2021 Gold Best Sustainability Campaign

Agency: Ogilvy UK & Ogilvy Toronto

Client: Hellmann's

Campaign Name: Hellmann's Animal Crossing

Campaign Overview

Hellmann's wanted to spread goodwill and show its support to fight food waste. It set a target of donating 50,000 meals to people in need during Christmas 2020.

The campaign needed to build an emotional connection and drive support for the food waste initiative with a younger audience.

Strategy

During the pandemic, Nintendo game ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ catapulted to popularity in the UK. The game's primary players reflected the audience Hellmann's wanted to reach.

Importantly, Animal Crossing also has a food waste problem! Every week, players trade turnips to make money: unsold turnips spoil, becoming worthless.

Hellmann’s knows that all food - even virtual food - has a value.

Animal Crossing presented an opportunity to spread the food waste message to players young and old, especially at Christmas when many families need extra support via food banks, and charities require financial support to help those in need.

The brand set a stiff target of donating 50,000 meals to people during the festive period through charity partner FareShare.

The younger, online gaming audience was a key route to giving them an accessible way to contribute.

Creativity

A holiday-themed branded island was built where players could convert their virtual food waste in-game into real nutritious meals for people in need at Christmas.

For every spoiled turnip donated on the island, Hellmann's made a financial donation to distribute the equivalent of two meals by FareShare.

To educate the audience about food waste and help reduce it in their own lives, the initiative included a series of in-game ‘ugly Christmas jumpers’.

Results

The campaign achieved the 50,000-meal donation target, as well as raising the food waste issue, with 67% of people who had joined the Hellman's Island Tour agreeing that this experience made them think more about reducing their food waste at home.

The Team

Unilever - Christina Bauer-Plank, Global Brand Vide President - Rachel Chambers, UK Senior Marketing Manager - Jessica Digital Barry, Digital Marketing Operations Manager

Ogilvy - Stephane Orhan, Managing Director - Gareth Ellis, Planning Partner - Jazz Brell, Account Director - Alex Williamson, Creative Director - Tom Langdon, Senior Copywriter - James Baldwin, Influence Director - Kayleigh Broddle, Account Director - Samuel Baker, Senior Influence Executive

Ogilvy Toronto - Beth Blatch, Senior Account Director - Tanvi Swar, Senior Strategist - Kyron Sobers, Account Supervisor - Kemal Sehoglu, Senior Account Executive

Mindshare - Tess Domenet, Account Director - Philippa Ansell, Account Manager

Contributors

Mindshare and U-studio