• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer, April 12, 2010

Small budgets have yielded hefty payoffs lately for brands embracing the power of the blogger. ASICS sent European bloggers on a virtual scavenger hunt while Vodafone sought the help of 15 bloggers in the Netherlands to create a treasure hunt using social networks.

Stateside, Steaz Teas targeted mommy bloggers to enhance its brand awareness when allotted coveted shelf space at Target stores on a trial basis.

Initially sold in Whole Foods locations, Steaz had now quadrupled its potential shopping audience.

The brand tasked its new agency, Chemistry Communications, to create a social media push with a budget of $100,000. The objective: spread the word about Steaz' availability in Target, despite having limited shelf space alongside bigger, more established brands.

Enter the mommy bloggers. Steaz sent samples to 72 mom bloggers and 130 couponing bloggers.

"We got started using Nielsen's 'Power Mom 50,' a list of mom bloggers," said Ned Show, CEO of Chemistry.

"Along the way we enlisted the help of Kim Moldofsky, who is a blogger herself, and huge help in pointing us to other leading bloggers." Bloggers were not paid to mention Steaz, and "received samples (whether they ended up mentioning Steaz or not), in order to review the products," according to Show. "If they did mention us, we asked them to disclose that they received the samples."

Facebook and Twitter feeds were also created to complete the social media circle, offering consumers buy one, get one free coupons. Following the two-month campaign, a total of 6,000 blog posts or reviews were written, 2,000 Facebook fans and Twitter followers were added and 250,000 coupons downloaded.

Better still, retailer Kroger began carrying Steaz Teas not long after Target started stocking the brand.