Case Study: CRISP POWER
CRISP POWER
CRISP POWER makes a snack for the way people eat now: more protein, more fiber, and still something crunchy and fun. Since May 2025, Growthbuster has grown the brand's Instagram from 6,720 followers to 39,122, more than 5.8 times its starting size, and its TikTok from 1,183 to 4,195.
That growth has come alongside a big stretch for the brand, with new retail partners and four flavor launches. Our job has been to tell that story, build a community around it and make people want to try Protein Pretzels.
The client and the challenge
More people are paying attention to how much protein and fiber they eat, but getting enough of both isn't always easy. People on GLP-1 medications are often working to hit protein and fiber targets. Bodybuilders and anyone tracking macros need every snack to earn its place.
CRISP POWER fits all of them. It has the protein and fiber of a functional snack, the crunch of a chip and the taste to back it up, and it's a lot more fun to eat than a chalky protein bar. Protein Pretzels are sold online and at retailers including Costco, Meijer, The Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon.
The challenge is blending function with flavor and fun. Macros can be serious, especially during a bodybuilding prep, but the food doesn't have to be. And with the brand expanding fast through new stores and flavors, social has to keep pace: share what's new, support each retail partner and give people a reason to try.
The approach
Fun comes first. Every post leads with entertainment and taste appeal, and the protein and fiber message comes second, as the bonus. We make Protein Pretzels the star of food people already want to eat, in recipes, trends and everyday moments.
That shaped three habits across the feed:
Show the use case. Recipes and pairings show how Protein Pretzels fit into the meals and treats people already love, beyond snacking straight from the bag, and give people something to save.
Ride what's already trending. Familiar formats and trends get the scroll-stop; CRISP POWER fills them in.
Make retail support feel like content. Store posts use trends and humor so they don't read as ads.
The voice stays punchy, conversational and enthusiastic about the food, so even the serious macro details feel approachable.
What we did
Growthbuster runs content concepts, copy and community for CRISP POWER on Instagram and TikTok, built around a few repeatable formats.
| Format | Example | Its job |
|---|---|---|
| Recipe Reels in trending formats | A grown-up take on a favorite: "If you love Muddy Buddies, you need to try this," made with Protein Pretzels | Show how to use the product, add better-for-you benefits to familiar treats and earn saves |
| Creator-style store support | "Proteinmaxxing, Costco edition," a Costco finds video that calls out the protein in high-protein items, Protein Pretzels included | Give viewers useful information while supporting a retail partner, in the style of the Costco creator videos people already watch, but from the brand |
| Retail partner posts | The full flavor lineup outside The Vitamin Shoppe | Send shoppers to stores, and show current and future retail buyers that the brand supports its partners |
| Launch content | Teasers and launch posts for four new flavors | Build hype before and during each launch |
| Partner giveaways | A recipe giveaway with Legendary Foods, boosted, with the recipe and a link to the site sent to every entrant through ManyChat | Show the product in use so entering feels worth it, bring entrants to the site for retargeting and the email pop-up, and keep non-winners following until they try it |
| Relatable POV humor | "POV: you remembered you're an adult and can turn your Protein Pretzels into cereal" | Keep the brand fun and relatable |
Every format follows the same pattern: a hook people recognize, the product in use, then a clear next step (save, comment, shop).
Content highlights
The feed mixes a big partner giveaway with steady recipe, humor, launch and retail content, each with its own job.
Partner recipe giveaway with Legendary FoodsA boosted giveaway that showed both products in use. About 2,900 comments and 847 profile actions, and every entrant got the recipe plus a link to the site.72,818 views
Retail partner support at The Vitamin ShoppeSends shoppers to the store and shows the retail partner the brand is supporting them.7,056 views
Relatable POV humor with Cinnamon CrunchA relatable moment that kept people watching, with a skip rate lower than the account's typical Reel.6,852 views
A grown-up take on a favorite treatA recipe Reel in a trending format, with 45 saves and a save rate above the account's typical Reel.5,815 views
Creator-style store support at CostcoA Costco finds video that calls out high-protein items, Protein Pretzels included. Views ran well above the account's typical Reel.3,276 views
Honey Mustard launch teaserBuilt hype ahead of the Honey Mustard launch, with 29 comments.1,950 views
All figures are lifetime per post, from Instagram Insights. Legendary Foods giveaway figures include boosted views.
Results
Since May 2025, Instagram followers have grown about 5.8 times and TikTok about 3.5 times, alongside four flavor launches.
| Metric | Result | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram followers | 6,720 to 39,122 (+32,402, +482%) | May 2025 to Oct 2026 |
| TikTok followers | 1,183 to 4,195 (+3,012, +255%) | May 2025 to Oct 2026 |
| Flavor launches supported | 4 (Cheddar, Flamin' Crunch, Cinnamon Crunch, Honey Mustard) | May 2025 to Oct 2026 |
Follower growth reflects organic content plus boosted giveaways.
What the client says
They're proactive, strategic, and genuinely invested in our success.
We've had an outstanding experience partnering with Growthbuster as our social and organic influencer marketing agency. They go beyond execution, acting as true thought partners by bringing forward new opportunities while continuously helping us optimize performance and reduce costs. Since working with them, we've grown our social channels and elevated the quality of our content in a meaningful way. They're proactive, strategic, and genuinely invested in our success.
Danny Pham, VP of Marketing, CRISP POWER
Why it worked
The growth comes from making a functional product feel like food people want, not homework. Three choices make the difference:
- Use cases over claims. Recipes and pairings show new ways to enjoy Protein Pretzels, so the protein and fiber become a reason to try them, not the whole pitch.
- Trends with a purpose. Trending formats earn attention, and each one ties back to a recipe, a launch or a store.
- Retail support people actually watch. Store posts borrow the same trends and humor as the rest of the feed, so they support retail partners without reading as ads.
Growthbuster helps founder-led CPG and DTC brands turn a strong product into a brand people follow and buy, online and on shelf. Want results like this for your brand?
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