Two social cause campaigns begun last year by big food producers have been renewed for 2009, and the companies say doing good for others is also doing well for their brands.
Campbell Soup launched a new phase of its “Help Grow Your Soup” promotion in March. Visitors to HelpGrowYourSoup.com can click to donate tomato seeds to the Future Farmers of America. Store shoppers can also pick up specially marked cans of Campbell’s condensed soups and enter online codes to get their own seeds.
It’s the first time Campbell has shared the specially cultivated tomato seeds that produce many of its condensed soups. And they say the campaign is a way to promote the value of farming while also spreading its quality message.
“We’re bringing people closer to the good ingredients that go into our products,” says Campbell spokesman John Faulkner.
In addition, Campbell is working with FFA and the non-profit Urban Farming to plant or refresh 10 community gardens in cities. Once the growing season begins, the microsite will contain photos and footage from those projects.
The microsite, designed by G2 Interactive, provides how-to tips and tools that can reinforce engagement with the planting projects.
Haagen-Dazs is also redoubling efforts to help its producers — in this case, the honeybees whose pollination contributes to 40% of its super-premium ice cream flavors. The bees are dying off from what scientists term “Colony Collapse Disorder,” and the brand and its agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners thought Haagen-Dazs’ foodie fans would respond to the appeal.
“This was something that was critical to our business, but also something we knew our target consumers would care about once they knew more,” says brand manager Ching-Yee Hu.
They did, making a beeline for the interactive educational site HelpTheHoneyBees.com and viewing a hip-hop “Bee-Boy Dance Crew” video.
The integrated campaign attracted so much attention that Haagen-Dazs plans to take it further this year with a special flavor, Vanilla Honey Bee. Additionally, all “bee-built” flavors that depend on pollination will carry an “HD Loves HB” logo and a message under the lid.
Last summer, Haagen-Dazs ran print ads using special seed-implanted paper. This year’s campaign carries a call to action too. The company is sponsoring a “Honey Bee Haven” at UC Davis to teach about bee-friendly horticulture. The Web site also carries information on how consumers can design flower gardens to promote bee replacement.
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