As Brits grapple with the fast pace of modern life, over half of the population cites the “mealtime mental load” as their top source of stress, beating managing finances. Recipe box Gousto is tackling this head-on with its ‘Off My Plate’ campaign which shines a light on the nations’ shared pressures around mealtimes, positioning their market-leading offering as the antidote for those with too much on their plate.
The statement “Off My Plate” line of ceramics celebrates the nation’s shared struggles when it comes to plating up consistently new and inspiring dishes day after day and aims to make cooking fun again, addressing concerns that 42% find it hard to keep mealtimes exciting. Each plate, created with sustainable materials, is adorned with tongue-in-cheek, relatable catchphrases inspired by the nation’s mealtime gripes such as “Make linguine, not lists”, “Winner, winner sorted dinner”, “99 problems but dinner ain’t one”, “No more forks to give”, “Smash avocados, not plates”. The typeface on the plates is inspired by the chaos of busy modern life.
The campaign is part of the recipe box’s wider marketing efforts to position Gousto as the go-to for dinner, any night of the week. With unrivalled recipe choice and dinner inspiration, AI-recommended meal suggestions and precise ingredients delivered directly to doorsteps, Gousto takes a huge bite out of the nations’ overflowing to-do lists so they can focus on the most fun part – the cooking.
From “prepped in 5 minutes, easy speedy 10-minute meals” for busy days to flavourful recipes inspired by global cuisine, home cooks can wave goodbye to meal prep headaches and send the supermarket packing.
The campaign features a social film, shot by award-winning production company Gusto and fronted by comedian and long-term Gousto ambassador Katherine Ryan. The film spotlights the heightened mental load of mealtime planning experienced by Katherine herself.
Manifest has also recruited TV host Laura Jackson, Made in Chelsea star Oliver Proudlock, model Emma-Lou, the dynamic duo of actor Kola Bokinni and radio presenter Yola Bokinni, to further demonstrate the frustrations with mealtime planning that Brits are facing. Off My Plate is also supported by influencer activities across communities beyond families. The campaign has multiple layers, including influencer activity which highlights the universal mealtime mental load—showing how every household feels it differently.
Whether it’s being tired of dinner prep, being at cooking capacity or despising the washing up, Brits can head to gousto.co.uk/offmyplate to share their top mealtime gripes by 12 November for a chance to get their hands on a limited-edition plate by Margo in Margate. All plates are handcrafted and made at Margo’s home in Margate. The collection, with each one completely unique and requiring individual attention, takes up to two months to complete.
Carlie Wittred, Head of Brand Marketing and PR at Gousto said: “Off My Plate represents the mealtime mental load that we know all too well. By design, Gousto relieves a huge amount of this pressure, supporting customers in every stage of meal planning; from offering up unrivalled recipe choice featuring healthy options and family favourites, to delivering quality and precise ingredients directly to homes. We do the hard work so home cooks can focus on the bit we know they love most, which is the cooking.”
Daisy Phillips, Creative Director at Manifest said: “Good creative taps into the cultural conversation and the Off My Plate campaign does just that addressing the dreaded don’t ask me what’s for dinner with a bold and beautiful range of plates that celebrate forgetting the fuss (thanks to Gousto) and focusing on the food.”
