Who: Maple Leaf Foods, with No Fixed Address for strategy, creative and media.
What: “Have Your Meat and Eat it Too,” a campaign for Maple Leaf’s sustainable brand, Greenfield Natural Meat Co., that touts its bacon’s carbon neutrality.
When & Where: The U.S.-only campaign is live now, running through mid-October. Media includes online video, social and digital ads, public relations and influencer.
Why: The impact of meat has become a familiar topic in discussions about the environment in recent years, but Greenfield says it has cut its carbon footprint to zero by reducing emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions with high-quality environmental projects throughout North America.
This campaign is intended to resonate with those consumers who care about the environment, but also love meat: AKA “conscious carnivores.”
“We know our audience is constantly inundated with sustainability messaging from brands that don’t always back it up,” said Kate Beresford, vice-president marketing, sustainable meats, Maple Leaf Foods, in a release. (Maple Leaf has also been marketing the fact is a carbon-neutral food company in recent months.)
“Greenfield is purpose driven with an ambitious sustainability vision,” said Beresford. ‘Through this campaign, we aim to educate our consumer on what the Greenfield brand is all about and to incentivize them to try our products for themselves.”
How: The campaign includes an ad starring actor Eric Wareheim, recognizable as half of the comedy duo Tim and Eric, but also a foodie and author of his own cookbook. The spot opens with Wareheim sitting atop a stunning mountain vista. He describes himself as a “responsible meat man” who loves bacon, and was therefore glad to hear Greenfield bacon is good for the nature he also loves. “That is responsible bacon,” he says.
Bacon rebates: Aside from the advertising, NFA also came up with a “bacon rebate” inspired by the growing trend that sees people receiving rebates for making better-for-the-environment purchases, such as energy efficient appliances and electric cars.
Anyone buying Greenfield Natural Meat Co. bacon simply has to text a photo of the receipt to a special number with the keyword BACON to have $2 sent directly into their bank account via Venmo.
And we quote: “The whole idea that you can eat meat and love the planet with Greenfield Natural Meat Co. is a win for conscious meat eaters, so the work needed to feel celebratory… We wanted consumers to receive this good news with levity and a laugh; something that felt different and unexpected, compared to most messaging around climate change.”—Alexis Bronstorph, co-CCO, NFA.
