SQUIRT'S JOURNEY
ART DIRECTION / 360 SHOPPER MARKETING / BRANDING / INFLUENCER
This campaign was a team effort where we came up with the campaign concept, designed and executed it. Then later pitched it to real Pepperidge Farm clients and The Mars Agency and sold the idea. The clients loved it! They bought the campaign and later this campaign launched in stores Nationwide in early back-to-school time (Aug/Step) 2018.
Partners: Art Directors Elyse Marcinkowski and Raphael Manigault
THE CHALLENGE:
Millennial parents have grown increasingly mindful of the ingredients in the foods they serve their families. While Goldfish colors
are sourced from plants many parents still assume the bright colors come from artificial dyes and chemicals. Goldfish packaging doesn't list the health-focused labels (like Organic, Whole Grain, or Gluten Free) that many moms look for when shopping. Because of this Goldfish has a harder time earning consideration from ingredient-conscious parents.
THE INSIGHT:
Millennial Moms grew up with Goldfish, they were a staple of their childhood, from lunchboxes and after-school snacks to road trips and family outings. Today these moms are looking for snacks that align with their ingredient expectations while creating meaningful moments with their own children. The brands they trust most are the ones that meet their standards and become part of their family's memories and traditions.
THE BIG IDEA:
To bring families together while changing the misconceptions about Goldfish ingredients we created Squirt's Journey,
a 360° promotional campaign centered around a new colorless Goldfish character named Squirt.
Inspired by nostalgic choose-your-own-adventure stories that Millennial Moms once loved as kids - the campaign invited Moms and their children to follow on Squirt's journey to find her color while also learning that Goldfish colors are naturally sourced from plants.
Through a limited-edition product launch, interactive digital experiences, in-store activations, and prize opportunities,
families helped decide which color Squirt would become.
The campaign transformed ingredient education into an engaging family experience that encouraged participation both online and in-store. By bringing parents and children together through storytelling, Squirt's Journey strengthened trust in the Goldfish brand while celebrating the memories families create around the snack they love.
When kids are born they are empty pallets. Every choice that they make helps to define who they are.
Pepperidge Farm and Goldfish recognized a common misconception among parents — that their snacks are made with toxic ingredients. They want to correct that perception, rebuild trust, and highlight the real ingredients behind Goldfish, helping parents feel confident about the snacks they serve.
Kids look to their parents to help guide them and make good choices.
We'll be engaging millennial Mom's in a way that feels nostalgic to them. By creating a choose your own adventure type story and creating an experience that Mom's can experience along side their children.
Introducing "Are you my color? Squirts Journey" This campaign is centered around a new colorless goldfish character named Squirt. Squirt is on a journey to discover her color and needs Mom's and their kid's help to determine what color she will be.
Meet Squirt!
We'll be transporting Mom's back to their childhood with their kids and take them on an adventure to choose the next color. Along this journey kids and parents will learn about how Pepperidge Farm and Goldfish use real ingredients and source all their colors from plants.
Introducing "Are you my color? Squirts Journey" This campaign is centered around a new colorless goldfish character named Squirt. Squirt is on a journey to discover her color and needs Mom's and their kid's help to determine what color she will be.
Squirt meeting her other goldfish friends and asking how can she find her color.
TO START THE CAMPAIGN
To kick off the campaign, we partnered with popular mommy bloggers and family-focused influencers to help spread awareness of Squirt's Journey. Millennial Moms often turn to other parents for trusted recommendations, parenting advice, and product discoveries, making these creators a natural way to introduce the campaign and its message.
We partnered with Michigan natives Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard to narrate Squirt's Journey across social media. Their family-focused personalities help introduce the story, build excitement around the campaign.
These special-edition Goldfish bags hit the shelves of Meijer stores. They feature a colorless, storybook-inspired design that introduces families to Squirt and her journey. Inside each bag parents and children will find a unique access code that unlocks Squirt's Journey online at on the Goldfish microsite, allowing them to follow her adventure and help decide what color she'll become.
Across Goldfish's Facebook and Instagram we will share a series of videos, story updates, and interactive posts that will highlight the campaign, keep viewers interested, and update on Squirt's journey.
The more times the viewers interact with Squirt's journey on the Goldfish website the more chances they will be entered to win a Meijer gift card.
EXPERIENCE MAP
