Functional beverage startup Yesly’s viral social media posts underscore big ad budgets are not necessary for big impact

In the video, a boyfriend charms viewers by delivering to his girlfriend in a remote controlled truck a banana and a can of Yesly, a better-for-you functional water packed with vitamins and electrolytes but without the calories and sugar associated with other hydration beverages.

The lightly edited video shot from the vantage of the girlfriend on a smartphone not only showcases Yesly’s canned water, but it also epitomizes the brand’s values and what Yesly Brand Manager Catalina Morris says consumers want on social media and from companies.

“Yesly is meant to be this positive affirmation,” and a brand that encourages consumers to strive for what they want and try something new with the help of a “chuggable” water that refreshes and replenishes them so they are ready for each new adventure or goal, she explained to FoodNavigator-USA.

Authenticity, relatability, positivity and shareability are key to creating viral content​

Because the video is not highly polished or over-engineered, it is authentic and relatable, which Morris says resonates better with consumers on social media than conventional ads that are shot on location over multiple days with models and celebrities.

“We created some really high-quality video content, but then we have also discovered that this more user generated content vibe, shot with an iPhone that could be shot by any of us, that is very relatable to our day to day, is what has performed the best,” Morris said.

“Lucky for us, this kind of very raw, unedited type of content is much less expensive to create,” and more easily fits into the budget of a startup, which needs to be “a little more scrappy” than established brands with larger advertising budgets, Morris added.

This video also succeeded because it met social media users’ basic desire for content that is fun, makes them laugh and which they want to share to help cheer up their friends and families. Yesly reinforced this by including in the caption a call to action to double tap the post or send it some one who needs a snack delivered via remote controlled truck.

“The biggest thing is the shareability,” because it means more people see the product and the cost per view is lowered to fit into the budget of a startup, she said.

“We definitely did not pay for 16 million impressions. That was all just natural usage – the shareability piece of it. And now [we] are no longer relying on [advertising] dollars to gain … visibility,” but rather on our community and fans, said Morris.

Micro-influencers can deliver an outsized impact​

To create engaging but affordable content, like the viral delivery truck video, Yesly prefers to work alongside smaller partners and micro-influencers with whom they can brainstorm ideas but who are also willing to incorporate and share the brand as part of their daily lives.

According to Morris, the difference between successful social media posts and ones that do not generate much engagement centers on their authenticity, relatability, positivity and call to action in the post. What does not work is over-engineering the post to include a specific message or set amount of screen time for the product.

As such, she says, brands must carefully balance the need to have specific product placement and messaging with letting the content creators, who know their audience, post content that does not feel like an ad.

‘Say yes to what’s next’​

“This most recent video … was really inspiring to us. … We see the potential, the ability that we have to make something viral,” said Morris. She adds that 16 million views is huge and will help drive recognition and purchase the next time the viewer see it on the shelf or in a more straightforward product ad.

The video was well timed to correspond with the national launch of Yesly in Sprouts’ innovation sections, where it will be featured for three months, said Morris.

She added the company’s online business also is “huge,” and the ability to hop directly from a social media post that highlights Yesly to Amazon where they can purchase the beverage and have it delivered makes for a more seamless path to purchase.

Looking forward, Morris said Yesly will follow its own advice in its tagline, ‘Say yes to what’s next,” and say, ‘yes,’ to opportunities that come out of the viral video, which she adds she hopes are more national authorizations at retailers across channels.