Dive Brief:

• Triscuit plans to introduce a new “Unapologetically Wholesome” brand positioning with the help of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, according to news shared exclusively with Marketing Dive. 
• An integrated advertising campaign bearing the same name rolls out in 2023, with social posts this month teasing the launch. Messaging leans on Ramsay’s firebrand personality, which was compared to Triscuits in being crunchy on the outside but wholesome on the inside.  
• With the effort, the Mondelez-owned marketer is pushing consumers to embrace their less polished qualities in the same fashion as Ramsay. The timing aligns as many people come up with resolutions and look for a fresh start with the new year.   

Dive Insight:

Mondelez International is switching up its marketing strategy for the 120-year-old Triscuit brand to kick off 2023. The repositioning draws on Ramsay’s reputation as an expletive-loving taskmaster who ultimately has a soft side, as shown in series like “MasterChef Junior,” where he offers more tender guidance to aspiring children in the kitchen. 

Triscuit is linking Ramsay’s rough-but-lovable persona to its crackers, which have a crunchy exterior. The partnership marks the first time the company has worked with a global celebrity chef. Early testing of the campaign received a positive response, per details shared with Marketing Dive.

Teaser content is running on platforms like Meta and Pinterest this month, while the full integrated effort next year touches across TV, digital and social. Agencies Digitas, MediaMonks, Vayner, Spark, Dentsu and Weber Shandwick assisted. 

A mainstay in the culinary industry, Ramsay has recently seen his profile skyrocket on social media thanks to TikTok, where he wields over 35 million followers and frequently posts exasperated reaction videos about other people’s cooking attempts. The chef’s relevance as a content creator could help Triscuit generate further engagement and awareness around “Unapologetically Wholesome.” 

Thematically, the repositioning encourages consumers to be their authentic, unfiltered selves, which might appeal to those seeking a refresh of their own in the new year. Other CPG brands have gravitated toward the concept of “unapologetically” enjoying things, even when they may not be outwardly flattering. 

“The campaign came from the insight that consumers have to play many roles to meet everyday expectations, in which we long for the nourishing moments that allow us to embrace all of who we are — even the unpolished sides,” said Caitlin Schell, Triscuit senior brand manager, in a statement.

Mondelez’s biscuits segment has been a strong performer, growing 11.5% last quarter. Snacks, in general, have fared well during the pandemic and weathered inflationary pressures this year. Mondelez earlier this month sold off its gum brands, which include Trident and Dentyne, to Perfetti Van Melle Group for $1.35 billion.