- Lean Cuisine is launching its first promoting campaign in 4 years, in search of to chop through the clutter of better-for-you options in the freezer aisle, (*4*) Dive can exclusively share.
- “You Have Good Taste” focuses on positivity, positioning the Nestlé-owned brand as an encouraging voice in a category known for guilt-tripping messaging. The motivational angle is illustrated in recent ads where multi-hyphenate Regina Hall applauds consumers for picking Lean Cuisine when grocery shopping.
- Lean Cuisine worked with agency VML New York on the campaign, which begins appearing across TV, digital and social this month. The marketer goals to attach with a large swath of consumers, including Gen Zers.
Lean Cuisine is coming out of a quiet period with a campaign that emphasizes humor and motivation, offering encouragement to consumers whatever the decisions they make. The goal is to further differentiate the over 40-year-old brand from health-oriented competitors in the freezer aisle and avoid a judgemental tone.
“You Have Good Taste” represents a considerable increase in marketing investment for the Nestlé label in comparison with recent years, though it declined to share specific figures. Lean Cuisine, which usually markets to women, said it’s exploring several media channels to get the message out and attempting to connect with cohorts like Gen Z.
The marketer joins other legacy packaged foods brands in shaking up messaging strategy to raised appeal to young consumers who’re maturing into greater spending power. Gen Zers have also gained a popularity for their willingness to more openly discuss mental health and self-image issues.
In the brand new Lean Cuisine ads, shoppers picking up Lean Cuisine at the shop are shocked when the freezer begins talking to them in the voice of Regina Hall. The actor serves as a hype woman, praising their good taste and shutting on a message of “flavorful, not calorie-full.” Hall was chosen as spokesperson resulting from her humorousness and support of body positivity, along with her well-known film and tv roles.
“Eating right will be hard and reducing weight is a struggle and this campaign reframes that pondering,” said Rosie Bardales, chief creative officer at agency partner VML New York, in a press release. “Lean Cuisine is on unabashedly positive voice through [Regina’s], and we hope that our consumers will consider her words after they head down the freezer aisle to a Lean Cuisine.”
The light-hearted approach marks a tonal shift from past Lean Cuisine marketing. A #WeighThis campaign from the mid-2010s used emotional storytelling because the brand ditched phrases like “weight-reduction plan” in favor of a more general “wellbeing” positioning. In one tear-jerking video, a bunch of girls approach a scale and are asked in the event that they wish to weigh themselves. Sentimental piano music kicks in as they skip the dimensions and as a substitute describe personal accomplishments and cherished items, communicating that their weight doesn’t define them.
Nestlé in September unveiled a plan to begin selling more nutritious products and alter up a few of the marketing strategy behind its offerings in the space. The company previously estimated around 37% of its net sales come from health-oriented items when factoring out pet care and specialized nutrition goods.
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