Campbell unveils new campaigns, ramps up media spend for 4 core snack brands

Dive Brief:

Campbell's snack division has launched four new ad campaigns for brands Cape Cod Chips, Kettle Brand Potato Chips, Snyder's of Hanover and Goldfish Epic Crunch, according to details shared with Marketing Dive. The efforts were created with agency VMLY&R.
Cape Cod's new campaign, "When your hand's in the bag, your head's in the Cape," is the first major marketing push for the brand in 40 years. Kettle Brand also introduced "No small flavors. No small potatoes" with two animated spots featuring characters on a journey exploring the ingredients in the chip's flavors.
Snyder's of Hanover rolled out three spots for a campaign called "Make Some Noise," including "Hiding," "Silent" and "Working. They promote the product's crunchiness. Goldfish is similarly debuting a new product, Goldfish Epic Crunch, with a spot titled "New Guy," which will run on kid-focused ad platforms. Goldfish will also be a sponsor at the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards.

Dive Insight:

Campbell aims to boost awareness for its snack portfolio and drive sales with a heavy investment in new creative and media spending. Most of the campaigns are centered on TV despite the CPG's broad focus on accelerating digital transformation. Campbell Snacks plans to overall increase its media spend by 25% for H2 2019, which ends in July, Ad Age reported.

Consumer packaged goods brands have struggled to connect with younger demographics, who have shown a preference for fresher foods. However, millennials are big on snacking, so the new creative could resonate with them. Campbell Snacks was the only Campbell division to report sales growth last quarter, in part thanks to the company's acquisition of new brands, according to Ad Age. Campbell purchased Snyder's-Lance in March 2018, which helped snacks drive 47% of the company's total sales.

Chip brands Cape Cod and Kettle Brand are additionally seeing their first major campaigns in years.Cape Cod is attempting to offer consumers a unique experience by connecting the snack to being transported to a different place. Kettle Brand's new campaign tells the story of the product's history and how it has remained true to its heritage. The brand also launched the Tater Tracker, which connects consumers to the farm that grew the potatoes used to make its chips.

Snyder's of Hanover's "Make Some Noise" spots highlight the crunchiness of its pretzel products and how they can be enjoyed in different settings. It is the brand's first major campaign since 2016 with "Pretzels, Baby." The new Goldfish Epic Crunch spots are part of the brand's "Heroes" campaign, which the company launched last May.