a digital-first relaunch for a plant-based protein
Objective
Orchestrate a digital-first relaunch for a plant-based protein
PepsiCo believed in the potential for Evolve to be a category leader. But this potential was constrained by budget. Our challenge was to find a way to relaunch Evolve combining the power of PepsiCo’s distribution with the marketing tactics of an insurgent DTC brand. It required understanding who was most interested in plant-based protein and how we could connect to something bigger in their lives.
Strategy
The outside brings out our best side
We honed in on active wellness seekers. People who, particularly in 2020, began taking advantage of WFH flexibility to spend more time outdoors. They viewed their health and wellness holistically, and converting to more plant-based options made them feel better, just like spending more time outside did.
We saw an opportunity to position Evolve as a part of their holistic wellness journey.
The Work
Bottling up that outdoor feeling
A series of snackable short-form films, each representative of our National Parks, made the outdoors look breathtakingly delicious. Filled with plant-based protein, every bottle is packed with nourishment and invites outdoor adventure. We introduced a new tagline that captured this sentiment: There’s Outside in Here.
Chocolatey chunk boulders, fluffy pink berry clouds, and smooth vanilla waterfalls not only push against the assumption that plant protein doesn’t taste great, it further illustrates our connection and commitment to the outdoors.
Keeping the outdoors great
Embodying Evolve’s commitment to the outdoors is the brand’s partnership with the National Park Foundation - a partnership extending beyond the depiction of Parks on our packaging to financial support for preservation efforts in Parks nationwide.
Our Results
Becoming the category leader in the first year: 920MM+ impressions
We launched with a bang during National Park Week, earning 920MM+ impressions while driving deeper engagement with social, sampling and a sweepstakes to begin building relationships with customers. Targeted partnerships with influencers and publications like Well+Good helped us create content that resonated with our audience of active wellness seekers. And we sustained this momentum throughout the year with smart, targeted media that prompted people to discover, try and talk about Evolve.
The results: by the end of year one Evolve had become the #1 ready to drink, plant-based protein shake in the US. Passing everyone from Owyn, to Orgain to Soylent along the way.
