On The Menu melts freezer shame in latest national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne
Frozen ready-meal brand On The Menu has unveiled a reinvigorated brand strategy and national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne.
Harnessing TBWA’s Disruption methodology to architect a bold new vision for the brand, the latest work sets out to redefine the category by fighting against misconceptions of frozen food.
Part of Patties Food Group, On The Menu has graced the freezer aisle for 15 years with its expansive portfolio of ready-to-eat meals. Despite being one of Australia’s biggest players, the brand and category continues to battle with the convention of freezer shame.
Says Zac Martin, planning director, TBWA\Melbourne: “As a nation we’re very judgmental. Especially about what people eat. There is a stereotype that if you eat frozen meals, you’re lazy or a loner. In reality, you’re anything but.”
According to YouGov, frozen meal eaters are 40% more likely to exercise four times a week and are far from lonely with 61% being in a relationship.
The new platform ‘Blame It On The Menu’ is brought to life through a series of tongue-in-cheek executions. One of three playful 30” spots unfold in the dentist chair. With the dentist MIA, the patient is left mouth agape thanks to a bite block. Fast forward, and we find the dentist located in the staff kitchen engrossed in devouring a crispy chicken parma without a single hint of remorse.
Says Anand Surujpal, chief marketing and growth officer, Patties Food Group: “To grow On The Menu, we need to appeal to existing and new buyers to purchase pre-prepared meals and enjoy without feeling judged. The new platform marks an exciting new chapter for not only On The Menu but the freezer category as a whole.”
Says Paul Reardon, chief creative officer, TBWA\Melbourne: “We were after a storytelling approach with a dead simple structure, the product at its core, and a great tone of voice. This new platform offers us that. And! It’s really fun to write for. That’s a good sign for longevity. We’re looking forward to doing a lot more of OTM’s stories.”
The media strategy, which was delivered by United – part of the integrated full-service agency, sees the campaign running across broadcast TV, BVOD, YouTube, social, radio and OOH.
![On The Menu melts freezer shame in latest national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne](https://asset-cdn.campaignbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15102710/image007.jpg)
![On The Menu melts freezer shame in latest national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne](https://asset-cdn.campaignbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15102743/PAT0027_OTM_Relaunch_Campaign_OOH_Production_Insitu.jpg)
![On The Menu melts freezer shame in latest national campaign via TBWA\Melbourne](https://asset-cdn.campaignbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15102807/PAT0027_OTM_Relaunch_Campaign_OOH_Production_Insitu2.jpg)
Agency: TBWA\Melbourne
Paul Reardon: Chief Creative Officer
Pat Sofra: Head of Art & Design
Mark Jones: Senior Creative
Rob Hibbert: Senior Creative
Virginia Pracht: Co Head of Planning
Zac Martin: Planning Director
Kimberlee Wells: Chief Executive Officer
Ricci Meldrum: Managing Director
Amy McKay: Senior Business Director
Kate Steven: Project Director
Melina Flood: Senior Producer
Tony McKay: Precision Marketing & Media Lead, United
Evelyn Hamlett: Planning & Investment Director, United
Client: Patties Food Group
Anand Surujpal, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer
Debra Barrow, Head of Marketing – Pre-prepared Meals
Pierre Meneaud, Head of Digital
Rachael Kirby, Head of Insights
Production Company: Hooves
Director: Jason Perini
Post Production: Crayon
32 Comments
Enjoyed the restraint.
This is not the way to sell food.
Not in the slightest.. nor clever!
Plus the food looks exactly what I’d expect from a frozen meal.
Nice work for a brand I’ve never heard of or noticed before.
Not sure what’s saddest,the food or the people eating it.
So grim.
Best comment
I hear you need some help.
It’s not funny and it’s not branded – neither video or OHH will even register. I applaud the intent but this just gives everyone involved a bad advertising experience ie waste of money
Props for getting this up, pretty distinctive for a bland category.
Simple, it is not.
I don’t get what the core takeaway is meant to be – our food isn’t as bad as it looks? You’ll want to eat it publicly? You’ll miss important events to eat our meals?
Humour, for the sake of humour – and unfortunately, not funny at that.
The fridge moving one is pretty good it might work .
This category is not bland.In fact some of the worlds best marketers inhabit it.They understand the many reasons people love food,the rituals that accompany it , and they seduce the them with artful presentation and cinematography.
On the contrary, everything about this work is difficult to digest.
Not sure what all the cellar dwellers are on about, didn’t expect these. Props.
How to kill a brand instantly. I feel sorry for the client, but hey, then again, they approved this.
“As a nation we’re very judgmental. Especially about what people eat. There is a stereotype that if you eat frozen meals, you’re lazy or a loner. In reality, you’re anything but.”
imagine saying that in a press release.
The brand is road kill in these ads.
It’s very very bad.
Can’t help thinking the TV spots would have benefited from a pack shot.
Re-brief.
‘There is a stereotype that if you eat frozen meals you’re lazy or a loner’.
Um think you’ve just confirmed it.
Tragic.
Genuinely one of the funniest shots ever conceived. A lot of these comments demonstrating how deeply unfunny people in this industry have become. Hats off to M&R. Honest, stupid, funny.
The removalist chap has his knife and fork in the wrong hands.
One shot doesn’t make a commercial,let alone a launch campaign in a crowded category.
They’re a bit of fun. That’s enough! Why are you all so bloody serious?
You know when you’re sitting in a cafe and someone waits to pay and their butt is right in your face? You know how that butt always seems to be the sad sagging cheeks of a man in ill-fitting pants? Reading these comments brought that image to mind. A lot of sad saggy man butts commenting on what’s funny and what isn’t. I can’t picture their faces, but I sure as hell know what their butts look like.
lol. I was 100% certain you were going to compare the sad saggy man butts to the food shots.
Imagine if you were a man describing a woman, her butt and her outfit? You’d be hung, drawn and quartered before you could say ‘double standard’. I feel insulted, objectified and saggy.
Gromit
“As a nation we’re very judgmental. Especially about what people eat. There is a stereotype that if you eat frozen meals, you’re lazy or a loner. In reality, you’re anything but.”
Cue the ads showing people not doing their jobs so they can eat their frozen meals. Seems pretty lazy to me.
The irony in this comment is stifling!
After all the work tbwa have been making, looking forward to seeing the upcoming restructure and revamp! About time.
😂
I feel 80% of this commentary is classic Campaign brief clapbacks. No view on the market just a little bitch about aesthetics and stereotypes. Imagine the chagrin of all of these people if an unintentional hack revealed their names and this hidden veil of truth would be removed and that in itself is so powerful. 😎 Take it for what it is and understand the saturated market of meals and the stigma behind it before .
This is really poor. I like the effort, but disruptive this is not. 5/10.