Branston, the UK’s best-selling pickle brand, is to launch a UK sampling tour this month, as part of a wider marketing initiative to aimed at reinforcing the pickle brand’s positioning as ‘the perfect partner for cheese’.

The activity will amplify the success of the brand’s ‘Please The Cheese’ campaign and bring Mr. Cheddar, the down to earth hero of the TV ad, to life. At each event, Mr. Cheddar will greet consumers with samples and tap into the nation’s love affair with cheese by encouraging them to pose and upload photos on Instagram using the #PleaseTheCheese hashtag.

The tour will take place at 11 events and 12 supermarkets and comprises of 39 live activities across the UK from now until the end of the year. Key dates include Lambeth Country Show in London (21-22 July), Bristol Balloon Fiesta (9-12 August) and Bournemouth Air Festival (30 August-2 September).

At the events, consumers will be able to try different products from the Branston pickle and chutney ranges, accompanied by Cathedral City cheese and Jacob’s crackers from the Branston sampling van. With up to 5,000 samples distributed per day, Branston’s sampling activity aims to reach more than two million consumers in total and recruit a new generation of pickle lovers by reminding them of the delicious taste combination of cheese and pickle.

Branston lunchboxes, key rings and goodie bags will be handed out and consumers will also be given recipe cards, Branston dip pots and money off coupons for Branston pickle.

Nisha George, senior brand manager at brand owner Mizkan, says: “We wanted to bring this association to life in an impactful way to reconnect with our loyal customers, engage a host of new ones and to invigorate the pickle category nationwide.”

The Branston brand is owned by Mizkan Euro, the European subsidiary of Mizkan, a privately-owned Japanese business started in 1804, which is the number one Sushi seasoning supplier in the world. Mizkan is a global business with over 210 years’ experience in producing high quality products. Mizkan Euro brands include Branston Pickle, Hayward’s Pickled Vegetables, Sarson’s Vinegar and Dufrais vinegar.

The post Branston launches #PleaseTheCheese festival sampling tour appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

Baxters Food Group has launched a new digitally-led campaign, #GetTopping, for its new Deli Toppers range of street food inspired pickles.

The campaign was developed by lead agency The Big Kick, and uses 20 foodie influencers (bloggers/vloggers) to drive advocacy of the new product online. The Big Kick came up with a content strategy and online creative hub that houses the campaign activity.

The “#GetTopping” campaign sees each influencer posting up to four recipes and ‘hacks’ and sharing via their social media channels and on the Baxters hub (delitoppers.com). The hub also offers the chance to win 1 of 100 Deli Toppers jars being given away daily, as well as encouraging consumers to post a picture with #GetTopping for a chance to win other prizes.

Christine Clarke, Head of Marketing for Baxters Food Group, comments: “Street food and casual dining is booming in the UK – Deli Toppers takes this trend and helps consumers recreate the flavours they love from their favourite dining experience, in their own home.  These bold and lively ingredients will add a modern kick to the fixture and, importantly, help to bring younger shoppers to the category.  It’s a store cupboard essential for people who love to get creative in the kitchen. Quite simply, they can’t be topped!”

Barbara Holgate, Managing Partner for The Big Kick, adds: “It’s an exciting time for brands using this space to reach their audience. Consumers are continually seeking out recommendations and advice from bloggers and vloggers who they actively follow online, so for brands to be talked about and recommended in this way offers an authenticity and legitimacy other channels can’t offer.”

Inspired by the street food revolution with its colourful flavour and taste combinations, Deli Toppers are a versatile range of toppings, created for foodies looking to add a flavoursome finish to dishes at home such as hot dogs, pulled pork, salads or wraps. There are four deliciously bold varieties to choose from – Red Slaw, Spicy Slaw, Red Onion and Jalapeños.

The post Baxter’s Deli Toppers #GetTopping appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

Haywards, Britain’s best-selling pickled vegetable brand, is set to launch a new campaign to target millennial males. The ‘Lad in Salad’ campaign is digitally led and will demonstrate that pickled vegetables are ideal for livening up a salad.

The campaign has been developed following extensive consumer research by Haywards Pickled Vegetables. The research revealed there is a huge opportunity to be linked to the 1.5 billion salad eating occasions in the UK each year. The research also found that millennial men over-index when it comes to using pickled vegetables and that 71% of people are now eating healthier than ever before – a perfect opportunity for Haywards to capitalise on.

The activity, the first of its kind for the brand, will include sampling, digital advertising, SEO and a social media campaign. As well as encouraging the use of Haywards products in salads, the campaign will build on last year’s re-brand, showcasing the versatility of its products and the Tang-o-meter, a visual on-pack guide to the tanginess of the product. Recipe suggestions have been strategically developed based on SEO data by looking at the most popular search terms around salads.

The campaign also includes a partnership with influential fitness vloggers, The Lean Machines. The Lean Machines’ fitness, food and lifestyle content has had over 15 million views, in which they highlight how staying in shape is easy, simple and fun. Their audience is 71% male, with 85% of the total audience also being under 35, making them the perfect partner for the Haywards campaign. In addition to this, 15 videos will be created for use across Haywards’ web and social media properties, as well as in digital advertising, to highlight how pickled vegetables can be used to liven up salads.

The ‘Lad in Salad’ sampling activity will roll out with sampling in Asda and city centre sampling in locations close to Sainsbury’s. The Haywards team will also be livening up lunch for all of the participants at the Yorkshire Tough Mudder (6/7^th August) and the South West Tough Mudder (20^th/21^st August).

Noa Hasegawa, Haywards Brand Manager at Mizkan Euro, said: “This campaign signals a bold new direction for the brand. Our research showed that there is a huge opportunity to link Haywards to the salad eating occasion. Our campaign aims to inspire a new generation of men to liven up their salads with Haywards pickled vegetables.”

The post Haywards puts ‘Lad’ into salad appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

Branston, the UK’s favourite pickle brand, will be sampling at the Battle Proms and Folk by the Oak this summer to raise awareness of its chutney range and its use in the traditional British picnic. The sampling series, using the Branston Pickle van, will run across the country in July and August.

The sampling activity consists of five Battle Proms concerts, the UK’s premier picnic concert series, and an appearance at Folk by the Oak, a one day festival at Hatfield House in London. The picnic-focussed events are the perfect pairing for a brand that is synonymous with sandwiches and the picnic occasion.

According to consumer research by Branston, 24% of the UK currently include Branston Pickle in their picnics. The summer sampling activity aims to also drive association for Branston Chutney with the meal occasion.

The brand will amplify the activity through targeted social media and by offering VIP tickets to the music events through social media competitions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sign up to receive digital coupons to get money off their next purchase of Branston, extending the longevity of the campaign.

The Branston Chutney range launched for Christmas in 2014 and is the fastest growing chutney in the category, with 84.7% growth year-on-year.

Jonathan Jones, Branston Assistant Brand Manager said: “We want to extend the chutney eating occasion from a Christmas cheeseboard into the summer months by demonstrating how well they work for picnics. The picnic concerts have a discerning picnicker attending and we can’t wait to show them how they can make their hampers special with Branston.”

Branston Pickle will be sampling across the country from 9^th July to 13^TH August at the following locations:

• Battle Proms, Burghley House, Lincolnshire: 9^th July;
• Battle Proms, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire: 16^th July;
• Battle Proms, Hatfield House, Hertfordshire: 23^rd July’
• Folk by the Oak, Hatfield House, Hertfordshire: 24^th July;
• Battle Proms, Highclere Castle, Berkshire: 6^th August;
• Battle Proms, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire: 13^th

The Branston brand is now owned by Mizkan Euro, the European subsidiary of Mizkan, a privately-owned, Japanese business started in 1804, which is the number one Sushi seasoning supplier in the world. Mizkan Euro owns Branston Pickle, Hayward’s Pickled Vegetables and Sarson’s Vinegar.

The post Branston summer sampling activity appeared first on IPM Bitesize.