Background

For Pakistanis, traditions mean everything, any diversion from the way tradition is adopted is seen as an attack on their identity. And we observe, several customs are passed down generations which don’t consider their validity a changing cultural climate. Where the culinary category is concerned, kitchen has been seen as the territory of women. And they are expected to excel at it as well. Thus, cooking skills are incorporated in their upbringing, their performance being constantly judged with no margin for error. The quality of which is used as a yardstick to measure her worth in a household. Thus, whenever there is a family gathering, we see the women being concerned with how the food turned and they are also the ones who are serving instead of having their meal with the rest of the family. The problem has been exacerbated by food brands that have portrayed women in the same light over the years and have perpetuated the mindset of cooking being the responsibility of the women. National Foods seeks to deviate from this path in order to modernize their Brand Image and establish resonance with the younger audience to ensure continuous growth in sales of recipe mixes.

Describe the cultural/social/political climate in your region and the significance of your campaign within this context

It was important that the mindset be changed to incorporate the differences in values of the generation. Previously, men and women had set duties, for example men were the breadwinners but these roles are slowly starting to evolve to be gender fluid. With the advent of nuclear families, women have stepped up in every field. Their role has now evolved from a housewife to that of a decision maker. And now progressive generations continue to shatter the preconceived notions surrounding gender. Even though gender roles for women have evolved, cooking is still considered the responsibility of women. It only makes sense that men accommodate their partners to the best of their ability. Cooking hence provides an excellent opportunity for a range of relations to bond over and for men specially to share the load with women. Roles are no longer constrained by gender hence it should be normal for a man to go in the kitchen and consider it as his equal responsibility to be a part of it. With these changes, tradition has not been abandoned but has now evolved according to the changing social climate.

Describe the creative idea

We saw an emerging opposition to archaic traditions of women spending hours in the kitchen perfecting their food, be responsible for serving everyone else to comply with the patriarchal code and eat after the family has eaten. “Naye Soch Kay Naye Zaiqay (The New Taste of New Ideas)” was formulated to capture this changing sentiment in the society. Cooking is seen as a chore rather than an activity, not only does cooking together makes it joyous but provides an opportunity for relationships to bond and thrive. The slice of lifestyle communication shows various relationships, for example a mother teaching her son, a household where both spouses are employed, and a group of friends dining together. We also show the strength & positivity in relationships when you consider the opposite gender, your equal. In each situation, we featured a different dish being prepared showcasing how National offers foods for every mood.

Describe the strategy

The brand faced multiple challenges when approaching this campaign. In addition to heavy fluctuations in sales due to seasons, National Foods also faced intense competition from Shan Foods which, owing to its communication, is seen as the well-educated and progressive brand as opposed to National Foods which is seen as an introverted brand for the middle aged. Since, 63% of Pakistan’s population is under 30 years of age, there was a need to target the young progressive audience. Multiple focus groups were conducted to deep dive into the minds of these individuals to derive the insight which was that these forward-thinking Pakistanis were heavily against archaic traditions that were dictated by the patriarchy in our society. With evolving gender roles, it is high time that household responsibilities be shared equally to create an atmosphere of intimacy, trust and non-discrimination. Big Idea: Inspiring new traditions.

Describe the execution

The main asset of the campaign was a 70 second TV commercial. The whole narrative showed different households where men actively participated in the kitchen; a mother is seen teaching her teenage son how to cook, a young couple cooking together, a grandfather and granddaughter having fun in the kitchen. The visual narrative was supported with a melodious jingle which caught attention and was leveraged on Radio as well. The same was exploited on Digital and it gained traction organically. The TVC was supported by 10 second frequency builders which further reiterated how it’s important the men of the family should also take part and participate in the kitchen. Creative OOH executions were deployed across nation, highlighting on the bond of relationships. Point of Sale experience was also optimized with creative displays across multiple sales channel to enhance visibility and engage the consumers.

Describe the results/impact

Growth in Primary Sales: Month Growth Over Last Year September 18% October 61% November 46% December 19% With negative Growth over Last Year throughout H1 of 2018, the campaign fueled sustainable growth in usership during and post the campaign period. To gauge traction with younger audiences, a YouTube Brand lift study was conducted which indicated: 14.6% overall Brand Lift in Favorability (Best in Class) 18-24-Year-Old: 9.4% Brand Lift (Best in Class) 25-34-Year-Old: 23.7% Brand Lift (Best in Class) YouTube 4.5 Million+ views with 10,455 interactions A record breaking 1.5 Million views in 24 hours on YouTube Facebook 1.9 Million+ views with 2 Million interactions 13.2 Million+ total impressions 16% engagement rate with 8% being industry standard Sentiment 99% positive sentiment on Twitter 82% positive sentiment on Facebook