Better Nature launched the Believe in Tempeh campaign led by its new mascot, Fred the Fox, featuring a paw paired with a piece of tempeh across two high-impact London billboards. The creative playfully nudges Britain to “give chicken the night off,” leaning on research that found 54% of Brits are bored of chicken and 35% are open to new protein options.
The stunt directly riffs on a competing chicken campaign and uses Fred’s first public appearance to bring challenger positioning to life. Better Nature positions its tempeh as flavour-hungry and refined over years of formulation, and the brand highlights nutritional benefits such as similar protein levels, added fibre and fermented, gut-friendly qualities. A calculation in the campaign estimates a weekly gain of 457 tonnes of fibre if the UK swapped chicken for tempeh one night a week.
The message is practical: try tempeh as a straightforward one-night swap to add fibre and variety without giving up chicken entirely. The campaign anchors Better Nature’s biggest marketing push to date and aims to make tempeh an easy, tasty alternative in routine cooking.
Image Credit: Better Nature
What's Driving This Trend
- Mascot-led Protein Marketing
- Character-driven campaigns are giving challenger food brands a memorable way to humanize unfamiliar ingredients and compete against established meat categories.
- Flexible Plant-based Swaps
- One-night substitution messaging reframes plant-based eating as an approachable routine upgrade rather than an all-or-nothing dietary identity.
- Gut-health Protein Positioning
- Fermented, fibre-rich proteins are creating new differentiation space as consumers look beyond protein quantity toward broader nutritional benefits.
Who This Affects Most
- Plant-based Foods
- The category is expanding through practical, taste-led formats that make alternative proteins easier to integrate into everyday meals.
- Food Advertising
- Bold outdoor media and competitive riffing are helping emerging food brands earn attention in crowded protein markets.
- Functional Nutrition
- Demand for gut-friendly and fibre-enhanced products is opening opportunities for protein brands to connect convenience with wellness-oriented claims.
