Dive Brief:

• Brawny today (May 5) launched the “Summon the Strongest” campaign, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The effort is inclusive of a new brand identity, updated packaging and the return of the Brawny Man mascot.
• The new Brawny Man appears as an outsized figure in two 30-second spots and across social videos that put the character in modern contexts, like sharing a vision board, speaking in internet slang or making a “get ready with me” video.
• Developed by Joan Creative, the campaign spans TV, digital and social channels and is in support of a new three-ply paper towel product that is compared favorably in ads to competitor Bounty.

Dive Insight:

Brawny is the latest CPG brand to undertake a brand refresh and market it in a new advertising campaign to reconnect with consumers, more than half of whom are increasingly purchasing private label brands, per a recent NielsenIQ report.

Central to the effort is a revamped Brawny Man, the larger-than-life lumberjack figure that debuted more than 50 years ago. The new portrayal looks to ground the character in the brand’s legacy while making him more approachable for a new generation of consumers.

“We saw the opportunity to bring new dimension to his visual identity — not by changing who he is, but by elevating what has always made him iconic. The result is a Brawny Man who feels heroic yet relatable, dependable, and relevant to today’s consumer,” said Holly Karlsson, creative director at Bulletproof, the brand agency that crafted the new brand identity, in a press release.

The Brawny Man and refreshed brand visuals appear in “Summon the Strongest,” the most integrated campaign Brawny has done in years, per information shared with Marketing Dive. Developed by agency Joan Creative, the campaign spans TV, digital and social channels and reintroduces the Brawny Man as a figure that can lend a helping hand — and paper towel — during life’s messy moments. The campaign includes two 30-second spots, “Birthday” and “Treehouse,” set in the aftermath of a 40th birthday party and during a kids’ sleepover, respectively.

The campaign will extend to social through always-on content, influencer partnerships, behind-the-scenes footage and real-time engagement across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. Social videos show the Brawny Man in the familiar contexts of content creators, including a “get ready with me” video. One video shows the mascot being forced to use online slang such as “goated” and “goblin mode” though he breaks the fourth wall to show his discomfort with the ill-fitting lingo.

“The way he behaves in modern contexts and comes to life across the channels we all engage with defines what it means to make legendary brands relevant in today’s world,” said Jaime Robinson, co-founder and chief creative officer at Joan, in the press release.

Brands in recent years have looked to revamp their mascots and put them in new channels and contexts more suited for younger consumers. McDonald's brought its McDonaldland mascots to Minecraft as part of a tie-up around the hit film, while Mucinex launched Mr. Mucus on Tinder and Jack in the Box's Jack Box cameoed on YouTube show “Hot Ones Versus.” 

Brawny parent company Georgia-Pacific is part of privately owned Koch Inc. An advocacy organization funded in part by Koch Inc. Chairman and Co-CEO Charles Koch has sued President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs on all imports from China.