Kids Imagine Additives and Growth Hormones as Monsters in New Arla Spots

Arla Foods debuts its first-ever, fully integrated US brand campaign today called 'Live Unprocessed,' developed in partnership with agency of record, Carmichael Lynch. The $30 million campaign coincides with Arla’s rapid and bold expansion into the US grocery retail dairy aisle and comes at a tipping point of Americans’ increasingly voracious desire to know more about the products they’re eating and feeding their families.

“Arla has an authentic, time-honoured farm-to-fridge heritage of producing natural, better-for-you products free from artificial flavors, preservatives and added hormones. This is who Arla is at its core, a dairy cooperative that does things the right way, the type of company people seek out so they can feel good about what they're serving their families,” said Don Stohrer Jr., CEO of Arla Foods US “We’re on a mission here to change people’s notion that taste and better-for-you attributes are mutually exclusive. Arla proves you can have the best of both worlds with our great-tasting, clean label products made only with ingredients that you can recognise.”

In talking about the campaign, Stohrer Jr. continued, “Our new ‘Live Unprocessed’ campaign is designed to highlight the benefits of Arla products in a fresh, fun, disruptive way that we think will resonate with today’s ‘ingredient savvy’ consumer.”

The campaign asked kids what — or who — they thought rBST, xanthan and sorbic acid were, without letting them know that they were ingredients often found in competitors’ sliced and cream cheeses. The kids were partnered with animators who brought their fantastical stories and drawings to life in two 30-second spots, 'Xanthan' and 'rBST.'

“It was an impressive leap of faith on Arla's part to say, 'we don't know what these kids will say, or what stories they'll come up with, but let's go for it',” said Carmichael Lynch chief creative officer Marty Senn. “The whole approach to the project, from everyone involved, felt genuinely unprocessed. Forget what a boardroom of marketing execs thinks about these ingredients. What do kids think? They won't mince words.”

“Live Unprocessed” features the two hero television spots, airing across 20+ national cable networks, broadcast and video on demand, as well as digital, social media, print and in-store retail support. The campaign will also be supported with public relations, consumer promotions and custom content integrations with top publishers and celebrity influencers, including Daphne Oz and Ayesha Curry, managed by public relations AOR, Carmichael Lynch Relate.

A premiere event, featuring the spots and the debut of a behind-the-scenes documentary detailing the process of bringing the children’s imaginations to life, will be held at the Village East Cinema in New York City on April 25th.

In addition to the planned media placements, the spots can be found on the company’s website, YouTube and Facebook page.

Full Credits List

Agency: Carmichael Lynch

Chief Creative Officer: Marty Senn

Creative Directors: Brian Lambert and Tom Sebanc

Senior Writer: Ryan Falch

Senior Art Director: Doug Pedersen

Head of Production: Joe Grundhoefer

Executive Content Producer: Freddie Richards

Director of Business Affairs: Vicki Oachs

Senior Director of Brand Marketing: Emily Buchanan

Account Director: Sarah Scherbring

Account Supervisor: Anna Zuehlke

Senior Project Manager: Jessica Anderson

LIVE ACTION PRODUCTION:

Production Company: MAKE

Director: Jay Heyman

Executive Producer: Dana Locatell

Supervising Producer: Tim Mack

Producer: Holland Kemp

Director of Photography: Bill Winters

ANIMATION AND POST PRODUCTION:

Production Company: Hornet

Directors: Yves Geleyn, Dan & Jason

Executive Producer: Hana Shimizu

Head of Production: Sang-Jin Bae

Development Producer: Kristin Labriola

Producer: Desirée Stavracos

Editor: Anita Chao

Production Coordinator: Riley Spencer

Xanthan:

Director: Yves Geleyn

Designer: Glenn Hernandez, Yves Geleyn

Storyboards: Tony Maki

Lead Compositor: John Mattiuzzi

Compositor: Bea Walling, John Stanch

Line Producer: Joel Kretchman

Director of Photography: Toby Howell

Art Director: Tim McDonald

Animator(s): Pete List, Matt Christensen

Gaffer: Michael Yetter

Motion Control Operator: Richard Coppola

BB Electric: Chris Clarke

Key Grip: Garrett Cantrell

2nd Grip: Will Gottlieb

Sculptor: Michael Defeo

Fabricator(s): Pete Erickson, Hillary Barton, Illya Smelansky, Samantha Smith, Melissa Chow, Matt Christensen, Royal Jarmon, David Assel

Art Dept. Intern: Matt Scharenbroich

Matte Painter: Patrick O’Keefe

Color Correct: Shawn Knight

rBST:

Director: Dan & Jason

Designer: Eran Hilleli

Storyboards: Jeff Biancalana and Stephanie Dere

Lead CG: Eric Lane

Lead Compositor: Herculano Fernandes

Modeller: Gabe Askew, Eric Lane

Texturer: Gabe Askew, Eric Lane

Rigger: Brett Taggert

Lighting & Rendering: Kwan Au

Camera: Eric Lane

Pre-Viz: Eric Lane

Animators: Roman Kobryn, Eric Chou

CG Layout Artist: Eric Lane

Matte Painter: Eran Helleli

Color Correct: Shawn Knight

Documentary:

Creative Directors: Dan & Jason

Documentary Editor: Jonah Oskow

Social Teaser Editor: RJ Glass

MUSIC/SOUND:

TVC Music Company: Human

Sound Design: Antfood

Audio Mix: Heard City

TALENT:

Voice Over Talent: Audrey Stanfield (Announcer)

Xanthan Boy: Johnny Rocco

Xanthan Mom: Iris Moreira

rBST Girl: Leah Griffin

rBST Mom: Lori Rosario-Griffin