The Brand Radar: From Sidemen ice cream to square-shaped Doritos… A look at promotions and innovations with brands in food

There has been a bumper crop of food related licensing deals and partnerships over recent months – confirming the growing appetite for these kinds of deals from FMCG brand teams.

The shape and form of the deals will vary, but what seems to be a constant is brand owners’ desire to grab attention, achieve cut through in a competitive market and show that their brand isn’t standing still.

Partnerships and collaborations are also a way to short circuit product development timeliness, and also allow brands to test the waters in regards to things like new flavours or formats.

FMCG brands partnering with feature films is not a new thing. Back in the 1990s when I worked at Copyright Promotions, a number of my colleagues specialised in this category of licensing – working on films like Godzilla, Judge Dredd and The Flintstones. All of these attracted an array of FMCG promotional partnerships and products, and some were more successful than others. Around the same time, several promotional agencies sprang up to help service this market, most often on behalf of the film studios who were seeking high profile partnerships to help promote their releases.

“It’s increasingly common to see influencers endorsing FMCG products – or indeed being involved in more in-depth product development.”

Looking at the market today , there are frequent examples of film companies partnering with FMCG brands to capitalise on film releases. For example, popped corn brand Popworks is running an on-pack promotion with the latest Bridget Jones film, Mad About The Boy. Brand owners like Popworks select films to partner with based on content, profile and consumer fit. They obviously see a good match for their brand and Bridget Jones.

It is also worth noting that a film that is a follow on, or part of a franchise, can be attractive in the sense that it is known and has an established profile. A brand-new film can be seen as a riskier undertaking.

Another example of a FMCG partnership being inspired by film is that of Bisto’s promotional partnership with animation studio Aardman. Bisto are currently running an on-pack promotion featuring the iconic character, Feathers McGraw. Feathers has featured in Wallace & Gromit films – including the recently launched Vengeance Most Fowl.

The on-pack promotion includes the chance for consumers to win a Blue Diamond, a nod to a film’s plot. There are other weekly prizes that consumers can win – they enter the prize draw via an on pack QR code giving the promotion an instant play quality.

The promotion has also been supported by a PR event with Bisto and Aardman working together to host a Bisto-themed restaurant on a Gravy Boat moored in London’s Paddington Basin. These kind of PR events are becoming a core part of FMCG promotions, not least as they help create consumer and trade engagement. They are ‘seize the moment’ marketing beats. Of course, there is also a strong eye on social media these days as well, and promotions can really help brands achieve digital engagement.

Aardman are no strangers to FMCG partnerships and licensing. Tyrrell’s Crisps have successfully launched a Wallace & Gromit crisp range using a Wensleydale & Cranberry flavour exclusively at Co-Op, while Carr’s Pasties launched a Wallace & Gromit pasty. Aardman also work with Dean’s on a range of shortbread biscuits developed for the gifting market which are sold in tins and cartons with carefully chosen Wallace & Gromit imagery.

A further example of a film-led promotion is Doritos and A Minecraft Movie. In a nod to Minecraft’s brand identity, Doritos have hidden a limited number of square-shaped Doritos in packs of their Chilli Heatwave packs. This is linked to cash prizes for consumers who find the square crisps.

A Minecraft Movie has also advertised a partnership with the Oreo brand. Minecraft is a brand that has the potential to deliver consumer engagement – arguably among a hard-to-reach consumer group. Promotions like these are also motivational for retailers.

Interestingly, Doritos are using a range of partnerships at the moment, including working with Burger King to develop Doritos Chilli Heatwave Chicken Fries. Developments like this give brands like Doritos the chance to extend their reach beyond traditional distribution, while dialling up their taste and flavour credentials.

It’s also increasingly common to see brand personalities and influencers endorsing FMCG products – or indeed being involved in more in-depth product development. A good example of a well-known celebrity promoting a FMCG brand at the moment is Fred Sirieix. He has been working with Knorr to promote their recently launched Red and White Wine Stock Pots. The campaign operates under the strapline Give Your Date Night More with Knorr. This dovetails with Sirieix’s involvement with the popular TV show First Dates.

Sirieix is in demand as he is also involved with a campaign promoting coffee pod brand L’OR. One reason this brand is working with Sirieix is that his expertise as a Maitre De makes him “someone synonymous with refined taste and premium experiences”. The campaign includes social media posts from Sirieix, reinforcing the notion that partnerships like this function best when there is a good match between brand and personality. Authenticity is a key watch word.

In a similar vein, it’s interesting to see the ‘Popped not Fried’ potato snacks brand Popchips running an on-pack promotion at the moment featuring singer Tom Grennan. The ‘Pop and Win’ promotion gives consumers the chance to win tickets to Latitude and the Isle of Wight Musical Festivals, plus a special prize of seeing a Tom Grennan gig. This is a specifically targeted promotion that seeks to connect the Popchips brand with concertgoers and music lovers – generally a younger consumer.

It also helps build up the notion of Popchips being an ‘on the go’ brand and also one that suits social sharing occasions. For music acts like Tom Grennan, it’s a good example of how they have to embrace new ways of reaching audiences and showcasing their music.

It has also been interesting to see ice cream producer Beechdean Dairies announce a range of six products targeting the grocery sector with YouTube influencers, Sidemen. The products include Salted Caramel Cake and Marshmallow Cake flavours, and builds on an activation last year where Beechdean created ice creams for Sidemen’s chicken shop chain Sides.

This launch is a good example of how social media influencers are breaking through into categories like FMCG as brand owners and retailers recognise that they bring a significant audience with them. Again, this is often an audience that is hard to reach via other media. Product ranges like this also deliver innovation and excitement to a category.

A similar example is the recently announced partnership between the Evian water brand and the pop star Pharrell Williams. Evian have developed special edition bottles linked to Williams’ skincare brand Humanrace. The bottles feature the slogan “This is the fountain of youth”. It is difficult to second guess the motivation for partnerships from the outside… In this case, it may be that a partnership like this one disrupts a staid category and creates a very high-profile consumer facing story.

It is not uncommon for FMCG brands and retailers to observe that consumer engagement is a challenge for them. Brand and licensing partnerships can deliver a consumer connection that they can’t readily achieve in more traditional ways. This sort of partnership also short circuits the NPD process.

Popcorn brand Joe & Seph’s have a long track record of developing licensed products and using collaborations to fire up unique NPD. They have recently announced a partnership with Tracklements to produce Fresh Chilli Jam Gourmet Popcorn. This partnership is built on both brand’s respecting and understanding each other’s brand values, while also unlocking a new flavour and taste experience for both. For Joe & Seph’s it brings in a new exciting flavour that helps show their commitment to innovation. For Tracklements, there is an opportunity for new consumers to sample their unique taste profile.

Both companies also distribute their products in similar retailers so it gives them an opportunity to offer their retail partners a new product to launch and with which to work, thus providing an avenue for retailers looking for newness and innovation.

FMCG brands are also being active beyond the food aisles. Slimming World is a good example of this. At the beginning of the year, as many consumers thoughts turn to health and well-being, Slimming World partnered with the Daily and Sunday Mirror to publish a short series of mini–Slimming World recipe magazines. The magazines featured a range of recipes and naturally included some promotion for Slimming World’s wider activities.

For them, this kind of media promotion is a great recruitment window for new consumers, while the Daily and Sunday Mirror get access to tried and tested content – presented by a trusted partner who are experts in their field. It’s also a reminder that there’s still a role for printed content in the marketing and promotional sectors.

Sometimes it can be hard for licensed brands to engage with and work with established FMCG brands. There are lots of reasons for this, but one common theme seems to be that leading brands are keen to maintain and preserve the focus on their own brand and its brand values. A licensed partnership could be a distraction or dilution…

One way around this impasse is for licensed brands to seek out ‘private label’ manufacturers who have the capacity to make products, but don’t always have access to an established brand – or the means to develop their own brand from scratch. In this context, it is easy to understand why Best Cereal has struck a deal with Netflix to produce a Squid Games cereal. The Limited-Edition product is a Honeycomb Crisp flavour and is being sold through Morrisons.

Late in 2024, Inventure Cereals launched a range of confectionery inspired cereals with a number of Barratt Confectionery brands including Flumps. This is a further example of how licensing can help manufacturers break into a category. By definition, a license should give them a point of difference and a way of insulating themselves from competition.

Finally, and encouragingly, it has been good to see fresh produce companies dipping their toes into licensing waters again recently. As an aside, back in my CPL days, one of my favourite deals – brokered by a colleague, not me – was for a range of Tom & Cherry Tomatoes sold with a bespoke label featuring Tom & Jerry. A simple but very effective idea – also one that put a smile on people’s faces rather like Tom & Jerry cartoons did.

The Pink Lady apple brand recently partnered with Disney for an on-pack promotion across nine European countries, while the Veg Power campaign has linked with cookbook authors The Happy Pear to promote the importance of eating seasonal vegetables. The focus of the campaign is specifically on Mushrooms and The Happy Pear will be sharing recipe ideas to their two million followers – a further example of how influencers are delivering new opportunities to FMCG marketeers.