How Made by Nacho Uses AI to Outperform the CPG Industry

Made by Nacho’s Opportunity

In 2024, Made by Nacho is concentrating on building brand awareness, leveraging the unique persona of founder and cat dad Bobby Flay to capture attention in the crowded pet food market. The brand, established in 2021 and named after Bobby’s own cat, Nacho, aims to educate audiences about Bobby’s mission to provide high-quality food for his cats, which inspired the creation of the brand. This narrative not only differentiates Made by Nacho from competitors but also strikes a chord with audiences who want the best for their feline family.

A Purr-fect Social Strategy

Made by Nacho’s social media strategy is distinctively tailored for different platforms, with Instagram providing a holistic view of the brand and TikTok offering behind-the-scenes glimpses into Bobby Flay’s life as a cat dad. This multi-channel approach allows the brand to cater to varied audience preferences, ensuring a broad and inclusive reach. Its brand voice is friendly, approachable, witty and cheeky, with a particular emphasis on cheekiness for TikTok content, enhancing engagement through relatable and entertaining posts.

‍Dash Hudson’s Entertainment Score is a proprietary metric that considers engagement, retention and industry benchmarks to give brands an idea of how entertaining their content is on a scale from 1 to 10. A significant milestone in Made by Nacho’s strategy was a TikTok showcasing Nacho on the kitchen counter, which achieved unexpected virality from both supporters and detractors — which the brand playfully leans into. This video received an Entertainment Score of 9.24/10 and more than 2 million views, marking a turning point for the brand and demonstrating the power of narrative-driven content.

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Central to Made by Nacho’s strategy is the use of social media as a top-of-funnel vehicle for brand awareness rather than a direct sales tool. This approach emphasizes storytelling and community building instead of overt product promotion, which differs from the strategy of many CPG brands. Educating its audience about Bobby Flay’s role and the brand’s story builds a deeper connection with followers. The team also addresses the challenge of transitioning cats to new food, educating customers about the seven to 10-day process to ensure a smooth switch. The balance between product-focused content and more narrative-driven, behind-the-scenes posts ensures that its social media presence remains engaging and authentic, creating a loyal community of cat-thusiasts.

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Strategic Execution and Community Engagement

Made by Nacho stands out as the most entertaining brand in the CPG industry. Its exceptional Entertainment Score on TikTok and Instagram sets a benchmark for content quality and engagement. The Entertainment Score is a critical metric for the brand, providing a comprehensive view of content performance and guiding strategic decisions. By analyzing trends and performance metrics, Made by Nacho continually optimizes its content to enhance engagement and reach.

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The brand’s strategic focus on creating thumb-stopping content has positioned it at the forefront of the industry, besting industry giants and household names and captivating audiences with its unique and engaging posts. Made by Nacho excels in creating content inspired directly by its community, tapping into the vibrant support within pet communities to understand what they find fun and entertaining. Users actively share and discuss cat food preferences and transition tips in the brand’s comment sections, turning its feeds into valuable forums for cat owners. This strong community foundation helps new customers navigate the challenges of introducing new food to their cats, enhancing customer trust and loyalty.

The team at Made by Nacho places a strong emphasis on experimentation in content creation, taking calculated risks after the TikTok trend video that led to unexpected virality and enormous follower growth. Regularly checking in on long-term community members and actively engaging in comment sections further strengthens its community bonds. By subverting Bobby Flay’s TV personality to create a relatable and genuine image of him as a normal cat dad at home, Made by Nacho enhances its brand’s authenticity and appeal. Nacho’s legacy continues to inspire the brand’s mission, ensuring that its dedication to providing quality food for cats remains at the heart of its strategy. This strategic execution underscores the brand’s position as a leader in the industry, consistently delivering valuable content that resonates deeply with its audience and sets it apart from competitors.

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Vision AI Automatically Turns Audiences Into a Focus Group

Vision AI is Dash Hudson’s predictive artificial intelligence tool that has been in-market for more than eight years. By looking at the past performance of social media posts, Vision AI is able to discern visual elements in the content that draw audiences’ attention and then provide recommendations on what to post from the brand’s own content library. The tool is an ever-evolving model, gaining a precise understanding of a brand’s audience over time.

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Using Dash Hudson’s Vision AI, Made by Nacho gains valuable insights into audience preferences, such as the discovery that its audience did not favor its previous purple content but rather the brand’s (and Nacho’s) signature orange. Testing brand colors would normally take many focus groups to get an answer for, but Vision AI works in the background to provide brands with the latest visual cues favored by their communities — sometimes providing answers to questions users did not even know to ask. Made by Nacho is a power user of Vision AI, ensuring content aligns closely with audience interests.

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Made by Nacho has significantly enhanced social media management since leveraging Dash Hudson, particularly through the ability to schedule video content seamlessly and analyze key performance metrics. Dash Hudson’s advanced analytics and audience insights help the team identify the best content for promotion, maximizing engagement and brand awareness. This comprehensive use of data and insights streamlines the team’s workflow and drives higher engagement rates. By integrating these insights into a holistic marketing approach, Made by Nacho ensures that its successful social media efforts are effectively supporting broader marketing campaigns.