Mycoprotein-based meat alternatives brand Quorn has launched a new TV campaign called Mission Snack Swap. In the ad, the company’s pig, cow, and chicken puppets go on a mission to swap meat-based snacks for Quorn alternatives without being noticed.
The brand has kicked off the campaign by hiring a Tom Cruise lookalike, who walked around London eating Quorn products ahead of the latest Mission: Impossible premiere. He was spotted by several fans, who stopped to ask for selfies.
Quorn claims it has been the fastest growing brand in chilled meat-free in the last 12 weeks, adding that its ‘So Tasty’ snacking campaign, conducted last year, has brought over 400,000 new shoppers into the category.
Alongside the TV ad, the Mission Snack Swap campaign will be activated across other channels such as online video, social media, PR, and in-store.
Mixed outlook
Despite Quorn’s claims of rapid growth, the brand’s parent company, Monde Nissin, recently reported a mixed financial outlook. It said profits from its Meat Alternative division had dropped by 3.8%, or 5.8% on a constant-currency basis, due to reduced demand. However, Monde Nissin confirmed that Quorn snacking products are beginning to perform better in the UK, since the business has been focusing on developing this area.
Monde Nissin CEO Henry Soesanto previously provided financial support to Quorn from his own family business in 2023. Late last year, David Flochel, former MD of Heineken UK, was appointed as the new CEO of Quorn after Marco Bertacca stepped down.
“We’ve had so much fun with our puppets over the last few years, and they have become stars of the small screen,” says Lucy Grogut, head of brands at Quorn Foods. “This year, we were excited to hear that our ‘Mission Snack Swap’ was launching back onto TV screens the same week as the latest Mission: Impossible film hits the big screen.
“Our Tom Cruise lookalike had a ball (and a bite!) with consumers, and it was the perfect way to start out a summer of snacking. With such a close resemblance, he left shoppers really asking, ‘why choose the alternative?’”
