NEW YORK — CVS Caremark Corp. and Walgreen Co. unveiled their latest efforts to engage customers through digital channels, including social media.
CVS/pharmacy said Friday that it’s using its website, Facebook and Twitter to reach out to "MoneyTrashers," or customers who are "trashing their money" by overlooking ExtraBucks rewards earned through the drug store chain’s ExtraCare customer loyalty program.
According to the retailer, online media provide an effective platform for helping ensure ExtraCare members don’t lose out on rewards by doing simple things like checking their store receipts for ExtraBucks rewards before tossing them in the trash or redeeming special coupons sent by e-mail and at in-store coupon centers.
To that end, the drug chain’s CVS.com/moneytrashers site and CVS/pharmacy Facebook page now feature interactive content, including playful videos, showing shoppers all of the ways they might be a MoneyTrasher, as well as providing tips to save more at CVS/pharmacy by spending ExtraBucks and taking advantage of savings opportunities. Viewers can vote on their favorite videos and help spread the word on Facebook and Twitter to help teach them to "Stop Money Trashing," the retailer said.
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CVS is using its Facebook page to reach customers overlooking ExtraCare benefits they’ve earned. |
In tandem with the MoneyTrashers online campaign, customers will also see a new look for the ExtraBucks rewards coupon, CVS added. The more eye-catching design sports larger print to get customers’ attention so they take notice of their rewards, the retailer noted. ExtraCare has more than 67 million active cardholders.
"There are millions of customers that are throwing their earned rewards away when they receive them, so we decided to redesign the ExtraBucks rewards coupons to really stand out," Melissa Studzinski, vice president of customer relationship management for CVS/pharmacy, said in a statement. "Additionally, our new MoneyTrashers campaign was created to encourage every shopper to take advantage of their rewards while also providing our savviest customers with fun, digital resources to spread the word and teach their friends and family to stop ‘trashing’ their ExtraBucks rewards."
Meanwhile, Walgreens announced Friday that it has surpassed 1 million fans on Facebook and has integrated its network of 7,700-plus drug stores through mobile platforms on Facebook Places and Foursquare.
The company said it has become the chain drug retailer with the largest following on Foursquare, while building its presence in other social communities like Twitter and YouTube.
"We’ve embraced social media, and the consumer engagement we’ve generated shows the value of these tools for our customers and the many ways they interact with Walgreens," stated Sona Chawla, president of e-commerce for Walgreens. "This is part of our commitment to 360-degree social media marketing. Through these social media tools, we’re able to extend valuable offers and effectively interact with our followers through a number of different online and mobile vehicles."
To mark its milestone of generating 1 million Facebook "likes," Walgreens is offering a free photo book for all of its Facebook fans. The 8.5 x 11-inch linen photo book is free to fans who get and use the promotional code on the Walgreens Facebook page through midnight July 9.
