# Alternative Butter Ads Lurpak's Crush Expectations Redefines Plant-Based as Edgy, Not Earthy By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2024-09-06 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crush-expectations References: [marketing-beat](https://www.marketing-beat.co.uk/2024/09/03/lurpak-plant-based-ad-new/) & [lurpak](https://www.lurpak.com/en/)  While plant-based alternatives are often relegated to the "granola" natural foods niche, Arla-owned butter brand [Lurpak](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lurpak-plant-based) 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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 34% | Activity: 56% | Freshness: 28% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/commercials) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Premium Plant-Based Spreads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lurpak-plant-based.md) - [Craving-First Plant-Based Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cravingfirst-plantbased-marketing.md) - [Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gosh-food.md) - [Exclusive Plant-Based Spreads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smoked-garlic-plant-btter.md) - [Plant-Based Billboard Takeovers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-based-billboard.md) - [AI-Powered QSR Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fastfood-ad.md) - [Chef-Starring Plant-Based Butter Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flora-skip-the-cow.md) - [Plant-Based Butter Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-butter-alternatives.md) - [Free-From Plant Butters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nextgeneration-plantbased-butter.md)