Sabra’s first foray comes as sales in the hummus category have slowed from what Levine says was “very strong” growth over the past 10 to 15 years. This makes the Super Bowl a good opportunity to reinvigorate the category.
Only about one-third of U.S. households buys hummus on an annual basis. Levine says one reason hummus doesn’t have more wide-spread use is because it has been “narrowly defined.” Typically, we see pita chips, celery and carrots used to dip, but Levine said people are dipping all kinds of food in hummus, like pizza and wings.
“There is an opportunity to broaden the usage of category,” he says. “We want to make hummus more relevant to more people.”
Sabra plans to do this by speaking to a more diverse group of Americans during the Super Bowl and showcasing more foods you can dip into hummus.
The ad, created by VaynerMedia, is upbeat in tone and meant to entertain while also reflecting an array of cultural perspectives.
“The best way to do that was to create communication that would reach everyone in America," Levine says. “We didn’t want to use one or two celebrities that have a wide reach. We used a lot of people that spoke directly to specific consumer audiences.”
Levine calls this strategy “personalization at scale. ... There’s something for everyone in this ad."
Sabra was careful to approach inclusivity in a way that wouldn't be seen as merely pro forma, or favoring one group over another. Levine says they took a very “apolitical” approach.
“Inclusive marketing, even under best intentions, can find itself feeding into the divisiveness of the country,” Levine says.
As it relates to casting, Levine says the goal was to find celebrities who would relate to every demographic, from boomer to Gen Z and those who lean both to the left and right politically. And, just maybe, from both sides of the bridge and tunnel divide.
