Campaign Summary

Old El Paso's "Mess Free Hero" campaign introduced Tortilla Pockets, a new product designed to reduce mealtime mess. The campaign centered on a parody of Foreigner's "Juke Box Hero", performed by social media influencers in a TikTok-exclusive music video. This innovative approach leveraged nostalgia, user-generated content (UGC), and influencer partnerships to create a viral sensation. The campaign extended beyond TikTok to include Spotify partnerships and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, resulting in billions of video views, significant lifts in brand awareness and purchase intent, and substantial sales growth for the new product.

Strategy

Objective

Old El Paso aimed to launch its new Tortilla Pockets product by breaking through in a cluttered category, driving awareness of the product's key benefits, and establishing brand distinctiveness through ownable cultural moments.

Context

Recognizing that its target audience, "Funstigator Parents," sought less messy taco nights and were increasingly turning to TikTok for dinner inspiration, Old El Paso created a campaign that merged nostalgia, music, and social media trends.

Target Audience

The campaign targeted "Funstigator Parents," aged 25-44, who prioritize family fun with minimal fuss during mealtimes.

Creative and Media Strategy

Old El Paso reimagined Foreigner's 80s hit "Juke Box Hero" as "Mess Free Hero," creating a custom parody track performed by leading social media influencers. This strategy aimed to enhance product distinction and anchor the brand to an ownable cultural moment.

Execution/Use of Media

The campaign execution included:

• A TikTok-exclusive music video featuring influencers and musical talent
• A #MessFreeHero TikTok challenge encouraging UGC
• Partnerships with additional creators and music-focused TikTok influencers
• Presence at the 2022 MTV VMAs with top TikTok creators
• A Spotify partnership featuring a first-to-market, in-app "stage experience"
• OTT video content with multiple versions prompting product purchase

The campaign innovatively integrated the product into the song's lyrics and video, with Tortilla Pockets doubling as microphones in influencer performances.

Business Impact

The campaign achieved impressive results:

• Over 1.8 million #MessFreeHero TikTok UGC videos created (103 percent above benchmark)
• 8 billion video views for the #MessFreeHero hashtag challenge on TikTok
• A 12-point lift in brand awareness and a 15-point lift in purchase intent from influencer content
• A 36-point lift in ad recall from Spotify's Stage unit
• $5 million in Tortilla Pocket sales during the campaign period

The "Mess Free Hero" campaign successfully positioned Old El Paso's Tortilla Pockets as an innovative solution to mealtime messes while creating a significant cultural moment. By leveraging digital trends, nostalgic content, and user-generated challenges, the campaign not only reached a massive audience but also encouraged active participation and engagement. This approach demonstrated the power of combining product innovation with culturally relevant, platform-specific content to drive brand awareness and sales in a competitive market.