Dive Brief:

• Ben’s Original is again evolving its brand identity and introducing a new global brand platform, “Keep It Original,” according to a press release.
• The first campaign under the platform focuses on the Mars-owned marketer’s ready-to-heat rice products, positioning them as a way to unite family and friends at the dinner table. The spots were shot with real people, not actors, and use a dynamic camera-tracking technique meant to simulate life’s constant motion.   
• In addition to the ads, Ben’s Original partnered with agency JKR to update its brand identity to be more consistent and distinctive. Ben’s Original was formerly known as Uncle Ben’s before rebranding in 2020 in the wake of national discussions around race.  

Dive Insight:

Ben’s Original is revamping its brand five years after making a major pivot and ditching its long-standing Uncle Ben’s name and iconography over perceived racial stereotyping. “Keep It Original” and the identity touch up respond to a desire for trusted brands that serve as “cultural anchors” and offer convenience in the kitchen, the company said. 

“This platform celebrates the brand’s heritage, while addressing the needs of today’s busy consumers who are looking for tasty, accessible, and healthy meal solutions from brands they trust,” said Matt Graham, global CMO at Mars Food & Nutrition, in a statement.

Nearly half (48%) of U.S. consumers spend fewer than 15 minutes preparing dinner daily, per a Streetbees survey commissioned by Mars Food & Nutrition. More people are also cooking at home and seeking value in the grocery aisle amid rising recessionary fears. Some may return to buying recognizable, legacy packaged foods names in a potential downturn, a trend that occurred during the pandemic. 

The first spots under the “Keep It Original” banner show how Ben’s Original’s ready-to-heat rice brings people together, whether at the dining table with kids or on a summer camping trip with friends. Movement is a visual motif of the campaign as a fluid camera spins out of a microwave heating up Ben’s Original to track individuals tucking into a meal. “Keep It Original” was designed to last for years and eventually touch on other product offerings, such as ready meals and sauces. 

The creative will run first in the U.S. on broadcast TV and online video platforms starting this month before rolling out to Canada in August and other markets through 2026. Agency T&P, which is backed by ad-holding group WPP, developed the brand platform while WPP Media handled the media plan. Ben’s Original worked with WPP Media on innovations focused on social channels and to deploy contextually relevant ad placements as part of the agency’s “evolved audience approach.” Ben’s Original parent Mars recently moved its $1.7 billion media account from WPP to rival Publicis. 

Along with the ads, Ben’s Original teamed with JKR to modify its identity, with the goal of creating more consistency and distinction. The extent of the changes weren’t immediately clear, but the brand said that, taken together, they are meant to embody what Ben’s Original stands for: “good food, real ingredients, and a sense of community.”