Stuart Elliott presents moves made by Kraft to inject some emotion into its typical product story.
Kraft will devote a campaign that begins today to the glorification of the grilled cheese sandwich.
The television, online, print and retail campaign carries the upbeat theme “Have a happy sandwich.”
In campaigns from the longtime previous agency for Kraft Singles — the Chicago office of JWT, part of the WPP Group — the brand was peddled on “functional benefits,” Jane Hilk, vice president for marketing at the cheese and dairy business unit said.
“But we’d hit that point where consumers say: ‘I know that. What else?’ ” she said, adding: “The conversation needs to happen on an emotional level because that’s where the power of a brand comes in. We found ourselves in need of strategy change and creative change.”
Nitro is the new agency on Kraft’s block. Kathy Delaney, who recently joined Nitro as global executive creative director, said, “We’re not promising happiness; no brand can. What we’re promising is that for the three or four minutes you’re having a Kraft grilled cheese sandwich, you’re happy.”
Naturally, there will be a MySpace element to the campaign.
Sales for Kraft Singles, one of Kraft’s largest brands, totaled more than $600 million last year. Kraft spends about $40 million a year to advertise the brand.
