Impossible Foods Launches ‘Massive’ Marketing Campaign

Under the banner of its new brand identity, Impossible Foods is further staking its claim in the meat aisle with the launch of a massive marketing campaign targeting meat-eating consumers looking for better meat options – from plants.

At the heart of the months-long campaign is an audacious provocation: “We’re solving the meat problem with more meat.” According to Impossible, one of the biggest “problems” with meat is it’s too delicious and people eat too much of it – and that’s causing a lot of problems for public health and the planet. Rather than force meat-eating consumers to change their lifestyle, the new work from the brand offers a reframing of “meat” by presenting meat from plants as a great-tasting solution.

Narrated from the perspective of a meat eater, the lead 30-second commercial opens with a direct call-to-action for meat eaters to solve the “meat problem” with more burgers, hot dogs and meatballs from plants. The bold, Americana aesthetic of the commercial is intentionally designed to feel familiar and relatable to meat eaters, referencing cultural traditions like backyard barbecues and hot dog eating contests.

The Impossible Foods commercial premiered May 6 during the “Live from E!: Met Gala” telecast where celebrities, tastemakers and viewers across the country got a taste of meat from plants as they prepare for the garden-themed gala.

The campaign also features a series of shorter, product-focused advertisements to introduce more consumers to Impossible’s diverse portfolio of beef, chicken and pork from plants, which consumers increasingly prefer the taste of compared to other options on the market. In doing so, the brand strives to broaden its reputation as a burger brand and reposition itself as a full-fledged meat brand.

“Meat eaters have historically shrugged at meat from plants as something that’s not for them – but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Leslie Sims, chief marketing & creative officer of Impossible Foods. “We see this campaign as a way to let meat eaters know Impossible meat is the best way to keep eating meat you love, just without a lot of the problems associated with animal meat. Whether you’re a vegan, hardcore meat eater or somewhere in between, we have you covered. The more believers we bring on board, the better the planet will be.”

In addition to the series of traditional advertisements, Impossible will integrate campaign content across every consumer touchpoint: from creator partnerships to in-store marketing, shoppable recipes and more over the course of several months. Consumers in New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta can also catch a glimpse of the campaign across hundreds of digital billboards and kiosks, transit stations, electric vehicle charging stations, and double-decker buses.

The campaign is a testament to the level of deep collaboration that occurred between various internal and external teams. Impossible’s in-house marketing and creative team worked closely with three-time AdAge Small Agency of the Year Erich and Kallman to execute the work – the final result being a clear reflection of the teams’ shared out-of-the-box thinking. Impossible also worked with world-renowned media agency Horizon Media to develop its innovative full-funnel media strategy, broadcasting the content across unique, brand-aligned environments.

The marketing effort is the latest manifestation of Impossible’s meatier brand identity, unveiled earlier this year. The food-forward evolution for the brand is designed to directly reflect Impossible Foods’s foundational ambition to make meat from plants that meat lovers crave and, as a result, welcome more meat eaters into the broader plant-based meat category.

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