Why granola brand Purely Elizabeth is launching its first national campaign

Granola brand Purely Elizabeth is looking to build on momentum from higher sales with the launch of its first national campaign. The “Savor the Start” campaign from TDA Boulder comes after first-quarter sales jumped 56%, according to the company. “We are at an inflection point in our distribution and want to grow brand awareness and sales,” said Elizabeth Stein, founder and CEO of Purely Elizabeth. To do that, the campaign focuses on the idea of taking small steps toward a larger goal. The hero spot finds a man eating a bowl of Purely Elizabeth original granola at his kitchen table. If he can start with a good breakfast, surely he can meditate for a few minutes … or hours, or study with monks, even leave his corporeal form. “We live in a culture obsessed with outcomes and perfectionism, so focusing on the power of the start was our guiding principle for this campaign,” said Maru Bernal, creative director at TDA Boulder. “We wanted to remind people that on their journey toward wellness, one good choice can lead to another. That’s why our tone is encouraging and inspiring—not preachy or too serious.” Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The creative Honing on the creative was a new experience for the Purely Elizabeth team. “Certainly if you had asked me at the beginning of all this what the creative execution would have been, it would not have been this,” said Stein. “I thought I would need to be in it, but TDA did a great job of showing us a different approach.” The brand wanted to recognize the 40% of its consumers who are male. So it had a male actor but kept the female voiceover in a nod to being a woman-founded brand. Business climate The global granola market is forecast to reach around $8.5 billion in 2024, up from $8.3 billion in 2023 and $8.2 billion in 2022, according to a report from Acumen Research and Consulting. The report notes that the category has been growing as consumers look for healthier breakfast products with protein and fiber. Granola is also seen as a good on-the-go snack and a healthy dessert alternative. Stein says that Purely Elizabeth is seeing these trends lead to sales. “We see consumers getting protein from yogurt and cottage cheese, but they still want that crunch,” Stein said. “We also launched a cookie granola last quarter and see that it’s skewing as a snacking option.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elizabeth Stein (@purely_elizabeth) When asked if the brand was concerned about the increasing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Stein said that the brand doesn’t see the drugs as a threat, but rather as a starting point for consumers to learn more about healthier foods. “I think for a lot of people going on that path, you feel better about how you look and feel,” Stein said. “So that first step may lead you to keep making healthier choices.” Media strategy Though Purely Elizabeth was started in 2009, it was not until 2021 that the brand made a small foray into advertising with one ad that ran on streaming and YouTube in four cities in two regions for 10 weeks. Since then, the brand’s marketing efforts have primarily focused on social content, working directly with influencers and creators. The “Savor the Start” campaign will run across connected TV, online video and audio, with out-of-home and digital displays in Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Denver and Boston. The media buy was handled by Apollo Partners. Goop partnership As part of the campaign, Purely Elizabeth will kick off a partnership with Goop, the wellness and lifestyle brand started by Gwenyth Paltrow in 2008. Purely Elizabeth granola will be sold in Goop’s stores and online. The brands also partnered on a banana bread made with almond flour and topped with cashew butter frosting and granola that will be sold by the delivery-only Goop Kitchen in California. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

Why granola brand Purely Elizabeth is launching its first national campaign

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