Case Study

"Alexa, ask cook garofalo for the recipe of the day"

Content marketing through a skill

A new level of engagement

Pasta Garofalo is a leader in Italy for quality pasta and the company currently exports its products to over sixty countries all over the world. The original Pasta Garofalo formula, which combines the drive of innovation with the unstoppable pursuit of quality, has made the brand a reference point in the premium pasta market.

Customer-oriented since the early days of the company, Pasta Garofalo adopts an omni-channel marketing strategy aimed at putting the individual at the centre, while always listening to the their wishes and needs. The aim is to forge a close relationship with the customer focused on quality and maximum transparency at every stage of the customer journey, from the purchase of pasta at the point of sale, to its consumption at home.

The cooking skill, with new functions

CONTENT IS GOOD WHEN IT'S USEFUL

Pasta Garofalo in collaboration with Cook, the Corriere della Sera’s cooking site, decided to rely on Xister Reply’s extensive experience and on Alexa'’s conversational AI technology capabilities to create a kitchen voice assistant close to the consumer.

Designed and created with particular attention to the interaction workflow and a solid solution architecture, Cook Garofalo is the new Alexa skill that combines innovative, practical and sustainable functions, with a large library of recipes featuring Garofalo-branded ingredients.

Additional levels of interaction and a flexible workflow have been introduced to make the conversation more interesting, thereby allowing the user to switch smoothly from one menu item to another when the skill is in listening mode. This is further enhanced by a system of recognition of ingredients and of synonyms, which enables the skill to respond consistently to the user’s answers.

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Sustainability as a key ingredient

In addition to being one of the fundamental values of the Garofalo brand, sustainability is increasingly in demand by consumers.

This is precisely why Xister Reply has integrated sustainable solutions as part of the skill. Empty the fridge is a function that helps the user avoid food waste in the kitchen by offering a recipe to make with the ingredients on hand at home. In addition, in the Interesting facts section, users receive tips on cooking habits with a low environmental impact and on food preservation methods.

Sustainability also means respect for the seasonal nature of ingredients. By connecting to the Weather API, the Cook Garofalo skill is able to find a recipe for users based on the temperature recorded in the city they are in.

Technology with a human voice

From an omni-channel perspective, Cook Garofalo is in fact a new, customer-oriented communication channel. Thanks to machine learning, the user is accompanied, step-by-step, in the preparation of new recipes, an experience made even more fluid and pleasant by the natural language adopted by the skill.

With over 2000 activations in one month, the skill has seen about 6 million impressions and reached 2 million unique users.

Pasta Garofalo

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Pasta Garofalo is an entrepreneurial visionary with an esteemed history spanning centuries as the leader in Italy for quality pasta. The company was established in 1789 in Gragnano, the homeland of pasta as an ideal place for production, thanks to the perfect climatic conditions for drying and the presence of spring water for supplying the mills. Today Garofalo exports its products to over sixty countries around the world and is positioned in the premium pasta segment, nationally and internationally. Time has rewarded the company's formula that combines history, quality and innovation, and which is enhanced by a skilful mix of marketing and commercial policies.

Xister Reply supports its customers in the consumer goods, entertainment, fashion and automotive sectors, in capitalising on the opportunities offered by digital transformation and by customer experience, on-line as well as off-line. The company stands out for its passion, professionalism and specialised expertise in creativity, technology, data-driven solutions, IT architecture design, on-line and mobile experience, planning and design. Xister Reply supports customers in all the stages of the transformation process, from the definition of the digital strategy, to its planning and the implementation of the best solutions for every business need.