Instacart’s Unprecedented Surge

Enhancing customer communication amid soaring demand

A hand adds an apple to a green Instacart bag full of fresh produce, with an orange backdrop.

In 2019, Instacart tapped Just Drive Media to enhance its customer communication on social media. Facing an unprecedented surge in demand in early 2020, the brand turned to us for comprehensive support in customer service, analytics and crisis communications - instrumental in those tumultuous times.

A person in hiking gear adorned with fresh produce under a clear blue sky.

Approach

Pre-pandemic, Just Drive Media designed a playbook and hosted a workshop to guide Instacart’s customer service agents in customer communications on social, and began providing support for ongoing organic efforts, relaunching the company’s Twitter channel and creating social-first content and campaigns.

When the pandemic hit, the company experienced surging demand and rapid change -- app downloads increased 218% month-over-month in March 2020, and three years’ of projected growth occurred within a period of 30 days. We extended our program across customer service, social and comms, providing much needed counsel and support to triage and respond to dramatically increased service inquiries, and identifying issues that needed to be addressed from a communications perspective.

A joyful woman biting a watermelon slice against a red backdrop.

Outcomes

This growth period was a pivotal moment: during a global crisis, Instacart’s service became essential for many families. Just Drive Media seamlessly orchestrated communications activities across multiple channels to act as an extension of Instacart’s team, ensuring the client felt supported during a time of increased pressure.

34%

Increase in Twitter followers in first 6 months

2X

Engagement more than doubled in the same time period (1.5% to 3.5%)

~55%

Increase in IG followers from Feb ‘20 to Feb ‘21

352K

Story impressions in 2021 alone

Working with Just Drive Media is a pleasure - they are strong thought partners, responsive counselors and do what they say they are going to do, on time and on budget. As we continue to expand our work in Social Media, I value having access to their expertise and know how."

Chrissy Trampedach

, Director of Snr PR, Instacart

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