McCain champions regenerative farming in latest campaign

Frozen potato brand McCain has unveiled a through-the-line campaign 'Let’s All Chip In' to highlight the positive collective impact we can have on the environment through the support of regenerative farming. 

The TVC starring Iain Stirling premieres during the Love Island Final and tells the story of regenerative farming methods. It will span TV, VOD, social, cinema and digital audio, with corresponding PR and social campaigns running simultaneously.

With potato yields down by 15 per cent in 2022 alone, McCain has committed to 100 per cent regenerative farming by 2030, to help future-proof the way we farm; making it more sustainable and protecting potato yields and wider food supplies for years to come.

The campaign hopes to engage young people in particular, following research conducted by McCain which showed this audience feel passionately about supporting climate change but at times feel overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge and question the impact on an individual level they can have. Separate additional research commissioned by McCain showed that almost two thirds (64 per cent) of Gen Z would also be interested in knowing more about where their food comes from, whilst 68 per cent are eager to make better informed choices at the checkout.

The campaign will also be supported by an innovative SnapChat AR Lens, an engaging LadBible partnership and unmissable OOH which includes an immersive installation bringing the McCain Farm to an urban location.

Created by adam&eveDDB and directed by Alex Boutell, the accompanying spot sees comedian and Love Island commentator Iain Stirling and McCain farmer Imogen Stanley learn about the regenerative farming methods Imogen is starting to use. These methods include cultivating less to keep more carbon in the soil, planting wildflowers to encourage birds and insects to help keep the bad bugs at bay and rotating crops to improve soil health.

On the social side of the campaign, McCain invited Gen Z TikTok creators Ayame Ponder, Arthur Hill, Charley Marlowe and Jack Remmington to ‘Chip In’ at another McCain farm that is using regenerative farming practices. The creators teamed up with McCain farmer Zara Dorrington to discover more about regenerative methods, with Iain Stirling guiding the action with his signature witty observations. An unscripted and improvised approach was designed to draw out authentic comedy moments in a series of eight films, directed by Jack Howard, which will run on McCain’s social channels over the next three months.

Meanwhile within PR, McCain has partnered with presenter and Capital Breakfast radio host Roman Kemp, who has starred in a longer-form film directed by James Rawlings.

Iain Stirling said: “It’s amazing to think that you can support regenerative farming simply by choosing McCain. I had great fun on Imogen’s farm in the great outdoors. It was the least I could do to help make sure our beloved potatoes are still around in the future!”

Mark Hodge, vice president, marketing at McCain Foods UK&I added: “We’re hugely proud of our new 360 campaign, “Let’s All Chip In”. We know that climate change is a real concern, especially for young people and we understand that whilst we all want to do our bit to help, on an individual level, the scale of change needed can sometimes feel overwhelming.

"McCain’s commitment to 100% regenerative farming by 2030 means that more and more of our growers will adopt these methods with the help of the training and funding we provide. As a result, simply by choosing McCain, consumers are able to chip in and support a more sustainable approach to farming.”

The 360 campaign is a cross-agency collaboration between adam&eveDDB, We Are Social, Freud Communications and PHD.

Credits

Client: McCain

Agency: adam&eveDDB

Brand: McCain

Project/Campaign name: ‘Let’s all chip in’

Group Executive Creative Director: Ben Tollett

Creative Director/s: Frances Leach

Agency producer/s: Persephone Withnell

Planner/s: Ben Worden, Roisin Mulroney

CEO: Helen Andrews

Managing Partner: Mike Stern

Business Director/s: Lesley Smith

Account Director/s: Isabella Best

Account Manager/s: Alice Shedden

Designer/Typographer: Oliver Watts

Media agency: PHD

Media planner/s: Frith Hofmeester

Production company: Rogue Films

Executive Producer: James Howland

Producer: Tom Farley

Director: Alex Boutell

D.O.P: Matt Fox

Editing Company: Tenthree

Editor: Quin Williams

Post Production: Black Kite

Post Producer: Phil Whalley

VFX Supervisor: Alex Lovejoy

Music Supervisor: Josh Gibbard, Siren

Audio Post Production: Lucas Trigg, 750mph,

Soundtrack name and composer: Ben Seal

Hero casting: Talent Republic Anne Batz, Charlie Powell, Ruby Black, Louise Urwin and Ella Barker

SOCIAL CAMPAIGN CREDITS

Talent

Iain Stirling

Zara Dorrington, McCain Farmer

Ayame Ponder

Arthur Hill

Charley Marlowe

Jack Remmington

Production company

We Are Social Studios

Luke Mortimer, Producer

Isabelle Ramsden, Production Manager

Director

Jack Howard

Strategy

Kat Hannaford, Strategy Director

Marcus Wilson, Strategist

Client Services

Angus Flockhart, Group Account Director

Emma Brown, Account Director

Niamh Wilson, Account Manager

Project Management

Monisha Sansoa, Project Manager

Sofia Salihu, Project Manager

Creative

Dani Melia, Creative Director

Joshua Crossley, Associate Creative Director

Beth Manning, Senior Creative

Clarissa Johnston-Ward, Junior Creative

Khadija Alban, Junior Creative

Editorial

Rhiain Morgan, Editorial Director

Elle Bolland, Editor

Saoirse O'Leary, Senior Writer

Design

Jason Shoffman, Design Director

Hettie Headford - Mid-weight Designer

Michael Ubani, Junior Designer

Jamie Robertson, Junior Designer

PR CAMPAIGN CREDITS

Agency: Freud Communications

Production: Atomized Studios

Director: James Rawlings