Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams recently launched their grand opening at Easton Town Center. The handcrafted ice cream is full of fresh and unique flavors, and native to Columbus, Ohio. In an effort to spark promotion and community engagement, Jeni’s formed a clever partnership with Homage, Columbus-based creators of the nostalgia-loving t-shirts.
Both Columbus-based companies embody an innovative culture and have a strong local fan base of brand loyal customers. As Jeni’s and Homage continue to stay true to their reputations and engage with their consumers, they put a creative spin on classic pastimes: ice cream and t-shirts.
A deeper look at Jeni’s culture, “We create ice creams we fall madly in love with, that we want to bathe in, that make us see million-year-old stars,” tells us that they are a passion-driven business. Their individualistic approach sheds light on their creation of many flavors, attracting an experiential fan base. Homage-the t-shirt enthusiasts– attracts a like-minded audience with a similar individualistic approach to their quirky variations of t-shirts that capture “eclectic moments and personalities in sports, music, politics and popular culture. …our tees tell the story of triumph, individualism and hustle.”
The marriage of two personalities results in one big, happy family of customers
It all started with one of Jeni’s favorite flavors, “Salty Caramel.” The day before their Easton opening, Jeni’s announced on Facebook that the first 50 people to arrive at #JenisEaston would receive a free (limited-edition) “Salty Caramel” Homage t-shirt. Fans loved the idea, and a line formed three hours before opening.
Jeni’s shows Homage respect by using their tagline “Pay Homage.”
Homage demonstrates that the friendship they have with Jeni’s is a great way to expand each other’s fan base and align their brands.
Fueled by similar personalities and their Easton locations, Jeni’s and Homage ignited a social cross promotion strategy to expand each other’s customer base. The social buzz generated on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram reached Jeni’s 63,259 Facebook fans, 22,383 Twitter followers and their 7,938 Instagram followers and Homage’s 99,393 Facebook fans, 18,230 Twitter followers and 12,806 Instagram followers, doubling each company’s engagement on their shared content while leaving fans wanting more.