Welcome to The Week in Consumer Packaged Goods, a weekly round-up for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the CPG space.
Peet’s Coffee takes aim at complicated coffee orders in new ‘Coffee for Coffee People’ campaign
As the rest of the world goes crazy for overly complicated coffee drinks and flavors, Peet’s Coffee is keeping it simple, with a new integrated campaign focused on “Coffee for Coffee People,” according to a company statement. Touted as a 360-degree campaign, it includes six videos, paid social, digital elements and out-of-home placements that provide a humorous take on the increasing complexity of coffee orders while leaning into what Peet’s does best — make good, high-quality coffee. As Peet’s VP of Brand Marketing Jessica Buttimer notes, the campaign, which launched on Monday, doesn’t cast coffee into the background or overshadow it with other ingredients. Instead, it’s meant to “celebrate it for what it is, this amazingly versatile and delicious beverage.”
Related coverage:
Walmart introduces compostable cutlery in partnership with startup beyondGREEN
This week Walmart released its first-ever line of 100% commercially compostable cutlery under its Great Value brand, the company announced. The product was made possible through a partnership with renewable biotech company beyondGREEN. Founded by Indian immigrant Veejay Patel and his sons, beyondGREEN connected with Walmart through its Open Call event, through which small- to medium-size businesses can pitch products made in the U.S. in hopes of becoming a supplier to the retail giant.
Walmart’s new Great Value compostable cutlery is now available in 1,400 stores at a lower price point than plastic cutlery. “This innovation offers an alternative to single-use plastics, popular during celebrations,” the company noted in its launch announcement, “helping make the more sustainable choice an affordable one for our customers.”
Currently, an estimated 40 billion pieces of plastic cutlery are discarded every year, according to data from Habits of Waste.
Related coverage:
- “Walmart launches private brand compostable cutlery” (Supermarket News)
Frito-Lay teams up with rapper Megan Thee Stallion for Flamin’ Hot University campaign
Grammy-award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion has partnered with Frito-Lay to create a campaign around the fictitious Flamin’ Hot University — a play on the popular Cheetos and Doritos brands’ flavor — to align with homecoming season, per a company statement. Featuring a humorous online video and online courses on food, fashion and lifestyle, the campaign offers a fun, fiery twist on the college experience, encouraging those who “embrace the spicy, rebellious spirit of the brand” to “attend” the fake university.
Through a limited-edition Flamin’ Hot University-branded merchandise collection, created by streetwear designer Melod Ehsani, Frito-Lay is raising funds for the establishment of a scholarship at Texas Southern University — Megan Thee Stallion’s alma mater — recognizing the significant burden student loans place on college graduates “especially at HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities],” Frito-Lay Senior Vice President of Marketing Tina Mahal noted in the campaign announcement.
Related coverage:
- “Flamin’ Hot and Megan Thee Stallion create fake university to raise real HBCU scholarship dollars” (Ad Age)
Green Giant launches campaign with viral star the ‘Corn Kid’ to promote new veggie-based snacks
In its first national campaign since 2016, Green Giant is breathing new life into its century-old brand through a partnership with 8-year-old influencer Tariq, better known as the “Corn Kid” for his viral appearance on Recess Therapy, where he espoused his love of corn. Through a new brand campaign titled “That’s Giant,” Green Giant is promoting its new Dino Veggie Tots by playing up its long-time presence in the plant-based foods category, long before the recent craze. “The campaign is designed to change the way consumers perceive vegetables,” Aaron Baar of Brand Innovators notes, “with the end result of driving trial and usage.”
The national ad campaign includes appearances across connected TV, retail, social, digital display and online video.
Related coverage:
Further reading
- “Crocs and Levi’s Will Release Sashiko Denim Clogs This Week” (Footwear News)
- “Playboy enters vodka market with cans featuring Andy Warhol’s bunny art” (Ad Age)
- “Bacardi Brings Back Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween Bottle” (Beverage Dynamics)
- “Diesel partners with Dress X for debut digital apparel” (Apparel Resources)
- “Brewer AB InBev signals new focus on Michelob Ultra amid light beer rivalry” (Reuters)
- “NYX Professional Makeup Launches ‘Mon-Star Bash’ Halloween Campaign” (Happi)
- “Adidas Originals revisits Trefoil’s history with new global brand platform” (Marketing-Interactive)
- “Consumers back diet colas from Coke, PepsiCo despite asparteme’s possible ties to cancer” (Food Dive)
- “Coors Light slated to return to Super Bowl for second straight year” (Sports Business Journal)
- “HanesBrands Considers Sale of Athletic Apparel Maker Champion” (The Business of Fashion)
