Hellmann’s Tackles Food Deserts with Experiential Marketing

When it comes to raising awareness for important causes, the phrase "walk a mile in their shoes" may be easier said than done. Yet, oftentimes helping consumers experience issues can be the most eye-opening information of all. One food brand is doing just that – transforming grocery stores into food deserts.

Hellmann's mayonnaise brand is tackling a widespread but not widely understood issue in Canada: food deserts. Through the "Real Food Movement" campaign, the brand is helping consumers understand the plight of one in five Canadians who currently live in food deserts – areas where fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthful foods are inaccessible or expensive. And although the issue is commonplace, only 50 percent of Canadians know the term, according to a survey conducted by Hellmann's. To help consumers understand, Hellmann's created a grocery store to reflect a food desert, with empty shelves, limited produce and high prices; shoppers entering the store were shocked by what they saw.

To read more on Cone's Prove Your Purpose blog, click here.