Dive Brief:
- Two packaged foods brands are stepping up to alleviate the pain of summer travel as consumers head into a hectic Labor Day Weekend.
- RXBar, the protein bar marketed by Kellanova, is offering a $500 bank-issued prepaid gift card to help cover the costs of vacation plans that have been canceled or delayed due to unforeseen circumstances this season, per a press release.
- Clorox-owned Hidden Valley Ranch is assisting with checked bag fees for fans who pack a bottle of its dressing, which typically comes in containers too large for carry-ons, and snap a picture for Instagram, an announcement said. The stunts underscore how brands are capitalizing on mounting consumer frustrations with the state of travel.
Dive Insight:
U.S. airports this summer have been plagued by technical glitches, air traffic control close calls and inclement weather — all while handling some of the busiest holidays for travel in over a decade. The result has been plunging levels of customer satisfaction, a problem for categories like airlines but a potential opportunity for brands not endemic to travel.
RXBar and Hidden Valley Ranch are angling to grow affinity amid the chaos by lessening some of the burden for consumers, at least on the financial front. Both are offering to comp a portion of travel costs in the gear-up for Labor Day, provided people fork over some personal information or post about their fandom online.
RXBar’s $500 gift card is available to those who fill out a form with their name, email, date of travel and reasons why their trips got hamstrung. After a two-week period ending Sept. 4, the Kellanova snack marketer will select winners of the Get Out of Travel B.S. Free Card, which comes in a custom-branded sleeve and complemented by a five-count protein bar box.
The effort is part of RXBar’s larger platform combating B.S., which this year has tackled topics ranging from unhealthy New Year’s resolutions to mind-numbing corporate jargon. The concept is aligned with the brand’s ethos of simplicity and transparency, embodied in bars that display a simple list of ingredients on the front of the pack.
Hidden Valley Ranch meanwhile is poking fun at another common airport headache: security limits on the amount of liquid that can be kept in carry-on bags. Those who pack Hidden Valley Ranch in their checked bag and share a picture on Instagram between 1 p.m. ET on Aug. 29 and 11.:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 1 with the hashtag #PackYourHiddenValleyRanchOffer and a @Hidden.Valley tag have the chance to receive a $35 prepaid gift card.
The Clorox brand’s offer is eligible for the first 1,000 customers who post about their ranch-ready bags. Winners will be notified via direct messages from Hidden Valley on Sept. 2 so they can claim a reimbursement.
