Driving Influencer Engagement Through a Hyper-Local Preview Event
The Challenge
Eddie Merlot’s set out to drive awareness for their new limited-time menu drop by focusing on one market to host an event and leverage hyper-local influencers to produce content of the menu. A secondary goal was to also attract new followers to their Instagram page. Eddie Merlot’s tasked Champion with strategically pitching Burr Ridge-area micro-influencers who required little to no payment to attend the event and help create an inviting, luxurious atmosphere that would pique viewer’s interest and encourage them to visit Eddie Merlot’s to try the new menu.
Deliverables
- - Local influencer outreach
- - User-generated social content
- - Increased awareness of an LTO
- - Local event planning + coordination
- - Increased social followers + online credibility
The Solution
Champion pitched and executed a pre-launch influencer preview event to build early buzz and drive engagement ahead of the limited-time menu drop. By offering select influencers exclusive first access, the “one-night-only” experience created urgency, boosted attendance and generated high-performing content that sparked interest before the menu launched publicly.
To support the event, Champion developed targeted outreach lists and secured micro-influencers five weeks in advance, prioritizing strong engagement with minimal paid requirements. The early lead time improved RSVP rates and allowed flexibility for any last-minute changes. A built-in giveaway strategy encouraged each influencer to host a gift card giveaway tied to their content, helping drive new followers to the brand’s Instagram page.
Champion also led end-to-end event execution, including run-of-show development, timing for dish presentations, and preparing the General Manager and Executive Chef with key talking points to engage attendees. Take-home elements extended the experience beyond the event, while post-event tracking of live content, engagement metrics and follower growth ensured measurable impact and continued momentum.
The Outcome
Champion secured ten influencers for the event, which resulted in 49 pieces of live content, with an average engagement rate of 2.13% and drove 357 new followers to Eddie Merlot’s Instagram page – a 2.2% increase in new followers directly tied to the gift card giveaways from the event!
Results
10
Influencer Partnerships
49
Pieces of Content
2.13%
Avg. Engagement Rate
56,691
Total Views
2.2%
Increase in Social Followers
$18,700
Est. Media Value
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