Dive Brief:
- The ConAgra Brand has enlisted the Muppet’s own Swedish Chef to appear in ads for its cooking spray brand, PAM, according to Adweek.
- Subtitles are used humorously in the ads to help viewers understand what The Swedish Chef is saying. In one clip, the Swedish Chef says rather than using butter to cook the veggies, he turns to PAM Olive Oil, which “cuts fat and calories.”
- The Swedish Chef is no stranger to commercials, having been in ads for Bounty back in 2012.
Dive Insight:
The Muppets have a had long tradition of appearing in commercials, helping to bring attention to products like Toyota, Apple, and AT&T. Conagra Foods, which owns the PAM brand, is counting on the popular Swedish Chef character to draw attention to the cooking spray in a way that appeals to both kids and adults who grew up with the character.
Conagra is counting on a sense of nostalgia with its new “celebrity” spokesperson. The Muppets were huge in the ’80s with its TV show and movies, and The Swedish Chef has long been considered one of its most popular characters. PAM's website "inspirational cooking videos" and three chef-approved recipes.
While the Muppets have had somewhat of a resurgence since being acquired by Disney in 2004, including some successful movies and a failed TV show, those both seemed to rely on its past audience as much as attracting a new one.
The buzz alone about the commercials among Muppet lovers should be enough to add to PAM sales, and it wouldn’t be surprising to find some of The Swedish Chef’s other co-stars popping up in ads themselves.