LONDON, 6 JANUARY 2025: THIS™, the UK’s fastest-growing top 10 plant-based food brand, is bringing its trademark humour to TV screens during Veganuary with the debut advertising campaign from its new creative agency, St Luke’s.
“THIS™ Changes Everything” marks the biggest advertising campaign by THIS™ since it was founded in 2019. It was created by St Luke’s in response to a brief to help THIS™ move to its next stage of growth by driving uptake among people who love eating meat but want to cut back without compromising on deliciousness.
It launches today, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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?”
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.”
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”.
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.
