Birthday drive-by parades. Zoom Thanksgiving dinners. Socially distant holiday parties. Consumers have not had a lot to celebrate in the past year. Except the small things.
To that end, coffee creamer brand International Delight has launched a new marketing campaign that encourages consumers to “leave room to party” and express themselves in their morning coffee mugs.
“This last year has issued in a new kind of ‘virtual’ normal, and that has repressed people’s ability to express themselves,” said Leora Kelley, senior brand manager for International Delight. “International Delight is about celebrating that party feeling. This work brings that experience to life.”
In a series of online advertisements, people are depicted being overcome with the urge to dance after adding the creamer to their coffee. One spot begins by showing a half-full mug of coffee, emblazoned with the words “Your room for International Delight” on the inside.
A voiceover explains that’s “where coffee puts on its party pants” before cutting to a young woman deciding whether to add French Vanilla-flavored creamer or a new “Fruity Pebbles” flavored version. Upon selecting the latter, the woman is transported to a Flintstones-esque setting where she meets colorful back-up dancers and colored cereal falling from the sky. (Yes, there is also a version of the clan’s iconic foot-powered car.) “Fill your room with International Delight or mess up your whole dang day,” concludes the voiceover.
A second spot shows a man being transported to a purple cowboy fantasia after sampling the brand’s zero-sugar creamer.
The spots feature choreography by Natricia Bernard, who has worked with artists including Katy Perry, Florence and the Machine and Kanye West, to bring the brand’s personality to life. “Dancing is a great form of self-expression,” Kelley says. “All of our actors became dancers thanks to her input.”
A social media component of the campaign features comedian, actor and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race “Bob the Drag Queen.” The celebrity will share tips on creating space for self-expression and creamer-inspired looks through Instagram.
“Bob the Drag Queen is all about inspiring fans to bring their authentic selves to the forefront,” Kelley says. “As a brand, we’re trying to champion self-expression, and we feel like Bob does that every day.”
