The Hard Reality: Too much brand history makes for a stale food brand

Mention popcorn, and Butterkist springs to mind, a testament to its 100 year-long status as the market leader. Yet, there was a challenge: the microwaveable popcorn variant was losing its sparkle.

We set our sights on young families, a group who were - at the hands of the cost-of-living crisis - seeing the biggest decline in disposable incomes, and with it looking for new ways of bringing the family together at home. But one sizeable problem stood in our way, they were more likely to be tucking into crowd-pleasers like Doritos & Pringles - brands with annual budgets that also dwarf Butterkist’s.

Our goal? Find a way to overcome our budget disadvantage and reinvent Butterkist Microwaveable as the heart of family gatherings, aiming to boost sales.

The Human Insight: The making is as fun as the munching

The irony is, Microwaveable Butterkist popcorn can absolutely rival the likes of Pringles and Doritos in uniting people, and that begins the moment it spins in the microwave. This isn't just about taste; it's about the experience - the tantalizing aroma, the rhythmic popping sounds, and the delightful suspense of 'is it ready yet?' These are the moments we aimed to amplify, transforming them into a powerful sensory arsenal. Our goal was to let people experience this joy on a grand scale, creating impactful, shared experiences that turn ordinary moments into memorable ones. Butterkist isn't just popcorn; it's the catalyst for togetherness.

Our Brave Play: Bringing the product to life in the most literal way

With a limited budget, conventional advertising routes were out of reach. So, we identified a perfect moment to highlight Butterkist’s crowd-pleasing capabilities: crowded, chilly winter commutes as people were heading home to their families.

Our media strategy had to be as dynamic as our product. We collaborated with St Luke's, Butterkist’s creative agency, to transform Transvision screens nationwide into giant animated microwaves. These displays captivated commuters during peak travel times with 150-second ads - mirroring the time to prepare Butterkist popcorn. The ads were immersive, showcasing the popcorn bag's expansion and featuring playful settings like 'steamy dramas' and 'grilled celebs,' complete with realistic popcorn pops and pings.

Transformative Results: A risk that paid off

This was a risky approach for a brand that was previously reliant on TV and print. But it worked.

People were so captivated by our moment of mid-week fun that agreement with the statement ‘it’s a brand suitable to share with friends & family’ increased from 18% to 27%.

We also achieved our goal of boosting sales, with sales increasing over the campaign period, meaning more households spent a big night in with some warm, buttery Butterkist.

Through this simple but powerful insight combined with single minded creative execution, Butterkist not only rejuvenated its microwaveable popcorn line but also reinforced its place as a beloved family brand.