Knorr dares Gen Z to eat for good in environmental push

The Unilever brand teamed up with IPG agencies MullenLowe and Weber Shandwick

By Creative Salon

20 February 2023

Knorr is launching Dare to Try, a campaign encouraging everyone to change the world by changing what’s on their plates.

The campaign presents a collaborative effort from IPG agencies; MullenLowe, Weber Shandwick, R&CPMK and experience agency, Swamp Motel. Working closely with Unilever, they have brought Knorr’s brand purpose to life through a hybrid communications approach, using creator content, brand content, PR and real-life experiences to drive engagement with Gen Z on TikTok.

Dare to Try is designed to demonstrate that dishes can be delicious, daring, and include little explored ingredients that represent more sustainable choices. In this case, insects. The campaign urges people to be more considerate about what they eat and make the small behavioural changes that can make a big difference to our planet.

Partnering with TikTok and VICE, the campaign sees 11 internationally renowned content creators come together for a game of Truth or Dare. Here, Knorr shares the truths about the effects of food production and consumption on our ecosystems such as, the food system is responsible for more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. Knorr dares participants to eat differently for the good of the planet with Knorr, before bringing the influencers together for a dinner party.

With several touchpoints pre, during and post-event, the ongoing partnership between Knorr and influencers is designed to emphasise the planetary impact of our dietary choices among young people and drive behavioural change at an early age by showcasing tasty, resourceful and sustainable ways of eating.

Niek de Rooij, Global Masterbrand Director Knorr, commented; “On ‘World Eat For Good Day’, we’re inviting people across the globe to join us and dare to eat something different that is good for the planet. We already have over 10 on-the-ground programmes across four continents that educate and equip people to Eat for Good. Food is the strongest lever to optimise our health and improve environmental sustainability. Of course, we are not asking people to start eating insects from now on, but we would like to invite them to think about the impact their plate can have on the planet. And there are plenty of better options such as the simple and delicious recipes we created with our chefs. We hope these dishes will inspire people to discover new, fun ways of cooking with vegetables and plants.”

Alan Bell, Global Business Director, explained the rationale behind the campaign, “Knorr wants everyone to eat for good, which means we need to think differently about the food we put on our plates. We also know that younger audiences really believe in Purpose, but consume so much content daily through TikTok and other channels that getting attention means breaking through the clutter. #KnorrDareToTry brings this to life through Creator-led activations and branded content, meeting them where they are and in a language they use every day.

Mark Ibaviosa, Creative Director at MullenLowe, added, Knorr is all about flavour! And we figured, wouldn’t it be great if we used that flavour to overcome any hesitations people had with food they didn’t usually eat? Insects are a proven sustainable future food source. With Knorr in the mix, we sought to prove that they’re not daring, they’re actually delicious!”

Step outside of your comfort zone and swap out bangers and mash for one of Knorr’s unusual but scrumptious recipes. These dishes are sure to shake up your regular meal plan, and Knorr, experts in flavour, will show you just how to make deliciously daring, natural dishes. If you want to have a go yourself and try these recipes out at home.