Sara Lee‘s EarthGrains brand launched a campaign on February 2 to promote that some of its whole wheat bread products are using Horizon Milling’s Eco-Grain wheat, an environmentally friendly grain.
The “Plot to save the Earth, one field at a time” effort, created by Ogilvy & Mather, incorporates social media and an interactive Web site, as well as digital advertising, in-store promotions and TV ads.
The creative promotes the concept that consumers who eat EarthGrains products are helping to save the Earth by using more sustainably farmed grains. The campaign’s tag line is “How your turkey sandwich can help preserve the Earth.”
“The strategy behind the campaign is to bring innovative farming practices that support sustainable land use to the bread aisle,” said Kate Cosgrove, brand manager for EarthGrains Brand, via e-mail. “We’re engaging our consumers through a fun campaign that is not too serious in tone, but at the same time we’re showing them how they can have a direct impact on the environment.”
The site includes an interactive tool that lets consumers see their direct impact on the environment with every loaf of bread they purchase, by connecting grain silos to bags of bread. The site includes information about the amount of reduced fertilizer and acres of farmland saved, as well as the bread’s product information. Visitors are also called to download a coupon.
EarthGrains is collecting e-mail addresses on its site to help build its e-mail database.
The initiative’s target audience is health-conscious consumers “who believe that small steps can make a big difference,” according to Cosgrove.
The social media effort features Facebook and Twitter. In a move to encourage fans to visit its Facebook fan page, EarthGrains is setting aside $1, up to $15,000, towards farmer outreach. The brand is also building a Twitter following. The company will use these social media tools to promote their environmental positioning, as well as to distribute coupons to followers and fans.
“We’re using social media to engage with the many consumers who are looking for an easy and direct way to benefit the environment,” she said.
Some of EarthGrains’ wheat bread products use 20% Eco-Grain, but the company plans to expand its use to EarthGrains Thin Buns later this year and increase its use in other products.
