CAMDEN, N.J. — Campbell Soup Company announced enhancements of the meat and poultry ingredients used in its Chunky soups brand of products. By increasing the number of its 40 soup varieties that include lean meat, the company hopes to appeal to more male consumers.
The changes to this line are in response to men’s increasing desire to live and eat better, said Michael Barkley, vice-president of ready-to-serve soup. "Extensive research revealed men today are facing what we call a ‘male meal dilemma’ — they’re having trouble finding convenient, satisfying foods that taste good and that they feel good about eating," Mr. Barkley said. "We took what people love about Chunky and made it even better with more high-quality, nutritious ingredients that taste great and fill you up."
The line-up now includes 23 soups that contain 100% lean meat and a full serving of vegetables, more than 30 soups that have 100% lean meat, plus more than 30 soups that are a good source of protein. A new label design identifies the enhanced Chunky soup benefits, such as 100% lean meat. Color-coded labels help guide customers to similar soup varieties.
For the past 40 years, Chunky has been championing men, but extensive research by the brand indicated men have evolved during this time. Today’s man is more active, involved with his family and in his community and he wants to eat and live better. These consumer insights drove the product improvements and influenced the new Chunky advertising.
The "This Is Why" television campaign takes a more emotional approach than previous ads, showing real dads working hard before coming home to their kids and enjoying a bowl of Chunky soup to reinforce how the brand fits into their lifestyle. Print and radio ads also reinforce why Chunky is better than ever. For the first time, Campbell is also running print advertising in women’s magazines for Chunky soup and it also is reaching women via female-oriented television and radio programming.
"Women not only make the majority of purchase and meal decisions for the household, but they actually consume about half of the Chunky soup that is brought into the home," said Douglas Brand, senior brand manager.
Campbell continues to utilize the NFL in its in-store, promotional and online activities to promote the Chunky brand. The company has also enlisted Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman as a spokesman to bring the "male meal dilemma" to life from an active dad’s perspective. But this marks the first time in more than a decade that Chunky ads are not featuring NFL players in television advertising.