Campbell’s Chunky Retires NFL Stars in Favor of the "Everyman"

Campbell Soup is moving away from a decade-old campaign for its Chunky soup brand that featured NFL players. In its place is a new campaign touting a reformulated product intended to be better tasting and healthier. While one cannot argue with the success of the NFL-themed campaign and the impact on sales, the time was right to reposition the brand in conjunction with the product makeover.

The weaknesses of the NFL campaign was that it missed a key group in the decision making process for meals: women. The everyman campaign should overcome that weakness. Also, older male audiences (35+) were more difficult to reach with the NFL campaign. The focus on the everyman seems to fit the current economic and cultural climate. The NFL campaign was great, but like the greatest gridiron stars retirement is inevitable. Sure, there is risk involved, but there is also risk involved in allowing a brand to stagnate.

Marketing Daily – “Campbell Position Shifts to ‘Healthy Everyman'”

Author: Don Roy

Don Roy is a marketing educator, blogger, and author. His thirty-year career began with roles in retail management, B2B sales, and franchise management. For the past 27 years, Don has shared his passion for marketing as a marketing professor. Don's teaching and research interests include brands, sports marketing, and social media marketing. Don has authored over 20 articles in scholarly journals, co-authored two textbooks, and self-published three books on personal branding. Don is an avid hockey fan and enjoys running. He and his wife, Sara, have three sons. View all posts by Don Roy