Conagra’s Slim Jim brand is building on its partnership with Toronto Raptor Chris Boucher with a new campaign to build its identity with younger consumers.
In the campaign’s digital videos, the Canadian power forward – nicknamed “Slim Duck” – is mock drafted into the “Long Boi Gang,” a cheeky fan nickname for the snack, further teasing that “something slim” is going to happen this year. There’s also a meme component, in which the 6’9 Boucher at a post-game presser announces he’s sitting on enough Slim Jims to last a lifetime.
Per Se Brand Experience created the “I’m with Slim” campaign, which will show Canadians how Slim Jim can help Chris Boucher “snap” out of boring situations in off-beat ways. Harbinger is also managing an influencer campaign and, according to Conagra, viewers can expect “fun, unpolished,” content and distributed across various platforms such as Instagram, Twitch and TikTok.
Conagra’s insights reveal that the snack is most enjoyed “when people are doing nothing,” almost as a cure for boredom, hence the positioning verbiage around “slaying boredom and defying mind-numbing convention,” says Ana Luiza Rangel, senior brand manager, protein snacks at Conagra Brands.
“It’s a fun and different type of snack from what people are usually used to” Rangel says, and is coming to life accordingly.
Rangel tells strategy the brand is also leveraging TikTok for the first time in addition to YouTube preroll and Twitch activations, part of its media plan to reach the gamer consumer.
According to Rangel, protein and meat snacks are a growth pillar for Conagra. With it being a number one seller in the U.S., there’s a lot of opportunity to grow its presence in Canada, Rangel says, both with younger men, but also head of household shoppers.
“We have this powerful brand, and we need to bring this to Canadians as well,” Rangel says. And while the brand has leveraged classic assets featuring Randy “Macho Man” Savage, Rangel says the brand needs to reach out to a newer, younger consumer for whom old wrestlers may not offer the same level of nostalgia.
M&K Media, the agency of record for media buying, developed digital assets to bring the campaign to life on high-profile media platforms and various digital online channels. In-store, consumers can expect to see POS materials visible at checkout counters that will tie back to the partnership.