The mission
We were asked to breathe new life into Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn by creating a new product extension and a campaign that could help rejuvenate the brand with a younger generation and increase sales. But we wanted to take it a step further and stir-up the snack category in general, not just the popcorn category.
Class: Brand Experiences
Skills: Brand Strategy, Advertising
Year: 2019
Teammates: Jenna Anderson, Michelle Lee, Ginny Adamson, Upasti Bassapa
The strategy behind it all.
Through research on the brand, the history of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, and the man himself, we found that Orville worked tirelessly to make the best, fluffiest popcorn with the fewest leftover kernels per bag – meaning: more to share! We were inspired by a direct quote from the man himself: “The best stories we remember come from the smallest moments we share (with others)”. Using all of this, and looking at the evolution of snacking (from a time when we used to snack to share, to today where it’s more about self-care and treating ourselves), led to the strategy behind it all – Show snackers that Orville Redenbacher’s isn’t just popcorn. It’s the treat that creates shareable moments out of everyday occasions. We wanted to turn the mundane into the meaningful.
All of this together led to a brand overhaul that helped Orville Redenbacher’s compete with newer (“healthier”) brands like Skinny Pop and Boom Chika Pop. The art direction by Jenna Anderson ended up modernizing the brand while making it a little more playful and youthful (but still serious and professional enough) with a new, subdued color palette, fun typography, and a more modern logo that kept the iconic man behind the brand front and center, just in a more ‘playful’ style.
Because our brand strategy and campaign centered around sharing moments and making everyday moments with those around us special, we created a series of print and OOH ads that helped connect the dots and showcase the “shareability” of the classic snack, with the new brand identity front and center.
Along with sharable “you and me” and “Ice-Breaker” bags, we developed a set of spices, flavorings, and salts paired with mini bowls meant for party hosting, creating your own favors of popcorn, and sharing with friends or coworkers. These sets were perfect for sharable everyday moments like kids’ sleepovers, sports viewing parties, and traditional adult evening parties. Below is a mockup in Cinema 4D (thanks to Ginny Adamson and Jenna Andersion) of what this all might look like, complete with a special store point-of-purchase display.
