Dive Brief:

• Dole Packaged Foods launched a multichannel campaign to raise awareness about food insecurity and the negative effects of improper nutrition on personal health, per an announcement. The "Malnutrition Labels" campaign includes outdoor projections in several cities that resemble the "nutrition facts" labels on packaged foods, except they show data about the consequences of bad eating habits and lack of exercise.
• The projections are visible on buildings in parts of New York, Los Angeles and Baltimore, as shown in an online video that accompanies the campaign. Each label addresses food insecurity, obesity and the importance of good nutrition to raise awareness about systemic food inequity, according to Dole.
• The campaign also includes paid digital, social media and content as part of Dole's broader "Sunshine for All" platform to address social issues and sustainability. Dole is working with creative agencies David Madrid and Miami on the campaign, with support from Spark Foundry, High Wide & Handsome, National Experiential and Peppercomm.

Dive Insight:

Dole's "Malnutrition Labels" campaign is a twist on the "nutrition facts" information that the federal government requires on packaged foods to inform consumers about calories, cholesterol, saturated fat and other contents. Dole is aiming for broad reach with the multichannel campaign, extending beyond the areas where its projected billboards are visible at night. The company seeks to raise awareness about nutrition and the estimated 54 million people in the U.S. who face food insecurity. The issue has become more prevalent as the negative economic effects of the pandemic led many people to seek assistance from food banks during lockdowns.

The out-of-home (OOH) part of the campaign may indicate that marketers are stepping up those efforts after pulling back from billboards and other signage as people spent more time at home. Spending on outdoor advertising excluding political campaigns fell 31% to $27 billion in the U.S. last year, WPP's GroupM estimated. However, the media agency forecast that outdoor spending will bounce back with an 18% increase to about $32 billion this year. The outlook is an optimistic indicator that people are expected to resume commuting when the pandemic subsides.

Dole is among the companies emphasizing social causes in their campaigns, with consumers tending to favor brands that show how they're helping their communities. Among the more recent examples, Ben & Jerry's in December honored Colin Kaepernick, the activist and former NFL quarterback, with a new ice cream flavor to celebrate his work to confront police violence. Campbell's Chunky, the official soup brand of the NFL, partnered with Target to sponsor a virtual esports tournament aimed at alleviating food insecurity among children.