Dive Brief: 

• Vital Farms, the pasture-raised egg brand, announced a sponsorship and custom ad spot in partnership with Disney and FX series “The Bear,” according to a press release.
• The 30-second custom spot stars actress Liza Colón-Zayas, who plays Tina Marrero on the show, and nods to the viral omelet dish featured in season two. The creative will appear ahead of each new episode of the fourth season, which released June 25. 
• The egg brand’s “Good Eggs. No Shortcuts.” campaign, which launched earlier this year, will run throughout the season. The effort comes as “The Bear” continues to pull a large audience and reflects how brands continue to seek ways to tap into pop culture.

Dive Insight: 

Vital Farms is asserting itself as a culinary staple for its partnership with Disney around season four of “The Bear,” which debuted on Hulu June 25. The series has seen consistent growth, making it a valuable way for marketers to tap into culture. The season three premiere of “The Bear” reached 5.4 million views in its first four days of streaming, making it the most-watched season premiere for any scripted series on the streaming platform.

Central to Vital Farms’ sponsorship is a 30-second ad with actress Colón-Zayas, who plays Tina Marrero, a hardheaded chef at the series’ fictitious namesake restaurant. In the spot, Colón-Zayas is a restaurant patron who places an order for the omelet, a callback to a dish showcased in season two. The chef making the omelet asks for “the good eggs” — from Vital Farms — and completes the dish using the brand’s butter. As the omelet reaches her table, Colón-Zayas says, “That’s what I’m talking about.”

“When the chance came to advertise during the upcoming season, we knew we wanted to do more than just show up — we wanted to honor the spirit of the show,” said Kathryn McKeon, Vital Farms CMO and general manager, butter, in a statement.

A spot personalized for the series could help attract and maintain viewer attention, in addition to striking a chord with fans. “The Bear,” created by Christopher Storer, follows Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) as he attempts to rebuild a family restaurant. Along with Vital Farms’ custom ad, the brand will showcase its “Good Eggs. No Shortcuts.” campaign launched in February. The effort, developed with Gut Miami, includes documentary-style interviews with Vital Farms farmers meant to capture their dedication to animal welfare. 

Vital Farms’ sponsorship comes as the market for eggs shows signs of recovery after record-high prices sent consumers into a scramble. The retail price of eggs increased by nearly 6% to $6.23 a dozen in March, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a climb due largely to bird flu outbreaks that contributed to a national shortage. Egg prices have been declining over the past three months, with the cost of a dozen Grade A eggs this month ringing in at $2.52 on average nationally, about 20 cents lower than their price versus the year-ago period. 

Despite the turbulence, Vital Farms has maintained a growth streak. The company reported a net revenue increase of 9.6% year over year to $162.2 million in Q1, gains attributed in part to volume-related revenue growth of $1.9 million. The quarter marked the 20th consecutive quarter since Vital Farms’ 2020 initial public offering of YoY volume and net revenue growth. The company appointed its first chief supply chain officer in September.

“The Bear” has attracted other marketers, including Coca-Cola, which launched a campaign last year inclusive of a spot directed by showrunner Storer. The commercial, “New Guy,” brings together Coca-Cola’s portfolio of brands within a single spot for the first time and recalls “Fishes,” a second-season episode of the show focused on an intense Christmas dinner.