Case Study

Brief

The Ainsley Harriott range of products has been hugely successful for Symington’s, the leading dried food producer. However its website was in need of a refresh so that it worked harder to support the brand. MadeByPi was asked to overhaul the site to achieve the following:

- Increase engagement, measured by increasing page-views and increase in time spent on site statistics
- Increase brand’s online reach
- Increase website ‘stickiness’ to encourage users to navigate throughout the rest of the site and give them a reason to return.

Strategy

Ainsley Harriott is one of TV’s larger than life characters so it was important that the website design really reflected the vibrancy of his personality. As well as this, we wanted to bring the products to the fore and highlight the quality of their ingredients. The Ainsley range of products are all about helping the customer complete a meal rather than being the meal so we wanted to make sure the design appealed to cooks of all ages and abilities.

To achieve the objective of increasing engagement it was important that the website had enough rich content. Product information was simply not enough for this website so we ensured that there was a range of recipes and a variety of videos to keep users interested.

Execution

Karen Lewis, account director for MadeByPi said: “As part of the redesign, we have delivered a food-focused website that uses simple navigation to inspire and add depth to the user’s journey around the site. New interactive elements have been introduced to add interest, like customer polls, newsletter sign-ups and contact forms that allow for customer data capture and feedback”.

The homely and rustic feel incorporated into the design reflects the usage occasion of the product and adds warmth to the site. As well as pack shots, we included images of the ingredients and products in their finished state to inspire users and encourage them to try.
The new website offers ‘foodies’ information about his range of dried food including soups, cous cous and risotto, alongside serving suggestions and details of where to find the products. There are also news, updates and stories behind the new products. Footage about the development process is also included showing the journey from the farms where the crops are grown to the kitchens where the recipes are created to the factory floor. Fans can also watch the celebrity chef in action online in the newly created ‘video kitchen’.

Results

The site has only been live for a matter of weeks, but already the statistics show that it is doing well. Gemma Hicks, marketing manager at Symington’s commented: “The new site reinforces the strengths of the Ainsley brand and showcases its tasty range of dried food products. Through MadeByPi’s extensive expertise of delivering digital communications, we have been able to create a platform that encourages greater interaction and engagement between consumers and the famous Ainsley brand.”