StrawberryFrog

StrawberryFrog for True North.

This has absolutely nothing to do with nuts or snacks, but it is the winning spot from a True North campaign that called upon people from across the U.S. to submit their own "True North story." A "True North story" explains what you do in life that is, or will become, a part of your legacy; it tells the world what you are passionate about and how if affects people around you, and this is essentially your "True North."

The campaign was designed to introduce yet another snack brand into the marketplace and onto grocery store shelves. True North, which is made by Frito Lay, wanted to create a nationwide "Cultural Movement" illustrating how the brand is all about finding your passion in life. I'm not sure how a brand of nuts develops into an identity about finding your passion in life; the transformation is necessary when advertising for a rather unoriginal or bland product. This work feels very similar to the Nature Valley campaign created by Campbell Mithun, which asked consumers to find their own "Nature Valley." The difference being that one's Nature Valley is only a physical place in nature, while one's True North is the act that they feel passionate about; the edge that True North has over Nature Valley (as far as these metaphysical brand places are concerned) is that True North is a more selfless idea that involves making the world better, or more interesting, for others-not just finding a place for you.

Interestingly enough, this campaign actually started by placing full page ads in newspapers prompting people to share their "True North story" online. Out of the hundreds that were put online in the form of essays, one was chosen (the spot seen above) to be filmed by actress-turned-director Helen Hunt and aired at the Academy Awards. The Academy Awards gave the brand huge reach, to the tune of 40 million Americans. Airing at such a sophisticated venue also helped set the brand apart from their main competitor, Planters, by aligning True North with elegance and the sharing of the year's best stories, which is what the Oscars are supposed to honor. There is no mention in the agency's case study of how the campaign impacted marketing objectives, but the True North brand has certainly succeeded in forging a place in the consumers' mind so they are, at the very least, aware of the new brand.