CASE: Putaan Pulla

Content themes

Stories

Putaan Pulla's story is exceptional: the third generation is baking in the same place. This history is at the heart of the content, because people want to know who the makers are and where they come from.

Popular topics have included:

• “We were threatened with a lawsuit”
• “The bakery founder's adventures in the 1980s”
• “What does the CEO do at the bakery?”

Humour

A relaxed vibe and a willingness to go all in are Putaan Pulla's trademark on social media. Pranks, banter and real everyday life make the brand human: one that people want to follow. Think Jussi dreaming about a pack of dogs at the bakery, or singing customer feedback to guitar chords.

Recipes, behind the scenes and seasonal content

The third pillar changes with the times: sometimes recipe videos, sometimes behind the scenes. This keeps the content fresh and gives viewers something genuinely useful.

Background

Putaan Pulla is a third-generation Finnish bakery that had a strong local reputation but limited digital visibility. Iita Tyykiluoto had tried making short-form videos in-house, but practical challenges got in the way.

"Before Höyrymedia we were active on social media, but we had hardly any short videos. I'd made a few attempts myself, but I found it hard. It took so much of my time, and then I had to look at my own face while editing. It was easier just to post photos."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

Höyrymedia's Elias Mäkinen saw the potential straight away:

"Putaan Pulla has a long history, with the third generation already baking and around 1,700 retailers. Even so, we found a new place in marketing for a heritage brand like this. That's genuinely exciting."
Elias Mäkinen, Höyrymedia

The challenge

Putaan Pulla's challenge wasn't courage. It was time and perspective. In a small family bakery everyone does everything, and when you've grown up with your own work, it can be hard to see what's actually interesting about it. The bakery needed a partner to take on the production and bring an outside eye to the stories. Inka Koivusalo explains how the responsibilities are clearly divided:

"We do pretty much the whole lot: ideation, scripting, filming, editing, publishing and replying to comments. All that's left for the client is appearing on camera and reviewing the material."
Inka Koivusalo, Höyrymedia

Working together

Shoot days are the highlight of the month, not a stressful obligation:

"Shoot days are really fun. It's relaxed, there's lots of banter, and we can even pull a prank or two on the people behind the camera."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

The time commitment stays minimal:

"This partnership doesn't take up a huge amount of my working time. I'd say one day a month is probably enough."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

Results & lessons

The numbers speak for themselves:

"In the first year we had something like 17 million views in total, which is pretty impressive. The market is tough, but we've still had ten per cent sales growth this year. We definitely see social media as the biggest driver of that growth."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

Visibility has turned into real-world recognition everywhere:

"No matter where I go, our videos usually come up. In a shop, someone might tug at my sleeve and say, 'no way, you're the one from Putaan Pulla's videos'."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

Retailers and partners have noticed the change:

"Our sales rep visits shops regularly, and we hear that shopkeepers and the staff in charge of the bread aisle watch our videos and really look forward to the next one."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

The impact has reached recruitment and even investment decisions:

"We've had a record number of applicants for summer jobs, and people have told us, 'you look like you have so much fun on social media that I want to work for you'. We're also expanding, and I have a feeling social media has sped up the need for it. We had to start expanding a bit earlier than planned."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

The most important lesson came down to something simple:

"We just stay true to ourselves and show who we really are. There's no need to put on an act. That's been our trump card."
Iita Tyykiluoto, Putaan Pulla

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