Nature Valley is asking Canadians to answer nature’s call.
In its latest campaign, the granola bar brand encourages consumers to rediscover the joy of nature.
“The brand has always had a connection to nature,” explains Emma Eriksson, marketing director, cereal for General Mills Canada, which owns Nature Valley. “Our packaging, our name and our ingredients are all very natural, and it’s a great bar to bring with you when you’re out and about.”
In two online videos (one in English and one in French), three generations chat about what they do for fun. Older generations reminisce about the outdoor adventures of their childhoods, like going blueberry picking and building forts. Younger generations, on the other hand, spend more time staring at screens than playing outside.
“You get the feeling that [the kids] are missing out,” says Eriksson. “We all need a wake up call every so often to realize that life moves very fast, and if we’re not careful some very precious moments can be lost forever.”
Nature Valley is working with bloggers to help spread the word about the video and has partnered with Colin Harris, founder and executive director of Take Me Outside — a non profit organization committed to educating Canadians on the importance of getting outside.
The Nature Valley website also has a feature where consumers can find nearby parks by entering their postal code.
Eriksson says a similar marketing effort that ran last year led to a double-digit increase in sales. With this campaign the company hopes to strengthen the brand by taking a stand for a cause rather than just talk about the product.
“People want to buy granola bars because they love the taste, nutritional value and functionality, but to know the brand stands for something important and that they connect with, that helps build the equity,” says Eriksson.
This article originally appeared at CanadianGrocer.com.
