The Best Thing Since New Campaigns

Wonder Bread campaignThis week, I stumbled upon a new offering from the king of the bread box, Wonder Bread, thanks to a smile-inducing campaign tailor made for TV and Web. I really shouldn’t be that surprised. Since the beginning the brand itself has always represented a wholesome, feel-good product at the core of America’s bread basket (it even sponsored Ricky Bobby’s faux stock car!).

In its latest effort, we see Wonder Bread Canada aim for its tried and true audience of families with everyday stories. But, much like a good turkey club, the trick here is in the presentation. An interesting stop-motion style to the graphics generates sandwiches, snacks and breakfast toast before your eyes while incidental conversations held over the bread give us context for the charming visuals. Together, they tell a story similar to what any viewer has experienced with friends, parents, spouses and siblings in their own kitchens but painted with a different brush. These vignettes are simple, lovable and consistent. And isn’t that exactly what Wonder Bread stands for?

My Take

What catches me is the variation on theme executed with class, even with its tagline. Personally, I love seeing how established brands find creative new ways to convey the same (or at least similar) messages over time without resorting to making their brand “more extreme!” That’s much of the challenge for any advertiser, including us at 20|20. For decades, Wonder Bread’s angle hasn’t changed much, and for good reason. Something this engrained into Americana doesn’t need to lose face in something like the war on carbohydrates. It’s just not worth it when enough people have at least a positive association with what you do. So this display of ingenuity and consistency makes me grin.