Hormel Chili

Situation

The canned chili category was in decline. A lack of investment by the brands in the category and general disinterest by consumers left the canned chili category’s sales to slows dwindle. As the largest brand in the category, Hormel Chili had a lot to gain if the category would start growing again.

Challenge

Reinvigorate the canned category with a new message that connects with new consumers and reach them with a category leading budget.

Insights

• Canned chili in a bowl is not appealing. Many people may eat it that way, but it’s not a meal they look forward to eating. They wish they were eating homemade chili instead
• Consumers love chili dogs. They use canned chili to make them, and think putting homemade chili on a hot dog is a waste of time.
• Consumers love Hormel Chili, think of themselves as loyal users, and use our chili for every chili dog they make. But, many consumers haven’t made a chili dog in years.

Chili dogs are an exciting family meal that consumers look forward to eating, but they forget to make them, sometimes for year.

Role

I led the agency and client teams through an extensive consumer research project led by primary research including qualitative in-home ethnographies. This qual data was combined with quant surveys and syndicated data to understand the opportunity size of expanding each use occasion. I led client workshops to create a brand identity, created the creative briefs and collaborated with the creative team during the campaign development.

Action

We synthesized the insights that Hormel Chili sparks excitement in consumers when they know they are having chili dogs for dinner to create the brand defining idea of “Pour on the excitement.” This positioning also aligned us to compete in the week-night family meals category as an exciting options that kids like too. By competing in this broader category, we had permission to compete for dinner, not just the chili occasion.

Our campaign is focused on reminding consumers of their excitement for chili dogs. We’re selling the excitement, not the chili. Campaign assets include TikTok, TV, digital video, audio, social, print, and consumer promotion.

Result

The TikTok campaign drove impressions of over 1 Billion, and the TV spots were played in Super Bowl spot markets. Prior to Covid, brand sales were up double digits in active media markets, substantially above goal.