Nelson ’96 Innovating Cupcakes, Advertising

Vanity Fair says that Candace Nelson ’96, who reinvented America’s opinion on cupcakes, “is to cupcakes today what Debbi Fields was to cookies in the 1980s.” Nelson’s company, Sprinkles, known for its constant innovation, premiered the world’s first cupcake food truck and cupcake ATM. Wistful for the days of old-fashioned ice cream shops while surrounded by frozen yogurt trends, Nelson decided not to limit herself to cupcakes and introduced slow churned ice cream to her stores. Her most decadent dessert combines her two products; the Sprinkles sandwich is a unique treat of a scoop of ice cream enclosed by two delicious cupcakes.

Sprinkles doesn’t stop the fun at sweet treats; Nelson and her team have a lively but still classy social media presence to advertise their  options. With an exciting YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter, Sprinkles shows off its cupcakes with mouthwatering photos and catchy captions. Nelson has figured out an effective way to advertise her product without being pushy and to spread the news of special discounts and items.

“Sprinkles created a niche and consistent brand voice online, leading to devout fans and social support,” she said.

Read the Vanity Fair article on Candace Nelson here or the Business 2 Community article about her advertising strategy here.