Dive Brief:
- Unilever food brand Knorr has launched a “#ServingSingles” campaign to tap into the viral #DateMyFriend social trend, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The effort amplifies user-generated content by using a TikTok Branded Mission to encourage consumers to nominate single friends who can cook. The campaign also includes media partnerships and in-person events.
- This is Knorr’s latest campaign focused on consumer pain points around online dating, following a 2025 effort built on a brand study that found cooking is a “green flag” for 93% of single Gen Zers.
Dive Insight:
Knorr’s #ServingSingles campaign sees the Unilever food brand tapping into conversations that are happening on social media, like a viral #DateMyFriend trend that grew out of consumer dissatisfaction with the swipe fatigue common in online dating. The effort is the latest example of how brands, including many legacy CPG companies, are turning to social-first marketing to connect with younger consumers.
Young singles net just six connections a year despite spending 156 hours on dating apps, per data commissioned by Knorr. However, nearly two-thirds of those consumers would welcome a friend’s dating recommendation. The Knorr campaign heads to TikTok to amplify UGC and serve as a wingman for consumers.
“At Knorr, we connect with consumers by engaging in cultural conversations that matter to them,” said Nicky Neerscholten, global head of digital and masterbrand at Knorr, in a statement. “We’re giving visibility to single friends, shifting the focus from digital swipes to genuine, human recommendations. Food has always been a universal connector, and this campaign showcases how this resonates in markets around the world.”
The campaign is built on an collaboration between agencies. MullenLowe crafted the creative based on social listening; WPP Media’s Mindshare worked to connect with Gen Z across social and traditional platforms; and Weber Shandwick crated a global PR strategy that was executed by regional teams.
“The dating world is saturated with monotonous swiping, and our challenge was to cut through that noise with something undeniably real,” said Carlos Andrés Rodríguez, executive creative director at MullenLowe, in a statement. “[#ServingSingles] gives people a platform to celebrate their single friends by turning the joy of cooking into the ultimate connector for romance.”
TikTok launched its Branded Mission ad product in 2022 to help brands engage with creators and crowdsource content for marketing campaigns. Branded Mission has been used by brands including Powerade, Minute Maid and JCPenney in recent years.
#ServingSingles builds on the success of Knorr’s #UnlockYourGreenFlag campaign that saw the brand team with dating app Tinder for Valentine’s Day. As part of the effort, Knorr posted recipes to TikTok and Instagram during the lead-up to the holiday.
