A&W is going au naturel. With people showing greater interest in where their food comes from, the Canadian burger chain will serve beef raised without steroids, hormones, additives or preservatives.
The “Better Beef “campaign – a move toward serving a more natural beef product – has been in the works for about a year, according to chief marketing officer at A&W Food Services of Canada, Susan Senecal. “There’s a growing consumer interest in where food comes from and where it’s raised,” she said. “We really thought our story started with the beef.”
The campaign was launched along with a QRI International-led research study that found 89% of burger eaters are “impressed and interested that A&W is serving beef raised without added hormones or steroids.”
Senecal added that consumer responses to the survey were “remarkably clear” when it came to A&W’s product ingredients, and that the brand’s move away from hormone-fed cattle was, in large part, a response to that demand. “Consumers understand that this is an evolving area. [Healthier food] is the next evolution in terms of what consumers are looking for.” Senecal said she knows customers want healthier options, and making sure they can find those at A&W was key in ensuring they don’t go elsewhere.
As of last Monday, each of A&W’s 790 Canadian locations will officially serve the new product, though Senecal noted it had been quietly incorporated into the kitchens of individual locations for about six to nine months.
To advertise, A&W will run a national TV spot for eight-to-10 weeks, with a supplementary digital component and an informational microsite where consumers can learn more about sustainable beef and the ranchers who provide it.
Rethink developed the creative, Vezium Media handled the media buy and PR is being managed by Hoggan.
