Waiakea E-Commerce Case Study
See how this water subscription company collected over 62,000 emails and more than 124,000 Instagram followers by hosting a giveaway with partner and complementary brands.
Use the same campaign structure to grow your own email list and social audience.
Campaign Results
251,247 pageviews
124,493 new Instagram followers
24% landing-page conversion rate
62,354 new email leads
Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water generated more than 60,000 email leads in four weeks with a partner giveaway. The campaign also helped the brand grow its Instagram audience while reaching people interested in healthier living and alkaline water.
Here’s a look at the campaign results. Each contest can be configured around a different goal; this campaign focused on email leads and Instagram followers.
The Campaign Goal
The goal was to attract people in Waiakea’s target market: people interested in a healthier lifestyle who understand the benefits of alkaline water.
Earlier contests had generated around 20,000 leads after the brand gave away a trip for two to Hawaii. Each new contest brought a different set of challenges, so Waiakea’s team refined its approach and raised its targets over time.
For this campaign, the team also wanted to work with complementary brands so the giveaway could reach more potential customers.
About Waiakea
Waiakea is a premium alkaline water company from Hawaii. Although it sells through stores and its website, digital marketing has played a major role in the company’s growth.
Its mission focuses on changing the bottled-water, beverage, and wider consumer packaged goods industries by balancing profit with goals for people and the planet.
Waiakea’s target audience
Waiakea targets men and women who want to live healthier lives and prefer sustainable, ethical brands and products.
Marketing tactics Waiakea uses
Running partner giveaways with Blitz Rocket, formerly VYPER.
Producing Instagram content that can later support advertising campaigns.
Working with brand ambassadors in Hawaii in exchange for social content.
Influencer marketing tip
Sending influencers free products in exchange for images and videos can work well. Ask them to publish the content on social media and send you the original files so you can use them in ads.
You can also collect user-generated content by making it a bonus action in the giveaway.
For example, entrants could earn points for uploading a product video, sharing a product image, or publishing a related photo on Instagram. Keep each action specific, easy to verify, and tied to the campaign goal.
How to Host a Giveaway with Partners
Choose a prize that fits the audience you want to attract, then invite brands whose products make sense alongside yours. Each partner should have a clear role, a defined contribution, and a reason to promote the campaign.
Build the landing page around one primary conversion goal. If email leads matter most, make the signup form easy to find and use social actions as additional entries rather than competing calls to action.
Building and Marketing the Giveaway
Coordinate the launch assets before the campaign begins. Give every partner approved copy, creative files, tracking links, and a publishing schedule so the promotion feels consistent across channels.
Use the giveaway page, partner audiences, Instagram content, email, and paid promotion to bring qualified visitors to the campaign. Track pageviews, conversion rate, email leads, follower growth, and partner performance throughout the contest.
Converting Your Leads
A giveaway creates an opportunity to start a longer customer relationship. Send a welcome email after signup, explain what subscribers can expect, and follow up with useful product content before making a sales offer.
Segment subscribers where possible. Someone who joined for a product prize may need different messaging from someone who completed several social actions or showed interest in a specific product.
Key Takeaways and Learnings
Set one primary campaign goal before choosing the prize.
Partner with brands that share your audience and complement your offer.
Use bonus actions to grow social channels and collect user-generated content.
Give every partner the assets and schedule needed to promote the campaign.
Plan the email follow-up before the giveaway begins.
Waiakea’s campaign generated 62,354 email leads, 124,493 Instagram followers, and 251,247 pageviews in four weeks. The results came from a focused offer, partner distribution, and a campaign structure that made each action measurable.