Digital, Social Media Opps: Wild Alaskan Co names new marketing VP as sales, subscriptions swell (Score 74)

Earlier this year, we told you Wild Alaskan Company (WAC; I will refrain from making jokes) was looking for a new senior growth marketing manager (more here). While we are unsure if that role has been filled, we do know WAC has named Stephanie Hoppe as marketing VP, effective September. She is the former CMO for Bar Louie & also served as interim marketing VP for 7-Eleven.

During the pandemic, WAC nearly quadrupled its sales, per founder & CEO Arron Kallenberg to Undercurrent News; membership to the monthly subscription service is now over 132,000. Among other things, Kallenberg credited dropping online ad rates during this period for allowing the company to take advantage & get in front of more potential customers. 

According to Pathmatics, WAC has spent $4.5 million on digital display & social ads YTD. Most ads have been placed site direct (95%) or through Verizon Media (3%) on destinations such as Facebook (83% of spend), Instagram (5%), yahoo.com, youtube.com and boston.com. This is a vast increase over the same period 2019, were only $631,100 was spent (overwhelmingly on Facebook). For full 2019, just under $850,000 was spent (this spend spiked in October).

Sellers -- Offer digital display space targeting millennial and Gen Z healthy eaters looking for a convenient alternative to fresh seafood selection. Headquarters are in Brooklyn, but WAC has at least four fulfillment centers across the US to make shipping more practical: CA, WI, OK and FL. This means the only region it has yet to form a base in is the Northwest, but it delivers to everyone in the country. It seems the company is comfortable with its current marketing strategy, but the arrival of a new marketing lead is the perfect time to propose new solutions to expand its customer base (possibly moving into podcast advertising?)

Agency readers -- We don't believe there is an agency relationship. According to Seafood Source News, Kallenberg claims WAC is a "tech company that happens to sell seafood" that plans to focus on tech-enabled logistics.  WAC relies on data-driven decision making, so the more digitally well-versed you are, the better. This new marketing leader should increase your chances of review.