• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, August 6, 2010

A campaign employing food bloggers, Facebook and other social media, a fitness club partnership and print advertising has yielded a 9% sales volume lift for the Athenos Feta Cheese brand in its first three months, reports Athenos brand manager Marshall Hyzdu.

The "Make a Change for the Feta" campaign is anchored in a straightforward call to action: Make a simple change by topping salads with Athenos Feta instead of cheddar cheese, and consume one-third less fat and 30% fewer calories, without sacrificing flavor. 

Currently, about 80% of cheese used as salad toppings is cheddar, and Athenos's mission is to change that habit by using the multiple marketing platforms to "help people experience [feta's] nutritional difference and sharing new ways consumers can expand their palate and make simple changes that offer surprising health benefits," sums up Hyzdu.

Thus far, the spokesbloggers have written about 160 blog posts, 85 Facebook posts and 170 tweets – which, together with the print ads, add up to an estimated 1.5 million impressions thus far, reports Hyzdu. Athenos is also rewarding Facebook fans with coupons and offering games and other engagement devices.

"We're building lasting brand equity, as well as volume," stresses Hyzdu.

In addition, through a partnership program running from July into September, Life Time Fitness locations are featuring a special Greek salad made with Athenos Feta in their on-site cafés and providing branded recipe books and water bottles.