"Lab-created meat alternatives by the likes of Beyond Meat, P.L.T. and Impossible Foods are gaining popularity and market share, even taking their place on fast food menus at Burger King and McDonald's. Tree Elven, author and founder of ADDS at Addvertising.org, explores the meat-alternative dichotomy and how advertising helped build these brands.
Quorn has been around since 1985, producing a meat substitute made from a fungus in its bid to reduce reliance on animal protein to feed the world. Fast-forward to 2020, and Britain's Leeds-based Meatless Farm is stirring the pot with its attention-grabbing 'Now, that's a M.... F.... Burger!' campaign. We've come a long way.
"We wanted to communicate to meat-eaters that there is no compromise on taste, texture or price when going M*** F***. Simply swapping once a week can make an astonishing impact on our environment and people's well-being,” preached Michael Hunter, chief growth officer at Meatless Farm.
The brand also challenged the public to become BBQ warriors and use its plant-based products instead of traditional animal meat. By positioning barbie fans as activists, and using effective visual references in the video campaign, Meatless Farm hit home that over-consumption of meat is devastating the environment.
This report by international NGO Global Witness chronicles the killings of environmental defenders. Meanwhile, deforestation and harmful livestock-farming techniques have been developed to feed huge demand for burgers and other meat products that would previously have been luxuries rather than everyday eating.
But the meat-free fightback's attracting rap and rock icons, embodying its growing popularity.
Snoop Dogg surprised customers at a Dunkin' drive-through in Los Angeles by serving up meat-free Beyond Meat sausage sandwiches in this 30-second ad. Dunkin’ says that it brought in the 'biggest Beyond Meat fan' it knows and dubbed him Employee of the Month for his efforts.
Meantime, Italian-American restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s deployed US rock icon Meat Loaf earlier to promote its vegan option with a play on famous lyrics: fans will know Meat Loaf "won't do that", but the question has always been, what is 'that'? (Watch the 1.40” clip to find out).
Now celebrities including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Serena Williams, Zedd, Trevor Noah and Will.i.am have put their money where our mouths are bringing massive endorsement to a global industry which looks set to treble between 2018 and 2026, from $10bn to more than $30bn. No wonder the likes of Bill Gates and Al Gore are involved.
So, whether you’re a carnivore wanting to cut back, a vegetarian or vegan looking for fresh flavours to tickle the taste buds, or simply a curious foodie, meat alternative products are looking good, right?"
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