Creative Campaign
Brandcenter Project | 3 weeks
The quick pitch:
After an Internet conspiracy theory put Smucker’s Uncrustables in the headlines, the company put an end to the fun—and the conversation. But Uncrustables are the most inventive PB&J out there; why not feed curiosity?
See the full case study below!
What I did:
Eavesdropped on the (surprisingly profane) social media convos surrounding Uncrustables.
Used a survey to conduct a pop quiz for 30 of the sandwich’s fans.
Studied patents for the first time since nearly attending law school.
Artifacts: creative brief, discussion guide, survey.
Challenge
It’s a sandwich—or is it?
When a Tumblr user revealed in 2018 that Smucker’s Uncrustables are “classified” raviolis on Wikipedia, the crimped-and-sealed frozen PB&J earned meme status—and a 550% spike in social media mentions among young adults—that the brand hasn’t come close to since. How can Smucker’s continue connecting with curious young-adult snackers?
The Uncrustable is a go-to lunchbox purchase for kids and their parents, but Smucker’s has yet to tap into the potential of its young-adult fans, who need a reminder to return to the sandwich.
Category Truth
Frozen snacks are a snooze.
Snacking as a whole may be up, but 26% of those snackers say they’re passing on the frozen stuff. One reason: according to the Frozen Snack Association, fewer than 20% of fridge-scavengers find frozen snacks “indulgent” or “exciting.”
Our Enemy
Playing it safe.
At the time of the great ravioli debate, Smucker’s responded with a definitive: “It’s a sandwich.” But why force Uncrustables into a box?
Human Truth
The unknown can terrify us—but it also captivates us.
From unsolved mysteries to (crustless) conspiracy theories, people obsess over unanswered questions and odd phenomena. Studies of the human brain show that the less we know, the more we want to— but it’s the not knowing that keeps things interesting because our imaginations get to run wild.
Brand Truth
Uncrustables gives curious eaters something to chew on.
Whether you call it a sandwich, a ravioli, or even a ‘pasty,’ the Uncrustable is a crimped pocket of frozen goo so uniquely inventive that Smucker’s successfully patented the PB&J for years—no easy feat.
Not even those who love Uncrustables can make sense of them: primary research with 30 young-adult snackers revealed little agreement about how to store Uncrustables, when to eat them, or whether they’re truly crustless after all.
“I don’t f*cking know (why I love them). If I knew, we’d be having a very different conversation. I f*cking love those stupid things, and they are stupid.”
“Why is this thing frozen? Is this really even bread? Who are these made for? What is actually the point of an Uncrustable? I ... just now realized how pointless they are. But I still love them.”
“They’re gooey discs filled with delicious, sticky contents. There’s only one [Uncrustable].”
Strategy
Smucker’s Uncrustables feed curiosity.
Creative Platform
Among mankind’s greatest achievements.
Smucker’s wasn’t the first to pursue greatness in the face of uncertainty. But it was the tastiest.
Campaign Manifesto
YouTube & Hulu Pre-roll
Pre-roll: NASA
VO: Can you say what makes a hero? Some would argue it’s when you catapult off the planet and take the first steps on the moon. Others would say it’s when you remove the crust from your sandwich and fill it with the perfect proportion of PB-to-J. We don’t know exactly what makes a hero; we just know we’re one of them.
Super: Uncrustables: Among Mankind’s Greatest Achievements.
Pre-roll: Wright Bros.
VO: Is there a point when people call you crazy? Maybe it’s when you attempt to fly when flight had never been considered. Or perhaps it’s when you cut the crust off your sandwich and instead seal it, making the perfect little pouch. We don’t believe in crazy, but if we did, we’d be it.
Super: Uncrustables: Among Mankind’s Greatest Achievements.
Pre-roll: Steve & Bill
VO: When do you know you will change the world? Is it when you develop your first piece of software? When you write your first line of code? Or is it when you realize that crust has no place on a PB&J? We can’t say for certain, but what we can say is this: the world has been changed.
Super: Uncrustables: Among Mankind’s Greatest Achievements.
Limited Edition Uncrustables
Send them in a care package or use them to survive finals.
Campus Motivational Posters
An Uncrustable is the fuel to keep going. A poster is the reminder to keep eating.
Out of Home
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Thanks for reading!
My team:
My part:
Creative brief
Social listening
In-depth interviews
Survey
Store visit
Brand audit
Competitive/category research
Cultural deep dive