Brief:

• Spice maker McCormick today will host a virtual Taco Tuesday with actress Drew Barrymore on Instagram Live. The #TacosTogether event seeks to bring people together during the pandemic while raising awareness about the plight of needy children, per a press release.
• McCormick and Barrymore are asking Instagram users to submit their ideas for their favorite tacos to the @mccormickspice and @drewbarrymore accounts on the photo-sharing app. The crowd-sourced responses will help Barrymore to prepare the tacos in real time.
• McCormick and Barrymore also are donating $1 million to No Kid Hungry, a nonprofit that provides meals to needy children. The #TacosTogether event will start livestreaming at 6:30 p.m. ET at the @drewbarrymore account on Instagram, per the announcement.

Insight:

McCormick has seen a surge in demand for spices among consumers who are making more home-cooked meals while they're stuck indoors during pandemic lockdowns. By hosting an Instagram Live event with Drew Barrymore, the spice maker can highlight its products as many households celebrate "Taco Tuesday" at home, and raise awareness for the plight of hungry children during the health crisis. Livestreamed video has become more popular in recent years, with average viewing times jumping 93% to an average of 26.4 minutes a session, per a study by analytics firm Conviva. McCormick can help to fulfill the growing demand for live programming with its #TacosTogether event with Barrymore.

The lockdowns also led to a surge in Instagram usage in March, though engagement rates with posts have steadily declined in the past couple of months as brands return to posting more frequently to connect with key audiences, per social media analytics firm RivalIQ. Hosting a livestreamed event can help McCormick to stand out among the estimated 37% of U.S. adults who use Instagram.

While McCormick seeks to bring people together through sharing their ideas for tacos, the campaign also has a more serious tone in highlighting needy children during the pandemic. The brand can highlight how it's giving back, a message that's likely to resonate among the more than half of consumers who want to hear how brands are helping out communities in response to the coronavirus pandemic, per a 4As survey.

McCormick is among the brands that have hosted virtual events to connect with homebound consumers and raise money for a good cause. Food delivery app DoorDash and Chili's Grill & Bar last week collaborated on a livestreamed virtual dinner party, with DoorDash donating money to nonprofit Feeding America. ​Cholula Hot Sauce this month hosted what it called the world's biggest virtual "Taco Tuesday" on Instagram Live, and donated money for each viewer who watched the livestream to the Independent Restaurant Coalition. PepsiCo's Tostitos brand this month hosted free livestreamed salsa dancing classes in a Cinco de Mayo campaign that urged people to donate to COVID-19 relief. Pepsi, Buffalo Wild Wings and Verizon also sponsored livestreams in recent weeks to raise money.