#MessFreeChallenge
General Mills | Old El Paso
Issue 57 | December 2020
Agency
Thinkerbell
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Ben Couzens Creative André Pinheiro
Production Team
Production Company Brightworks Agency Executive Producer Di Nash Agency Producer Katie Ayling
Other Credits
Account Director Joshua Green Account Managers Jiaan Koch, Jess Graham Chief Strategy Officer Adam Ferrier PR Liz Hunt, Natalie Duncan Clients Arjoon Bose, Charlotte Stevens, Bronwyn Cheng
Date
September 2020
Background
General Mills wanted to launch their new product innovation, designed for mess-free Mexican mealtimes, Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets.
Idea
The brand kicked off a social media challenge featuring Australian, British, Spanish, Swiss, French and other global sports stars, stress-testing the product by holding and eating a filled Old El Paso Tortilla Pocket whilst playing their sport.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios launched the new product as part of his work for the NK Foundation, which supports underprivileged youth. Every share of Nick’s video was matched with a meal donation to Food Bank Australia.
To take the challenge overseas, Nick challenged Andy Murray on the eve of the French Open tennis tournament. It spread through key markets including the UK, France, Switzerland and Spain with popular Top 10 players like Gael Monfils, Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic and Grand Slam champion and former world #1 Garbine Muguruza all accepting the challenge.
The #MessFreeChallenge brought the tennis world together as a force for good, with 100,000 Mexican meal kits given to families in need throughout Australia, Europe, Asia, North America and LATAM.
Results
One billion PR impressions worldwide; 222 PR stories; 50 million influencer impressions, leading to sales 60% above forecast in EUR/AU. 70% of shoppers were new to the category. 100,000 Meals Donated to food banks around the world.
Our Thoughts
Several interesting things about this. First, it’s a great demo intended to sell product, as opposed to a mood piece about how difficult things are right now. Secondly, it doesn’t ignore the situation, and the donations to food banks will make everyone feel good about the campaign because, thirdly, it provides a few laughs. Maybe it’s an Australian thing, to want to bring humour to bear in dismal times because Thinkerbell are also responsible for the chuckle on page 45.
We like it!