Publicis Gets Walmart, Target, Match.com, Taco Bell, Neiman Marcus, Miller Lite…

Publicis Gets Walmart, Target, Match.com, Taco Bell, Neiman Marcus, Miller Lite….. and other brands targeting the U.S. consumer right now. Check our prior Sales Leads columns.

• Target

Kindfull, Target’s new owned brand dog and cat food, arrived in stores and on Target.com Aug. 15. More than a year in the making, Kindfull delivers high quality at an amazing, only-at-Target value (more than half of the 50+ items are under $10). The assortment of wet and dry food, treats and toppers includes delectable items like Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, Wild Caught Salmon Recipe Wet Cat Food, and Chicken, Pumpkin & Turmeric Recipe Toppers.  Kindfull also joins Boots & Barkley, Target’s owned brand apparel and accessory line for pets, plus seasonal owned brand pet gear and accessories from Sun Squad, Hyde & EEK! Boutique and Wondershop. According to Target In 2020, more families than ever before welcomed new pets. The majority of Target guests are pet parents, and they told us they were looking for high-quality pet food at a great value. So our in-house team got to work with pet food and nutrition experts, diving deep into guest insights to create a line of pet food with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and no wheat, corn or soy. What is in our products? Ingredients like real poultry, pasture-raised beef and fish that are wild-caught using sustainable practices that help protect ocean resources. And more than 40% of Kindfull items are in recyclable packaging, which supports  Target Forward’s ambition to innovate to eliminate waste. “Kindfull highlights Target’s continued commitment to providing our guests with an incredible cross-category portfolio of owned brand options to choose from alongside their favorite national brands,” says Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “With Kindfull, our newest owned brand offers guests pet food for their furry family members that showcases our commitment to quality, value and thoughtfully selected ingredients.”

• Walmart

Walmart announced the selection of Publicis Groupe to lead media planning and buying for Walmart U.S. The announcement comes after an extensive agency evaluation for a media agency of record to support future growth and brand-building initiatives. Walmart, one of America’s largest advertisers, continues to push forward to be a best-in-class marketing organization, acknowledging that agency partners play a pivotal role in that journey. As Walmart expands its capabilities to deepen connections in a diverse customer landscape, Publicis Groupe will play an integral role in connecting customers with the brand through its omnichannel media solutions. “First and foremost, we appreciate all of the exceptional companies that participated in the review. It was an incredibly competitive RFP, and we recognize the immense amount of work put into this process,” said William White, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Walmart. “We are thrilled to bring Publicis Groupe on board as our media agency. We are impressed with their people, their marketing thought leadership and their expertise in full-funnel planning, execution and measurement capabilities. We know they are going to help drive our business forward by reaching and engaging our customers in compelling and innovative ways.” Publicis Groupe’s areas of focus will include media strategy, planning, buying and partnerships. They will begin to transition immediately and work in concert with Walmart’s collective marketing agency roster including Deutsch LA and FCB. Walmart has also had a long-standing relationship with Publicis Groupe from a creative perspective. “We are thankful for Haworth’s five-year partnership with our brand,” White said. “They supported our business during a pivotal time of transformation, and we wish them continued success.” Consulting firm MediaLink oversaw the RFP process. Publicis Groupe’s appointment comes after Walmart U.S. Q1 comp sales grew 6% and 16% on a two-year stack. The company has been focused on its integrated omnichannel strategy to build a business model that will define the next generation of retail.

• Match.com

Match.com launched a new platform for daters of more than 30 years of age.  The new brand platform created by Mojo Supermarket identifies an overlooked segment of the dating population and offers an alternative outlet to meet emotionally mature people with interesting life stories who are ready for something real. The strategic idea comes in part from research conducted by the agency on Reddit’s ‘Dating Over 30 column’ where users emphasized that dating as an adult sucks. “With experience comes the knowledge and confidence that makes adult singles the most attractive daters out there – and it’s a segment of daters that has long been ignored,” said Ayesha Gilarde, CMO at Match. “We’re saying goodbye to the casual daters, the don’t know what they want-ers, and everything in between to celebrate singles who are confident, emotionally mature, and self-aware in their search for love.” The new 360 campaign will come to life across film, out of home, radio, social, digital and influencer, in addition to in-app product features, UX innovations and a full-scale CRM campaign. The work first launches in out of home boards in Brooklyn, NY which Match data reveals “over indexes” for the single adult dating marketplace. Adults Date Better follows a teaser campaign that was launched in early July celebrating the return to dating by encouraging singles to ‘lick every stranger they can,’ and that when they are ready to get serious about dating, Match will be there.

• Taco Bell

Full-service marketing shop, Cashmere, announced it was selected as Taco Bell Corp’s Culture Agency of Record, a new agency partnership for the brand that further expands capability of its current agency roster of leading strategic and creative resources. The appointment will see Cashmere handling the leading quick-service restaurant brand’s cultural brand strategy and integration throughout the Taco Bell organization. Taco Bell has history and programs across many parts of culture through sports, fashion, gaming, music and more and with the partnership with Cashmere, the global brand will look to participate in culture in new ways. Cashmere was our clear first choice to help evolve our brand as culture and social priorities continue to advance,” said Mark King, CEO of Taco Bell Corp. The evolution and shift in culture caused by new social and technology platforms, along with generations coming of age, particularly in the past year, has driven blue chip companies to engage partners fluent in social nuance. 

• Neiman Marcus

Neiman Marcus announced the launch of its Fall campaign Re-Introduce Yourself. With a history rich in magical stories and vibrant fashion, the preeminent luxury retailer writes its future filled with optimism, love, and the extraordinary. Simply put, Neiman Marcus is better than ever.
The campaign theme, Re-Introduce Yourself, encourages customers to embrace how they, the world and Neiman Marcus have changed and evolved over the past year. Imagined by the in-house creative team, the 360-degree marketing campaign comes to life across multi-media print and digital advertising, native content, social media, and in-store visuals and events. The retailer’s new and exclusive brands are at the forefront of storytelling that invites customers to re-introduce themselves to the art of fashion and reframe their place in the modern world with new rules, new perspectives, and new self-expressions.
“The upward business momentum we’ve experienced has been an optimistic sign of new possibilities and a new world,” said Lana Todorovich, President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Neiman Marcus. .Debuting in mid-August, Neiman Marcus’ Fall campaign video is a principal element of the campaign and one of the ways the retailer offers a re-introduction to itself and services. Neiman Marcus is also bringing back its seasonal editorial publication known as ‘The Book,‘ which features exclusive interviews with fashion luminaries Gabriela Hearst of Chloe and Virgil Abloh of Off-White and Louis Vuitton, amongst a breadth of new content. Launched August 9^th, 2021, as a homepage takeover with its own online hub for all things new at Neiman Marcus, Re-Introduce Yourself digital campaign stories will continue to go live throughout the season on Neiman Marcus’ Magazine (www.neimanmarcus.com/editorial) and via email and social media. The Book will be available in-home to customers starting August 30. “Like our customers, Neiman Marcus experienced a transformation of our own,” said Daz McColl, Chief Marketing Officer, Neiman Marcus. “Re-Introduce Yourself is an opportunity for us to convey how we’ve evolved and share our re-imagined fashion perspective and hopefulness for the future that lies ahead while inspiring our customers to stylishly and confidently follow suit.”

• Miller Lite

  

  Miller Lite and Jose Alvaro Osorio Balvin (a.k.a. J Balvin) are announcing “Es Jose Time,” a partnership and campaign featuring Jose’s take on Miller Time. The campaign peeks behind the curtain of J Balvin’s on-stage persona and shows what he is like when he’s simply being Jose: the man who values time with his family and close friends over everything else. To kick off the campaign, J Balvin and Miller Lite will surprise fans with vibrant, limited-edition cans with a collaborative design that feature his signature lightning bolt and neon aesthetic, as well as future merch drops and unexpected experiences with his gente, those who come as they are.
  “What I love about my partnership with Miller Lite is how we are showing my human side,” said Balvin. “At the end of the day, I’m Jose, a guy who loves spending time with his close friends, and ‘Es Jose Time’ shows just that. I’m proud to be working with a legendary beer like Miller Lite and I appreciate that they embrace me for who I am. Plus, I think it’s beautiful to see my name on the can.” Miller Lite and J Balvin gave a New York neighborhood a sneak peek of the “Es Jose Time” campaign last week. They took over a traditional bodega and immersed unsuspecting shoppers into J Balvin’s version of Miller Time. Attendees were able to have a beer with J Balvin and get a first look of the hyper-limited-edition cans that J Balvin and Miller Lite designed together.  “Whether he is J Balvin on stage or Jose with his friends, there is no one more authentic and true to themselves than Jose. It made perfect sense to partner with him to imagine his version of Miller Time,” said Sofia Colucci, Vice President, Miller Family of Brands. Over the next couple of months, J Balvin and Miller Lite will continue to emphasize the importance of spending quality time with your family and friends through TV spots, social content, and more ‘Es Jose Time’ surprises to come.

• Cinnamon Toast Crunch

General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch is celebrating some of its biggest fans – teens –by giving them exclusive access to free cereal and premium swag via a Cinnamon Toast Crunch package delivered right to their door. Beginning last week, teens (ages 13-18) can go to Cinnamogistics.com to enter for a chance to win a Cinnamon Toast Crunch package, packed with Cinnamon Toast Crunch and everything from socks to tees, bags and more featuring the beloved Cinnamojis (see image below!). When teens go to Cinnamogistics.com they’ll get to see the ridiculous paths the Cinnamojis will take in an attempt to deliver the Cinnamon Toast Crunch package to their home. Teens will have the opportunity to enter the sweepstakes once per day throughout the month of August to test their luck at securing a Cinnamon Toast Crunch package delivery. For those that are not able to get their hands on a Cinnamoji Crunch Box, Cinnamon Toast Crunch will be launching a 2 million box giveaway in September.Entrants need to be 18 or older to enter, so teens will need to nudge their parents to sign up.

At this exclusive virtual event on September 22, 2021 Brand Decision Makers and Marketing Service Suppliers will share and accelerate knowledge on key topics including multicultural marketing, e-commerce marketing and marketing technologies. To find out about virtual networking solutions at PortadaLive involving a myriad of brand decision makers, please contact Sales Coordinator Michelle Lopez at [email protected].