- Knorr’s Thanksgiving campaign celebrates the effort people put into their meals, more so than the end result, claiming #EffortisEverything.
- Through a social media and digital OOH campaign, the brand will showcase the epic food fails of three individuals, who missed the mark on a big occasion.
- The food fails will also be featured on packaging of the brand’s “Kitchen Confidence Kit,” which will be offered to consumers via an Instagram contest. The Kits will include kitchen tools, cooking tips, recipes and the food fail highlights.
According to the brand, 87% of Zillennials aren’t afraid to admit that they’ve had more than one cooking fail during a special occasion and 73% said they feel better after seeing other peoples’ blunders. Thus, the #EffortIsEverything campaign is showing that not every dish or occasion will be a home run.
The campaign will include the food failures of three individuals: Matt Welsh, who ended up burning a Thanksgiving turkey when he tried to cook it on a grill; Anita Binder, who burnt a green bean casserole as she was trying to show off for her in-laws; and Roger Smith, who forgot to add egg to his cornbread recipe leading to something more akin to a cracker (and a lacking cornbread stuffing).
Starting on November 15, consumers can head to Know’s Instagram page and show off their own cooking fails and enter for a chance to win a “Kitchen Confidence Kit,” which will include utensils, cooking tips and Knorr recipes.
Brand Innovators caught up with Gina Kiroff, chief marketing officer, Knorr North America, to discuss the campaign.
Brand Innovators: Why take this approach for this campaign? How does it build on or differ from previous campaigns?
Gina Kiroff: Our vision is to make Knorr the most craveable brand by showing up in pop culture in authentic ways, reminding consumers how Knorr can help them have delicious, easy and accessible cooking experiences during the holidays.
The holidays are peak cooking season – with nonstop events from Thanksgiving to New Years. Some people cook to impress their in-laws, try to recreate a family recipe, or are cooking for the first time… ever! However, food fails happen and Knorr wants to take some of the pressure off novices and everyday cooks this holiday season and remind them that #EffortIsEverything and matters just as much as the outcome.
This campaign differs from our previous campaigns as we’re primarily using social as our playground because that’s where the #CookingFails conversation is organically taking place. There’s over 400M posts on TikTok where cooking fails are celebrated, so Knorr wanted to jump into that conversation and celebrate those fails with consumers and help instill kitchen confidence with our easy-to-prepare, nearly fail-proof meals.
We also found that younger generations are increasingly turning to social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc. as their go-to search engines for recipes, cooking inspiration and beyond. In a survey that we conducted, 72% Zillennials noted that they embrace cooking fails and love to watch blunders that make them feel better about their own.
BI: What is the response you are hoping for with this campaign? How does the campaign tie the cooking fails to the brand, and how is the brand a solution to those fails?
GK: We know that cooking fails are inevitable, and this holiday season Knorr wants to instill kitchen confidence among everyday chefs so they are encouraged to get back in the kitchen, even after a cooking mishap, and keep cooking with the help of Knorr.
With all the cooking fails featured, we tie them back to one of our products and a corresponding recipe. For example, we feature a burnt turkey on our social and digital out-of-home ads. When you scan the QR code or head to our website, people can access our recommended turkey recipe with easy instructions that anyone can make with our Chicken Bouillon.
When dinner doesn’t turn out as planned, Knorr recipes offer quick, easy and flavorful solutions to help people get dinner on the table, with little sign of the kitchen struggles. By sharing authentic and transparent holiday cooking experiences we hope to spark fun and dynamic conversations about celebrating cooking fails, and we want our audience to see us as a brand that can help them build confidence in the kitchen. Our social media pages are already buzzing with comments from everyday cooks sharing their tips, tricks, and mishaps.
BI: Where will the campaign be running?
GK: The campaign will be featured in a takeover on Knorr owned channels, including social and web, and with creators on TikTok and Pinterest – because we know this is where people are looking for recipe inspiration or finding relatable content celebrating cooking fails.
People will be able to see the ads in New York City across digital out-of-home billboards, transit shelters and subway live boards. We’re showing up in New York City because It’s one of the top destinations during Thanksgiving according to Allianz, aligning with the timing of our campaign!
BI: How will the Kitchen Confidence Kit help consumers with their holiday cooking obligations?
GK: The ‘Kitchen Confidence Kit’ was created with the goal of championing home cooking and to help people make delicious, nutritious, and accessible meals during what can often feel like such a high-pressure time. To achieve this, we stocked the ‘Kitchen Confidence Kits’ with cooking tips and Knorr recipes to help give our fans the tools to help make holiday cooking feel a little less daunting. We also included kitchen gear like a phone holder for recipes and a ceramic baking dish to make sure people feel like they have the right tools to make a delicious and nutritious meal for the family.
Each ‘Kitchen Confidence Kit’ also spotlights fans’ holiday cooking mishaps on limited-edition packaging to remind people that cooking isn’t about the outcome of the meal but the effort that goes into it.
Plus, through November 28th, consumers who’d like some backup cooking plans have a chance to get their own Kitchen Confidence Kit in a giveaway on the brand’s Instagram.
Survey Source: The survey was conducted by independent research firm, Edelman Data & Intelligence, among n=1,000 Zillennials (aged 18-35) living in the US who cook for themselves/others on an at least weekly basis. The survey was 10 minutes in length and conducted online between October 25 to October 28, 2024, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
