MERGE Brings Food to Life in First National Advertising for Land O’Frost

A delicious lunch sandwich speaks for itself. So, creative agency MERGE decided to bring that concept to life — literally — for Land O’Frost, a sliced meats brand that is looking to make gains in the grocery aisle and disrupt the staid packaged lunchmeat category.

In the new marketing campaign, anthropomorphised sandwich ingredients show and tell how Land O’Frost Premium Sliced Meats are the budget-conscious, protein-packed choice.

Their message is clear: Land O’Frost Premium Sliced Meats have no by-products, contain no added hormones and are a wholesome, affordable solution for moms.

The 15- and 30-second spots give viewers a peek into the conference room of the “Sandwich Board,” whose members are gathered to discuss sliced-meat, sales trends, partake in team-building exercises and practice a bit of stress-busting meditation. Reminiscent of a modern-day Fruit of the Loom bunch, the ingredients crack wise and drop puns. “I was spread a little thin,” explains a giant jar of Mayo that shows up late. P. Valone — a walking, talking slice of cheese — calls Land O’ Frost “the only protein I’ve ever really melted with.”

Land O’Frost is a 60-year-old challenger brand that flies under the radar. For its first-ever national advertising, it wanted irreverent, arresting work with a strong point of view. The brand also needed its core attributes — wholesomeness and affordability — to come through clearly in the work. Launching this week on network TV, cable and in syndication, the campaign is expected to reach about 91 percent of U.S. households.

“This is Land O’ Frost Premium’s introduction, so it was critical that the creative achieve more than typical CPG goals, like recall and purchase intent,” explained Kevin Houlihan, President and Chief Creative Officer of MERGE. “The boardroom characters bring the brand to life and make it meaningful to people.”

The campaign — which targets moms and decisionmakers who want to feel good about what they’re feeding their families — positions Land O’Frost Premium Sliced Meats as a quality, go-to staple with the tagline, “A Slice Above.”

“This campaign speaks to budget-conscious moms who want a wholesome and affordable snack or meal that gives their family the energy to get through their busy day,” said Reggie Moore, SVP of Sales, Marketing and Innovation for Land O’Frost. “We are excited to go live today as it provides us a platform to introduce Land O’Frost to many new consumers who will experience our high-quality products for the very first time.”