Dive Brief:
- Campbell's has partnered with family experience company Camp on two limited-edition scented candles and a winter activity guide for families, according to an announcement.
- Along with Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese and Chicken Noodle Soup candles, the collaboration features a Winter Warmup Guide filled with activities like arts and crafts, recipes and games that parents can play with their children. After each candle is burned, it reveals a miniature "Snowbuddy" figurine.
- The collaboration allows Campbell's to engage with parents via merchandise and an experiential element that mirrors the offerings of Camp, a toy retailer known for stores that combine shopping and playing.
Dive Insight:
Campbell's collaboration with Camp employs several tactics that have remained popular with marketers over the last few years. The scented candles — which smell like the company's iconic chicken noodle soup and the popular pairing of tomato soup and grilled cheese — allow Campbell's to market its products using a sensory element. The figurine and can design are inspired by the brand's stackable snowman soup cans and its 2020 "Snowbuddy" campaign.
The effort could help keep the Campbell Soup brand in front of loyal customers at a when demand is strong but sales have weakened due to supply chain issues and labor shortages, per Campbell Soup Company's Q1 2022 earnings report.
The Winter Warmup Guide comes as parents look for ways to keep their children active and entertained, whether they're stuck inside due to cold weather or pandemic-related school closures that have swept the nation. Brands including Hasbro released similar activity guides and online resources early in the pandemic, when schools were first closed to the coronavirus, and the tactic might prove resilient as variant surges continue.
By teaming with Camp, Campbell's brings its brand to a toy retailer known for its shop-play hybrid. Camp operates stores in New York, New Jersey, Texas and Connecticut and is active on digital platforms that expand its brand beyond brick-and-mortar locations. The collaboration allows Campbell's to be closer to culture, a tactic that other CPG brands have utilized to engage with younger consumers. However, Campbell's focus on parents and their children is in line with traditional CPG marketing.
Similarly, Campbell's previously sought to balance its brand traditions with modern marketing tactics. Last year, the soup brand redesigned its iconic labels while embracing "comfort, goodness and Americana," an effort that was paired with an NFT collection and a series of specially marked cans that unlocked songs and additional content via QR codes.
