Sara Lee’s EarthGrains brand is conducting a campaign to promote its use of environmentally friendly Eco-Grain wheat provided by Horizon Milling in its whole wheat bread products.
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. EarthGrains is also collecting e-mail addresses on site to build its database.
The campaign creative promotes the concept that consumers who eat EarthGrains products are helping to save the Earth by using more sustainably farmed grains. The initiative’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, in an e-mail to DMNews. “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.”
On the EarthGrains.com Web site, an interactive tool allows consumers to view their impact on the environment with every loaf of bread they purchase, by connecting grain silos to bags of bread. The site also includes information about the amount of reduced fertilizer used and acres of farmland saved, as well as the bread’s product information. The site also encourages visitors to download a coupon.
The initiative’s target audience is health-conscious consumers “who believe that small steps can make a big difference,” Cosgrove added in the e-mail.
To induce consumers to visit its Facebook fan page, EarthGrains is setting aside $1 per follower, up to $15,000, for farmer outreach. The brand is also building a Twitter following.
The company will use these social media tools to distribute coupons to followers and fans, as well as to promote its environmental positioning.
“We’re using social media to engage with the many consumers who are looking for an easy and direct way to benefit the environment,” Cosgrove said.
Some of EarthGrains’ wheat bread products use 20% Eco-Grain, but the company plans to expand its use to EarthGrains Thin Buns this year and increase its use in other products.
Last September, Sara Lee also used social media, including online video and dedicated Twitter and Facebook pages, in its “Mama Saga” campaign promoting pre-sliced deli meats to moms.
