THIS changes everything with Veganuary campaign to win over meat lovers

Marking its TV debut and first campaign with St Luke's, the plant-based food brand takes on meat eaters who want to cut back

By Creative Salon

06 January 2025

Plant-based food brand THIS is bringing its trademark humour to TV screens this Veganuary with its largest advertising push to date. “THIS Changes Everything,” the debut campaign from St Luke’s, aims to woo meat lovers looking to cut back without sacrificing flavour.

Founded in 2019, THIS has quickly risen to become one of the UK’s fastest-growing plant-based brands, breaking into the top 10 in its category. The campaign represents a significant step in its growth strategy, with a focus on capturing the attention of flexitarian audiences through humour and a commitment to great taste.

It launches with a film directed by Glenn Kitson through Apostle Studios, St Luke’s in-house production studio, which focuses on the great taste of THIS™ products.

Shot in a mockumentary style complete with hand-held camera work on 35mm film, it stars a glamorous and very upbeat estate agent who exclaims that she ‘loved being at the top of real estate’. She then reveals how after just one taste of the juicy, award-winning THIS™ Isn’t Pork Sausages, things changed. If meat-free sausages can taste this good, she reasons, then absolutely anything is possible. And with a flash, our estate agent has decided to become a wingsuit flyer – with somewhat unfortunate consequences.

Rich Denney, joint chief creative officer at St Luke’s comments: “From our very first meeting, where we learned about their business and creative ambitions, to tasting their incredible range of meat-free products, we knew THIS™ truly does change everything. With that in mind, we set out to create a brand idea as bold and memorable as the products. Working with them to reach this launch has been a lot of fun, and there are even more exciting things to come, so be sure to watch THIS™ space”.

Nonetheless, she remains cheerful, and the film finishes with the line “THIS Changes Everything*” along with a disclaimer that “everything” does not include wingsuit flying abilities.

The film is supported by social media assets including behind-the-scenes footage, and OOH activity with humorous disclaimers about things not included in the “changes everything” brand promise – like dog grooming abilities, with an image of a doleful chihuahua whose fur has been shaved into a mohawk, or your parcel being left in a safe place, which shows a large box unsuccessfully hidden under a small doormat.

Ed Palmer, managing director at St Luke’s, says: “As you’d imagine from a proud B Corp company, THIS™ has an incredible track record in sustainability and ethics. But this campaign is about tackling the die-hard sceptics who still believe meat alternatives can’t be delicious. And what better way to persuade them than by serving up a healthy portion of daft humour to chew on?”

The TV campaign runs from 6 January on selected ITV regions and ITVX, while the OOH can be seen on the London Underground, national railway stations and the roadside large digital format in Shoreditch.

Mark Cuddigan, CEO at THIS™, adds: “We’ve always believed the plant-based category should be bold, cheeky and unapologetically fun. And we think the campaign achieves that, and more – it flips the whole script. THIS™ changes everything, and we’re here to prove it. If we can get people laughing and rethinking what they put on their plates this Veganuary, that’s a win. 2025 is set to be a big year for us, with exciting NPD on the horizon. It’s time to push boundaries and drive radical collaboration across the industry – because together, we can have more impact."

It coincides with THIS™ unveiling its refreshed brand and packaging, with updated typography and a new visual element of a blue sky filled with rays of sunlight from behind a cloud. The campaign also coincides with Veganuary, of which THIS™ is a Gold sponsor.

St Luke’s was appointed to the THIS™ account in October after a competitive pitch process overseen by Marketing Director, Debbie Epstein, who took up her role last spring. The agency’s remit covers all of THIS™’s brand communications including TV, OOH and social campaign-specific support.