacart’s chief product officer, believes that, while in-store browsing traditionally drives grocery discovery, online shopping holds the advantage of being able to showcase new items each time a customer opens their app and personalized feeds. He told Quartz, “If we can bring that joy of discovery that happens in the real world, if you will, today, and join it with a personalized experience, we’re actually able to do something very different than what has been done so far.”
Outside the app, to help drive direct traffic to its site, Instacart launched Instacart Tastemakers, an affiliate network that allows creators and publishers to monetize their content through links to the platform from recipes on TikTok and online publications. The Wall Street Journal reported that accelerated growth in the second quarter has the delivery platform aiming to complete its initial public offering this year.
- Instacart Launches New In-App Experiences and Brand Campaign Featuring Lizzo and Her New Song "The Sign," Ushering in a New Era of Shopping Inspiration – Instacart/PRNewswire
- The World is Your Cart: How Instacart and Lizzo are Ushering in a New Era of Shopping Inspiration – Instacart
- Instacart wants everybody to shop like Lizzo – Winsight Grocery
- Instacart’s Biggest Brand Campaign Features Lizzo’s Grocery Order – Advertising Age
- Instacart is enlisting celebrities and influencers to make your shopping list — in case that’s helpful – The Verge
- Instacart will now be a destination for influencers like Lizzo – Quartz
- Instacart Aims to Go Public Before Year’s End, Defying a Frozen IPO Market – The Wall Street Journal
Discussion Thread0
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