Everybody loves a new year’s resolution, it’s an ideal opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning, and a chance to become the best version of yourself.
In January, it’s estimated that a whopping 4.2 million Brits took up the challenge of cutting out booze, 350,000 people in the UK participated in Veganuary, and 12% of gym sign-ups occurred. So, it goes without saying that the UK certainly loves to ‘better’ themselves in the first month of the year.
If you’ve been focused on becoming a healthier, happier, fitter you, or if you’ve been nestled under a blanket hibernating during the bluest month of the year, then you might have missed what some of the biggest brands have been getting up to in January.
Don’t panic! Our Leeds PR agency has whizzed together some of the greatest campaigns that we think stole the show, all fixated on healthy living, dry January, and Veganuary. Are you surprised? We’re not after reading the staggering statistics we’ve listed above!
The Launch of W.K. Kellogg by Kids
Kellogg’s launched its first children’s cereal in over 20 years, W.K. Kellogg by Kids.
From a brand that’s famous for its Coco Pops and Rice Krispies, fruit and vegetables are not something you’d expect to find in a cereal from Kellogg’s. But for the first time, the brand launched a cereal containing vegetables for kids, created by kids.
Research behind the creation of ‘W.K. Kellogg by Kids’ reveals that 9 in 10 kids are now choosing to take charge of what they eat, and the evolving palate of Britain’s children revealed that blueberries, strawberries and carrots were top of children’s snack lists, while biscuits and cakes are now lagging behind in 12th and 15th place!
In light of this research, Kellogg’s opened a pop-up café to launch its new no added sugar, vegan children’s cereal, containing both fruit and veg. The cereal café was designed for and run by kids themselves; complete with a mix-your-own cereal dispenser, colouring-in tables and a full-sized doodle wall.
Celebrity mum Myleene Klass was invited to be one of the first to try a bowl of W.K. Kellogg by Kids at the café, who said:
“I think children are definitely having a re-education around their food – I remember just wanting burger and chips but the girls are more likely to go for the likes of apples, blueberries, avocado or even sushi! Mornings can be mad in our house so it’s amazing to know that breakfast is easy. A cereal with fruit, veg, no added sugar, plus the whole family think it tastes great – what more could you want?”
W.K Kellogg by Kids is the first children’s cereal to include fruit and vegetables and it comes in two flavours; Apple and Carrot and Blueberry, Apple and Beetroot.
There really wasn’t a better time for Kellogg’s to launch a new healthy, vegan cereal for kids than when the majority of the UK were partaking in a January health-kick.
Now, when can we try a bowl?!
James Bond Did Dry January. Pardon?
As with most well-meaning campaigns Dry January has become an opportunity for brands to dazzle consumers with new innovative products and campaigns.
This year, the world’s best-known spy was spotted in Heineken’s advert to promote its new non-alcoholic beer, Heineken 0.0%.
In the brands latest ad, during the height of Dry January, James Bond played by Daniel Craig, turns down a double Martini whilst sat at a bar. Instead he opts for Heineken’s new beer which contains 0 per cent alcohol.
As Craig is handed the Heineken 0.0% he declares, ‘I am working’, which plays into the Heineken tagline, ‘Now you can while working’. It’s an odd decision made by the MI6 spy who is renowned for heavy drinking.
007 fans were left shaken ‘n’ stirred after seeing the adverts, sparking plenty of online conversations. Was Heineken’s advert a sly teaser aimed at 007 fans to let them know what to expect in the new Bond film due to be released in April this year? Is this the new James Bond, dedicated to work and choosing not to drinking? Only time will tell, when the ‘No Time to Die’ film is released.
Either way, hats off to Heineken for raking in the video views.
Vegan Food
The vegan trend isn’t going away any time soon and it’s set to continue even when the bluest month of the year is well and truly over!
It comes as no surprise then that many fast food brands tapped into Veganuary by introducing new vegan versions of their meaty favourites to menus to boost their sales and to remain bang on trend.
We saw KFC introduce its original recipe Quorn burger, McDonalds add vegan dippers to its menu, Subway welcome its Meatless Meatball Marinara, and Pizza Hut introduced its “pepperphoni” pizza.
Although many of the above gained coverage, none grabbed the media’s attention quite like Greggs, which – after an extremely successful practice run in 2018/19 with its Vegan Sausage Roll – once again stole the show with the launch of its Vegan Steak Bake this January.
The vegan bake was launched at midnight on New Year’s Day, at an event at a store on Grainger Street, Newcastle which saw queues down the street and bouncers on the door.
Greggs struggled to meet the Veganuary demand for its new Vegan Steak Bake and it sold out of the vegan bake at many of the launch stores. Vegans and non-vegans alike took to social media to praise the bake, with many boasting how they had just bought the last one at their local store.
To manage demand Greggs even launched ‘Locate a bake’ on its website. Customers could enter their postcode to find the nearest store which had the product to avoid disappointment.
With January over, we’re eager to see what February has in store for the PR and digital world. Will we see even more vegan, non-alcoholic, and healthy products? There’s also Valentine’s Day and we’ll be keeping an eye on the best and worst campaigns, so be sure to check back next month!
