While plant-based alternatives are often relegated to the "granola" natural foods niche, Arla-owned butter brand Lurpak shattered stereotypes with 'Crush Expectations,' an ad inspired by heavy metal that redefines plant-based as edgy and desirable rather than just wholesome and earthy.
In Crush Expectations, garlic sizzles, and vegetables get sliced, then smashed and chopped with intensity. In a few short clips, the potential of the plant-based butter alternative is made known with everything from blended and baked goods to sautées and summer staples like buttery corn on the cob.
“While most marketing in the plant-based category leans towards a natural, calm approach, we treated promoting our product exactly how Lurpak would treat any piece of communication," said Lurpak brand manager Mia Lund Moeller.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Heavy-metal Influenced Marketing
- Lurpak's Crush Expectations campaign uses a rebellious heavy metal theme to break away from traditional plant-based advertising.
- Edgy Plant-based Branding
- The campaign repositions plant-based butter from being just healthy to being trendy and appealing through intense visual storytelling.
- Sensory-driven Food Ads
- Ads focusing on intense, visceral food preparation sequences like sizzling garlic and chopped vegetables create a more dynamic engagement for consumers.
Sectors Adopting This
- Food Advertising
- The disruption in this industry involves utilizing unconventional themes to reframe perceptions about plant-based products.
- Marketing and Branding
- Adopting edgy and unexpected marketing styles can revitalize and differentiate brands within the conservative plant-based sector.
- Plant-based Foods
- Innovative visual campaigns can attract new demographics to plant-based alternatives by highlighting versatility and appeal.
