Dive Brief:

• Danone North America kicked off a new ad campaign for yogurt brand Activia this week, titled "A to Z," the company shared with Marketing Dive.
• The campaign focuses on the importance of gut health for physical and emotional stability and was designed to appeal to Gen Z and millennials. It stars a diverse group of women in four video ads and is voiced by 27-year-old female rapper Nayim Edwards. The spots tell viewers "it all starts in the gut" and features a catchy song based on the "Alphabet" of feelings and emotions from A to Z, connecting emotions to gut health.
• Activia is also relaunching its "Gut Health Challenge" initiative, which invites people to try Activia twice a day for two weeks to improve their gut health. The brand plans to reveal collaborations that help people explore the connection between wellness, mind, body and soul with gut health in the months ahead. Agency David São Paulo created the campaign with Activia.

Dive Insight:

Danone North America and David São Paulo developed this new ad campaign and brand image for Activia in response to a rising interest in gut health. This summer series of ads aims to connect the yogurt brand to the trend that's become popular with millennials seeking to improve their health and overall well-being.

Google searches for "gut health" rose 400% between 2015 and 2020, the company shared in the press release, suggesting that consumers are interested in learning more about how their digestive tract is connected to their overall health.

"Consumers know and love Activia as one of the original brands to bring probiotics to the mainstream," Sonika Patel, Danone North America's VP of marketing, said in a statement. "Our goal is to connect with a younger audience and illuminate how the gut is the starting place for so much about how we feel. Bright, fun and musical, our new direction calls attention to how much of your daily life is affected by your gut."

Last year saw a sharp increase in the types of food products marketed to consumers with the message that they intended to support digestive health, Marketing Dive sister publication Food Dive reported. Promoting digestive wellness gained ground as consumers looked to more holistic ways to improve their overall health.

Now, Activia's latest campaign looks to promote gut health and keep the brand top-of-mind for consumers with its catchy "A to Z" song. Additionally, the challenge to eat two Activia yogurts a day for two weeks is a move that could boost sales among interested consumers, and if they see benefits, Activia could convert casual customers into longer-term brand loyalists.

By featuring a diverse group of young women, and tapping a female rapper in Nayim Edwards, Activia can better market itself to younger consumers who demand diversity and representation in advertising.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated which agency worked on the campaign. It was David São Paulo.