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Unilever exec dishes on first multibrand iAd campaign

Consumer packaged goods giant Unilever is running what it claims is the first iAd campaign promoting multiple brands.

Unilever is always searching for new ways to reach its target consumers and has been increasingly incorporating mobile marketing into individual brands? overall marketing strategy. The most recent example of this is the launch of the The Family Dish iAd campaign.

?Launching the iAd provided an opportunity to collaborate and innovate, with two thought leaders coming together to engage consumers in a unique and relevant way on a device that is always with them,? said Donna Barker, senior marketing director of center store at Unilever, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

?The Family Dish iAd provides a rich and engaging mobile experience, with custom-made, relevant interactive tools such as The Family Dish audio podcasts, where users can download music and recipes by up-and-coming musical artists,? she said.

Unilever is an Dutch-Anglo multinational corporation that owns many of consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products.

Its brands include Ragu, Lipton, Hellmann?s, Skippy, Knorr, Vaseline, Suave, Finesse, Degree, Ben & Jerry?s, Slim Fast, Axe, Dove, Breyers and Klondike.

Interpublic Group's McCann-Erickson Worldwide worked closely with Apple and Unilever to develop the iAd campaign creative.

Family Dish on iAd network
Unilever tapped Apple for a Dove Men+Care iAd campaign and the company has followed up with more recent efforts targeting iPhone and iPod touch users.

The Family Dish is a program created by Unilever to inspire moms to increase quality time with their family by getting them into the kitchen cooking together.

Unilever claims that The Family Dish campaign is the first iAd created and targeted specifically to moms and the first iAd supported by multiple brands as part of The Family Dish program.

The Family Dish iAd is supported by Lipton Recipe Secrets, Knorr Sides, Hellmann?s and Best Foods Mayonnaise, Ragu Pasta Sauce, Skippy Peanut Butter and Breyers Ice Cream.

The Family Dish iAd uses mobile media channels to connect and engage people in the hands-on activity of cooking together through features such as audio podcasts.

Audio podcasts feature up-and-coming musical artists such as Kate Voegele, their favorite recipes and a playlist by each artist.

When a user selects audio podcasts from the main menu, there is a short audio introduction by each artist which will prompt the consumers to download the full audio podcast.

The full Family Dish podcasts feature the artists walking the consumer through the steps of their recipe featuring four songs by the artists woven throughout the podcast.

The full Family Dish podcast can be downloaded for free online at http://www.thefamilydish.com or on iTunes under The Family Dish Podcasts.

Another feature of The Family Dish iAd is ?Shelf Help,? a virtual pantry that features The Family Dish supporting brands, such as Ragu Pasta Sauce and Breyers Ice Cream, as well as common household staples.

The user can select an item and see corresponding recipes from the Unilever Consumer Test Kitchens.
The Family Dish iAd launched on Sept. 9 and will run for approximately two months.

As the first iAd specifically targeted to moms, the Family Dish iAd appears primarily within applications across the entertainment, gaming, lifestyle and news/information genres.

Here is a screengrab of the animated portion of The Family Dish iAd:

The iAd drives consumers to the microsite at http://www.thefamilydish.com, where additional recipes, blogs from moms cooking with their families and The Family Dish podcasts can be found.

?Unilever has long been an innovator in advertising, from the first black-and-white and color advertising on UK TV to the first online ad to win the Lion d' Or at Cannes for Dove ?Evolution,?? Ms. Barker said. ?Recognized as a leading marketer in the digital age, a key part of our strategy is to unlock the potential of mobile marketing.

?Mobile is a very important channel for Unilever to reach our consumers where they live, work and play,? she said. ?We are encouraged by the early success we have seen for the Dove Men+Care and have also just launched one for Klondike.

?While it is too early to see results from The Family Dish iAd, we are committed to creating relevant and compelling content so moms will choose to spend more time with us bringing The Family Dish pantry-staples to her fingertips through a device she has with her at all times.?

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Marketer

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