Food Advertising Aims to Prove Sex Sells, As Do Gaming and Rockstar Rodents

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In this quarter’s food advertising creative trends report, CPG brand Pringles turns a hamster into a musical star, Oatly launches a plant-based Philadelphia cream cheese, and Velveeta places a late-night “foodie” call. Meanwhile, QSR Jimmy John’s serves up cookies and MILFS, BK recruits gamers for Call of Duty, and McDonald’s raises eyebrows with some fun 80’s nostalgia.

Pringles – Synth Hamster

A keyboard-playing hamster is the star of a new campaign from Pringles promoting its new Multigrain chip line. The spot depicts three friends sharing the new chips and commenting on how “wonderfully different” they are, like their pet hamster who performs emotional electronic music on a tiny keyboard, backed by a trippy light show. Pringles has posted miniature gig posters on telephone poles and social media to publicize the campaign and plans to release a concert album soon.

Oatly – Plant-based Philadelphia Cream Cheese

The plant-based food product trend now extends to cream cheese, as Oatly launches its version of the spread in Philadelphia, which just so happens to be the name of the world’s leading brand. In a two-minute man-on-the-street style film, local Philadelphians from deli owners to a Ben Franklin impersonator (but no Rocky Balboa) all sample the goods on a toasted bagel and pronounce it just as good as the competition. Oatley’s cream cheese is actually created in the City of Brotherly Love too, in case any of you guys were doubting its bonafides.

Velveeta – Foodie Call

Velveeta answers folks’ late-night desires by turning late-night booty calls into “foodie calls.” For a limited time, melted cheese lovers in Manhattan can add Velveeta to their hook-ups by simply texting, “Vel, you up?” in a group chat with their partner between 9 pm and 2 am. Dishes, including Deep-Delish Pizza Shells or Cheese Me Totchos, will be delivered directly to their door for their ravenous rendezvous. The stunt is the latest in a line that includes their cheese-scented nail polish.

SOURCE: https://www.mashed.com/1106246/velveeta-encourages-cheesy-bedroom-antics-with-free-foodie-call-kits/

Jimmy John’s – MILF & Cookies

In another innuendo-laden campaign, Jimmy John’s has hired popular rapper and self-professed MILF-lover Yung Gravy to help introduce its new Red Velvet cookie. In a parody of dating shows like The Bachelor, Gravy finds himself the object of affection for several mature MILF contestants, otherwise known as “Mothers I’d Like to Feed.” In the final cookie ceremony, all of the women are given a chance to hop on the Gravy train and enjoy a sweet ending.

Burger King – Kiosk of Duty

In a unique immersive interactive campaign designed to capitalize on the release of Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Burger King has brought gaming to its self-service screens. By equipping its kiosks with controllers, patrons can nowtest out the game in-store. Players who complete a special mission are rewarded with a free burger and fries. And BK can honestly claim that customers are fighting over their food.

McDonald’s – Raise Your Arches

It’s rare when a brand can communicate a strong message without even saying a word. But that’s what McDonald’s has done in this perfectly choreographed spot featuring the song “Oh Yeah” by Yello, from the soundtrack to 80’s film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. A group of office workers make eye contact and raise their eyebrows to the beat of the music while conspiring to make a quick escape to McDonald’s. To support the effort, McDonald’s has also released Snapchat and Instagram lenses that will lift a user’s eyebrows, and at select restaurants, they are temporarily transforming their golden arches into eyebrows.