Brand Insight: How Goodfood Is Easing Customers’ ‘Stress-tember’
It would probably be a safe assumption to make that September is not the most popular month of the year. Not only does it mark a decline in the summery weather, but as the days grow noticeably shorter, many families have to juggle the stresses of their kids returning to school - be it packing lunches, driving them to and from their extracurriculars, or ensuring that dinner is on the table in a timely manner. All in all, it’s a hectic month, filled with unexpected challenges and new points of stress at every twist and turn. Some might even go so far as to call the month ‘Stress-tember’.
But for Goodfood, September shouldn’t be quite so trying. As such, they’re doing their part to ease the burden of meal planning, and ensure that getting food to the table is a low-stress activity. With the release of their ‘On-Demand’ program, which launched in Toronto and Montreal last year, consumers now have access to subscription-free deliveries of meat, produce and entire meal kits - dropped off in as fast as 30 minutes.
To symbolise this escape from stress, Goodfood partnered with john st. for their latest campaign - bringing back Bob Ross (with the permission of the Bob Ross estate) and parodying ‘The Joy of Painting’, except with food instead. Supported by digital video, social and OOH ads set to launch later this year, the zen-like spot reminds viewers that mealtime can be joyful, and most importantly, should be stress-free.
LBB> What were your main aims and ambitions with this project?
Lauren> The goal was to showcase that Goodfood delivers complete stress relief by solving what's for dinner, for all Canadians. Much like how Bob Ross brought calm and joy to his viewers via painting, Goodfood brings that same ease to mealtime via its meal kits and on-demand groceries.
LBB> Tell us more about Goodfood’s ‘On-Demand’ program. How long has it been running, and what made the end of summer 2022 the right time to launch a new campaign?
Lauren> ‘Goodfood On-Demand’ launched late last year in Toronto & Montreal. It was launched as an evolution to our already popular meal kit subscription to allow customers more flexibility. We found that over 80% of Canadians don't know what they’re going to have for dinner by 4pm, every day - which means a point of stress every day of the week. Our ‘On-Demand’ service is flexible, delivered in minutes, and the product assortment is like nothing else! We’ve got fresh meal kits and thousands of unique grocery items - everything from fresh local bread, meat and produce to interesting options like beef tartar, our original spice blends, local wines and beers, small batch ice creams and the best kettle-cooked chips you’ve ever tried. And these are all delivered in as fast as 30 minutes, subscription free.
LBB> This campaign informs consumers that Goodfood is offering meal kits on-demand ahead of ‘Stress-tember’. Tell me more about the concept of ‘Stress-tember’, and what kind of research led to that insight?
Lauren> With the return of back to school, September is widely regarded as being a stressful time of year for parents and kids alike. From social listening, we discovered that many people actually refer to the month as ‘Stress-tember’, as it signifies a return to routines. We also discovered that meal planning actually tops the list of stressors - as evidenced by our finding that most Canadians don’t know what they’re going to have for dinner, even by 4pm.
With this campaign, we wanted to showcase that there’s a stress-free solution to meal-time, with ‘Goodfood On-Demand’. By delivering meal kits, groceries, prepared meals and alcohol in minutes, and with no subscription required, our ‘On-Demand’ offering truly delivers complete stress relief by solving ‘what’s for dinner’, every day.
LBB> You mentioned this campaign will be supported by digital video, social and OOH ads - set to launch later this year. What’s coming next in the john st. and Goodfood collaboration?
Lauren> Given that the next few months are a really busy time for consumers, all we want is to continue creating memorable campaigns which put Goodfood at the top of people’s minds as an easy solution for saving time and reducing the stress of this hectic season.
LBB> What has the response to the brand campaign been like?
Lauren> The response has been overwhelming so far. We are very pleased that consumers find the campaign funny, and appreciate the parallel with Bob Ross. There are obviously still some people who don’t love it, but for the most part, the response has been very positive.
LBB> How does this campaign fit in with your marketing strategy for the summer, and in the long term?
Lauren> Food is a tough category to have a breakthrough into. We knew we needed something different. And Goodfood is all about solutions, time savings, and empowering our customers to find their inner chef. Bob did that in the world of painting - he empowered his audience and put the viewer at ease, while also appealing to all ages. As Bob would say, ‘Anyone can do it’.
