Total 497 words used.
Over the years, Soapy Joe’s Car Wash has created a community-centric brand focused on the customer experience – a quality that enables the company to stand out in a hard-scrabble, commoditized industry like automotive, which relies heavily on discounting and features/benefits messaging.
This intentional focus on the customer and creating memorable connections has become an essential, and beloved, part of the company’s DNA, along with the core values of building community and leading with heart. The Pets & Vets campaign was designed to embody this customer love and commitment to community in a literal way – by featuring the loved ones of customers on the coveted Soapy Joe’s-branded air fresheners that hang in windshields across San Diego.
The primary goal was to raise funds for Helen Woodward Animal Center and Support the Enlisted Project (STEP), two long-time partners. To achieve this, the brand created a meaningful customer experience that was emotionally resonant. By leaning into the collectability, the company raised thousands for the partners.
Pets & Vets was the perfect way to take Soapy Joe’s history of supporting important causes to a level that is deeply meaningful and personal to the customer – giving them a tangible way to celebrate their own beloved pet or vet with a personalized keepsake that honors this deeply meaningful relationship in their life.
After being introduced to the customization-at-scale technology at an industry trade show in May, the team collaborated with multiple vendors to pull off a successful execution in just six months.
To create this memorable experience, the team went through extensive discovery to integrate a photo-upload-to-CRM-to-manufacturer process, create a bespoke workflow, handle hundreds of photos weekly, and batch print to ensure the fastest return time possible to customers.
The results of the Pets & Vets campaign were impressive – nearly 1,500 custom air fresheners were made from 25 different states, demonstrating widespread appeal beyond the local market.
The soapyjoescarwash.com website generated 65K total users during the campaign, which was a 51.5% improvement YOY, including 63K new users, up 52.3% from the same period the previous year.
The press strategy also helped the campaign resonate with consumers both regionally and nationally - the Pets & Vets press release generated 161 media pickups, drove 1,974 click-throughs, and saw 1,879 Newswire press release views, for a total audience of more than 66 million.
Over 7,000 free washes were given to military families on Veteran’s Day at Soapy Joe’s locations, stimulated by the widespread press coverage for the Pets & Vets campaign.
The strong social results proved that customers were highly engaged with the campaign. On Instagram alone, there was a 625% jump in followers during the Pets & Vets campaign compared to the previous period, and engagement was up 103% on the platform during this time.
Importantly, the campaign raised $1500 for both the Helen Woodward Animal Center and STEP and helped spread the word about their important work in a novel and inspiring way.
Nomination Title: Soapy Joe's Pets and Vets
