Hamburger Helper Packaged Food – July 2010

Intro
Hamburger Helper, a client of McCann Erickson NY, was my summer internship project.  As the sole planner on a team eight interns, I worked through the research, strategy, creative brainstorming and pitched the campaign.

Context
Hamburger Helper is a stove-top meal first introduced by General Mills in 1971. It has been providing a hearty, filling meal to Americans for almost four decades. A long time favorite among cooking mothers, many children have grown up on Mom’s Hamburger Helper. Now, Hamburger Helper wants to reach a secondary target market of young professionals who are out on their own. The budget is $1M.

Research
There are many food options available at meal time, ranging in price and effort required to prepare it. Hamburger Helper falls into the category of eating at home, and the subcategory of dinner kits -pre-packaged meals that require limited preparation. Furthermore, of all the products in the dinner kit category, Hamburger Helper is the only one with the potential to be positioned as a transitional food for young adults.

With a solid understanding of the category, competition and product, the next step was to conduct primary research with the target audience and gather their insights to shape the campaign strategy.

Research methods: Mintel, Simmons, competitive audit, digital ethnography, social media monitoring.

Discovery
Young professionals attempt to expand their mental cook book by experimenting in the kitchen.  Dinner kits are often a go-to base that budding cooks use to prepare their semi-homemade meals.

Strategy
Hamburger Helper is the perfect dinner kit that serves as a transitional food for young professionals slowly adjusting to their new independence.

Creative Brief
Objective: Make Hamburger Helper a dinner staple among young professionals no longer living at their parent’s home (and dependent on mom’s cooking!).

Target: DAVE, 22, just started his first “real” job at a small graphic design firm. Outside of work, he shares beer pitchers with his kickball league teammates and follows his fantasy football team using his iPhone. Dave wants to prove himself as self sufficient, but he unapologetically does what he wants when he wants and doesn’t bother trying too many new things. When it comes to food, taste and convenience rule. While he eats plenty of fast food and take-out, he’s also cooking for himself for the first time and knows he can’t survive off of Ramen Noodles alone. The food he cooks must be tasty, hearty and fast – and can’t break into his beer budget!

Consumer Insight: He wants to play like a kid, but eat like an adult.

Campaign Idea: Make a real meal tonight!

Why is it believable: Beyond Mac & Cheese, a real meal includes meat.

Mandatories: Tonality should be humorous, unapologetic and light-hearted. Demonstrates significant taste appeal. Features Cheeseburger Mac flavor.

Creative

Result
Campaign came in 2nd place (out of four) in the intern cohort. I succeeded in completing multiple awesome cooking sessions all of which resulted in no fires.