The Client
Since 1990, Butterdome Craft Sale has been Edmonton’s premier artisanal shopping event, where shoppers can meet the passionate creatives behind their favourite handmade works.
The Challenge
Be Alberta’s biggest craft sale, while remaining an intimate experience between shoppers and artisans.
The Butterdome Craft Sale has been uniting conscious shoppers with expert artisans for over 30 years through two yearly markets, one in May and one in December. They are wildly popular events, proudly Edmonton’s biggest spring sale and Alberta’s biggest holiday sale. Generations have grown and raised their own to attend the sales, and artisans count on the folks they meet there to sustain their businesses year-round. So when hundreds of vendors and thousands of attendees flood the massive U of A Butterdome — how do we keep it rooted in a love of craft and connection?
The Objectives
1
Increase online and in-person ticket sales.
The sale is already very well-attended, but the Butterdome is big… it can fit even more craft-lovers between its walls!
2
Introduce new local audiences to the event.
Reaching out to young handmade enthusiasts to join their veteran counterparts. Plus, bringing U of A students back to campus, this time as craft sale attendees!
3
Foster connection between guests & artists.
Highlighting the humans behind the craft in PR and creative, encouraging kinship and the creation of lifelong shoppers.
OUR APPROACH
Branding & Creative |
We’re familiar with what it takes to brand a holiday craft market , and knew its spring counterpart needed the same TLC. Championing seasonal icons across our creatives, we differentiated the May and December events with a blooming tulip and a festive winter Christmas tree respectively. A majority of creative also boasted real market offerings: cut-outs of beautiful handmade goods attendees could shop at Butterdome.
Digital Marketing |
Performance campaigns ran on both Meta and Google, where we found ourselves on the screens of our target audience. Meta endeavours zeroed in specifically on students and women interested in arts and crafts, aiming to build trust and create long-term fans. Google ads, on the other hand, targeted locals searching for events in the city, and attention-grabbing YouTube video ads increased market awareness around Edmonton and nearby areas.
Social Media |
Graphics bursting with brand colours. Exciting spotlights on featured artisans and their goods. Collaborative giveaways and envy-inducing videos with big local influencers. Our social pages had it all, and Edmonton locals looking for their next outing (10,000 of them on Facebook) took notice!
PR |
Both Spring and Fall Butterdome Craft Sale events received wide coverage in major outlets such as CBC and Global News, who spoke with artisans and showcased their artwork live on TV and CTV News who covered a Mother’s Day-themed story just ahead of the spring show. Our pitches proved popular with local radio stations, including a full interview on 89.3 The Raven with one of the event organizers. In an effort to bring U of A students back to campus as shoppers, the show received coverage from the university’s own publication with stories on alumni vendors.
Newsletters |
Each bright and bold newsletter promoted 6 different vendors, sending readers to discover their handmade crafts on their artisan pages. Subscribers were kept up to date on timely ticket promotions, unique offerings like emu oil soap, and treated to glossy photos of the sprawling Butterdome through the years.
The Results
3.3+ million
Meta impressions
13+ million
Media impressions
36
Unique outlets covering the sales
