#BluePoopChallenge: A bold, viral intro to ZOE’s science

blue muffins image

The Challenge

What if a blue muffin could spark a global conversation about the gut microbiome? ZOE’s scientists had developed a novel method for measuring gut transit time, published in a respected medical journal. We saw an opportunity to translate that research into a bold, science-backed public moment—one that would raise awareness of gut health and introduce ZOE’s science to a broad audience in a way that felt fresh, culturally relevant, and just cheeky enough to go viral.

My Role

Early in my time at ZOE, I was given responsibility to lead the execution of the #BluePoopChallenge campaign. I coordinated across teams — science, product, creative, legal — to transform the concept into a full campaign, managing implementation, creative decisions, timeline, and amplification strategy.

The Approach

I led the development of a fully integrated, organic campaign to invite public participation and narrative engagement. We built:

  • a microsite with an interactive quiz and gut transit tracker

  • playful creative (animated poop characters, recipe videos)

  • co-produced videos with influencers and ZOE scientists

  • a short email series with practical insights

  • a live Instagram bake-along event

  • influencer and press kits with blue muffins

We set the tone to be light and cheeky, yet always anchored in scientific integrity. My focus: amplify via earned media, social sharing, and community participation — without paid promotion.

The Outcome

Under my direction, the campaign gained rapid momentum. It drove hundreds of thousands of site visits, sparked a viral TikTok moment that exposed ZOE to millions via @bakinghermann, and earned over 125 media placements in outlets like BBC, HuffPost, Newsweek, etc. Instagram engagement surged — +33% overall, 18% increase in the U.S. These results positioned ZOE in media and public view as a science-forward but culturally relevant health brand.

Learnings

Science doesn’t have to feel distant or serious. When you wrap it in clear storytelling and a bit of personality, people lean in rather than tune out.

  1. The relationships you build with media and influencers are long-term investments. What begins as a campaign can become a channel for future stories.

  2. Being able to pivot quickly is key. I tested, listened, and shifted content messaging mid-campaign to lean into what was resonating most.

  3. Make it easy for people to join in. Participation is more likely when the barrier to entry is low and there’s a path to go deeper.

  4. At the end of the day, people want to connect with science that feels human. If you invite them in rather than talking down to them, they show up.