The marketer of Welch’s Fruit Snacks has named Gut Miami its creative agency of record (AOR) in the U.S., according to news shared with Marketing Dive. Snacks and confectionery company PIM Brands first collaborated with Gut Miami on a campaign last year that starred Kristin Chenoweth. The marketing services shop will now be responsible for spearheading the larger creative development, communications, strategic planning and production of the fruit snack brand’s portfolio.
A deeper partnership stems from the success of the Chenoweth effort, which centered on a children’s storybook about how it’s okay for parents to occasionally sneak a bite of their kids’ fruit snacks. Physical copies of the bedtime tale were made available to consumers while Chenoweth acted as narrator for an e-book version and commercial.
The execution showed that Gut was a good collaborative fit for Welch’s Fruit Snacks and an agency that can “move at the speed of culture,” according to PIM Brands CMO Josh Shapiro. “Moving at the speed of culture” has become a common refrain among CMOs who are trying to prove they are agile and capable of staying on top of fast-emerging trends.
“They brought an idea to the table that pushed us into a new territory while remaining centric to our core target audience and objectives,” said Shapiro of Gut in a press statement. “We’re excited about how this partnership can bring a fresh era of creative inspiration for Welch’s Fruit Snacks, and help take the brand to new heights.”
Welch’s Fruit Snacks commands the highest level of loyalty, household penetration and repeat buyers in the fruit snacks category, per Circana data cited in the announcement. The brand has recently expanded its portfolio through the introduction of zero-sugar products, Welch’s Juicefuls and Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks.
Gut, which has drawn numerous accolades over its five years in business, was acquired by digital consultant Globant in December but continues to be independently run by its leadership team. Other recent account wins for the Miami office include WeightWatchers and Vital Farms.
