Social media has become an essential ingredient for packaged food brands looking to spice up their marketing. With influencer marketing projected to exceed $32.55 billion by the end of 2025, it's clear that brands are embracing the power of digital platforms. But it’s not just about shouting into the void—it’s about creating interactive, engaging content that gets consumers involved and invested.
For packaged food brands, the focus has shifted to partnerships with micro and nano influencers, and tailoring content to the specific quirks of each platform, like TikTok's trend-driven culture or Instagram’s visual appeal. Brands are also doubling down on interactive content, using challenges, polls, and live-streamed events to keep the conversation going.
One brand that’s mastered this? Walkers Crisps. Their campaigns, like the #ChooseOrLose hashtag and live-streamed #WinLive sweepstakes, have successfully turned crisps into a conversation starter, engaging fans in real-time, boosting participation, and driving massive social buzz.
So, how did Walkers turn their crisps into a social media sensation? Keep reading to uncover the strategy behind their crunchy success and the most effective social tactics for packaged food brands!
- 1. Powering Fan Engagement with Social Hashtags and Live Stream Sweepstakes
- 2. Creating a Buzz with Real-Time, Trend-Driven Social Media Content
- 3. Mastering the Art of Tailored Reels Ads for Packaged Food Brands
- 4. Boosting Engagement with Influencer-Led Hashtag Challenges and Custom Filters
- 5. Turning Merchandise into a Social Media Star
- 6. Turning Snack Time Into Social Time with a TikTok Challenge
- Harness the Power of Social Media for Your Brand’s Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Powering Fan Engagement with Social Hashtags and Live Stream Sweepstakes
When it comes to creating buzz on social media, it's all about turning your audience into active participants. Gone are the days of passive content consumption—today’s social media landscape thrives on interactivity and real-time engagement.
One particularly effective way to harness this is through social hashtag campaigns combined with live-stream sweepstakes. This strategy invites users to engage with your brand in real time, with the added incentive of exciting, on-the-spot rewards.
So, how does this strategy work, and why is it especially effective for packaged food brands? It’s all about tapping into the power of community and immediate gratification. Packaged food brands, like Walkers, can leverage their audience’s passion for their products by creating fun, personalized campaigns that allow fans to contribute to decisions, share experiences, and earn instant rewards—everything a snack lover could dream of.
Take, for instance, the #ChooseOrLose campaign. It wasn’t just a typical flavor launch—this was a full-blown social takeover. Walkers tapped into fan involvement by letting people vote for the crisps they wanted to keep and those they were willing to sacrifice. They used hashtags like #ChooseOrLose on Twitter and Facebook, blending consumer choice with an active social dialogue.
I’m voting for Walkers Prawn Cocktail! #chooseorlose https://t.co/CdYoAj3o1g
— Finlay Cowe (@CoweFinlay) September 13, 2017
Fans felt part of the decision-making process, not just as passive consumers but as co-creators of the brand’s flavor future.
Now, let's talk about the live stream element. The #WinLive campaign brought fans directly into the action, creating a real-time interactive experience. Hosted on Facebook Live in partnership with ITV, the campaign invited viewers to comment with #WinLive for a chance to win a year’s worth of groceries.
Instant gratification was the name of the game. No waiting. No fuss. Just comment and boom, you could win big. The campaign harnessed the power of live interaction to keep audiences engaged, creating an unmissable event that kept people talking long after the stream ended.
The results from Walker’s campaigns were nothing short of impressive. The #WinLive live stream on Facebook achieved a 50% engagement rate, with over 60,000 views and more than 36,000 total interactions (comments, reactions, and shares).
Key Takeaway
Want to make your social media marketing campaign a must-see event? Try blending interactive social hashtags with live streaming and sweepstakes. Engage your audience in real-time, give them a voice, and reward them instantly for their participation. For packaged food brands (or really, any brand that loves to get people talking), this strategy can drive both fan engagement and brand loyalty, making your brand not just a product, but an experience.
2. Creating a Buzz with Real-Time, Trend-Driven Social Media Content
Nowadays, success isn’t just about scheduled posts and pretty pictures—it’s about timing, relevance, and knowing how to ride the wave of what's trending. This is especially true for brands in crowded markets, like packaged food, where standing out requires more than just showcasing the product.
The strategy here? Real-time, trend-driven content. This means leveraging social listening, jumping on current trends, and adapting to the moment to create a highly relevant, timely brand presence. It’s like having your finger on the pulse of the internet and responding instantly with something your audience wants to see—and share.
For packaged food brands, real-time content creates the perfect opportunity to engage with a wider audience in a way that feels organic and authentic. In a saturated space where people have no shortage of snack options, standing out requires moving beyond the product itself and tapping into cultural conversations that connect on a deeper, more emotional level.
Take OREO's "Always-On UK Social" campaign as a prime example of how this strategy works in practice. Tasked with connecting the playful, iconic American cookie with the traditionally biscuit-obsessed UK market, OREO needed more than just a basic social presence. They needed to live on social media.
The solution? A real-time, trend-driven approach that adapted their content to resonate with British audiences by engaging with daily news, real-time social trends, and TikTok-first creative.
OREO didn't just wait for the perfect moment; they created moments by jumping into conversations as they were happening, making their content feel timely and part of the cultural zeitgeist.
By closely monitoring trends, news-jacking (aka hijacking trending topics for brand relevancy), and embracing the unpredictable nature of social media, OREO was able to test, learn, and adapt their approach with speed and agility.
One such trend was the #SaveSomeCookiesForSanta trend, launched by the Oreo UK TikTok account. The campaign featured videos depicting the mystery of disappearing gingerbread cookies left for Santa. Creators and users joined in, sharing their own interpretations and solutions to the cookie conundrum.
@oreouki Replying to @OreoUKI A mother in shock, a missing plate of Gingerbread Flavoured OREO cookies… but wait, where was she when it happened? 🤔 Is there more to her story than meets the eye? You tell me. The sweetest mystery continues! 🕵️♂️✨ #SaveSomeCookiesForSanta ♬ original sound - OreoUKI
The results? OREO’s trend-first, always-on approach delivered over 50 million organic social media impressions in just six months. Engagement across all channels spiked by several hundred percent, and on TikTok, OREO shot to the top spot, becoming the #1 Mondelēz brand, even overtaking UK icon Cadbury. Proof that when a cookie joins the conversation, it can completely dominate the feed.
Key Takeaway
Want to bring your brand into the conversation right now? Use social listening tools to track trends, and don’t be afraid to jump on a viral moment with relevant content. The key is being agile—respond quickly, adapt to the moment, and create engaging content that speaks to your audience’s interests as they evolve. Real-time content is a powerful way to make your brand feel fresh and connected to what's happening in the world today.
3. Mastering the Art of Tailored Reels Ads for Packaged Food Brands
In a world full of polished, traditional ads, sometimes the best strategy is to embrace a more unpolished, organic approach. When it comes to social media marketing, particularly on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it's no longer just about delivering a professional-looking ad; it’s about crafting content that feels native to the platform and resonates with the audience's expectations.
Enter Reels-first advertising—a strategy that focuses on creating content tailored specifically for the Reels format, taking full advantage of its unique, spontaneous, and visually engaging nature.
For packaged food brands, this is a game-changer. Reels offers a full-screen, vertical video experience that's perfect for snackable, quick-consumption content, just like the products these brands are trying to sell. The key is to get creative with content that feels authentic and relatable, blending seamlessly into the platform's ecosystem rather than standing out like a sore thumb.
Think of it as making your brand feel like it’s already a part of the conversation happening on Instagram and Facebook, not just an outsider trying to sell something.
A stellar example of this approach is Ritz Crackers' tailored Reels ad campaign. Ritz had already seen some success with video ads in the Reels format but decided to go further by testing a more bespoke, Reels-optimized creative.
The brand's media and creative agencies—VaynerMedia, The Martin Agency, and Dentsu—teamed up with Meta to reimagine Ritz's ads, moving beyond the polished, traditional approach. The new campaign leaned into the authentic, spontaneous nature of Reels content by creating fun, relatable snack-time videos, featuring unpolished recipes that viewers could easily replicate.
With playful music, visual effects, and text overlays encouraging participation through the #RitzTogether sweepstakes, the ads were designed to blend in effortlessly with what people already loved to watch on Reels.
The results? Well, let’s just say the campaign was a resounding success. By using creative tailored specifically for the Reels format, Ritz Crackers achieved a 3.7-point lift in campaign awareness and a 2.8-point lift in unaided ad recall—a significant increase compared to the usual polished ad creative.
Even better, they saw a staggering 3.3X more 3-second view plays, which indicates a much higher level of engagement and interest from the audience.
Key Takeaway
To stand out in the crowded world of packaged food marketing, tailor your ads specifically to the platform you're using. For Instagram Reels, this means moving away from overly polished content and embracing an unpolished, spontaneous approach that speaks to your audience’s expectations. Make your brand feel native to the platform, and watch as engagement and recall soar.
4. Boosting Engagement with Influencer-Led Hashtag Challenges and Custom Filters
In the age of social media, building a community around your brand isn’t just about posting cute photos or witty captions. It's about creating interactive, engaging experiences that turn your audience into active participants.
One powerful way to do this? Influencer-led hashtag challenges combined with custom AR filters. This strategy taps into the influence of social personalities while offering fans a way to interact with your brand in a fun and creative way. It’s the perfect combo of entertainment, engagement, and shareability—key ingredients for any successful social campaign.
For packaged food brands, this tactic is especially effective. Consumers are constantly searching for new, exciting ways to engage with the products they love, and brands that offer them a chance to create and share content are winning big. Not only does this drive direct engagement, but it also sparks conversations around your products that feel organic and authentic.
Enter the M&M’s campaign by The Goat Agency. To raise awareness and engage users on Instagram, The Goat Agency partnered with six influencers, each embodying one of the brand’s colorful characters: Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Orange, and Brown.
These influencers didn’t just promote the brand; they lived and breathed the characters, using Instagram Stories, Reels, and Posts to position M&M’s within cultural moments—whether that be in the world of streaming, baking, or gifting. The cherry on top? Two custom filters—#WhichMAreYou (which assigned you an M&M character) and a Halloween gaming filter—fueled further social buzz, driving both engagement and UGC (user-generated content).
M&M's IG
The results were nothing short of impressive: the campaign generated 13.4 million+ impressions and 11.6 million+ engagements on Instagram. Even more striking, the custom filters and influencer participation led to a 45.25% Reels video view-through rate (VTR), proving that when you make your audience a part of the fun, they’re more likely to stick around and engage.
Key Takeaway
Want to supercharge your social media strategy? Combine the star power of influencers with interactive elements like hashtag challenges and custom AR filters. This tactic not only boosts engagement but also turns your audience into brand advocates, all while creating a viral loop that keeps people coming back for more. Get creative with how you engage—because when your audience is having fun, they’re more likely to spread the word.
5. Turning Merchandise into a Social Media Star
Sometimes, the most unexpected tools can turn into your brand’s best social media assets. For packaged food brands, leveraging custom merchandise as part of a social media strategy can be a brilliant way to build buzz, drive engagement, and create a lasting connection with your audience.
But here's the trick: it’s not just about slapping your logo on a mug or a t-shirt—it’s about creating something that speaks to your brand’s personality, resonates with your audience, and encourages sharing.
This strategy works particularly well when you’re trying to stand out in a competitive market. Instead of just posting photos of your products, get creative and think outside the bread box (pun intended). By crafting a piece of merchandise that’s not only fun but also functional, you’re giving your followers something they’ll genuinely want to engage with and keep long after the campaign ends.
A prime example of this in action is Wonder Bread Canada’s campaign, which took a fresh, fun approach to engaging their Instagram audience of 7,000 fans. The goal was simple: get people excited about their summer buns and boost brand recognition.
The solution? Custom, limited-edition merchandise in the form of an eco-friendly rPET hip pack made from recycled bottles. Designed to reflect Wonder Bread’s playful and sustainable vibe, the hip pack wasn’t just a promotional giveaway—it was the centerpiece of the campaign, encouraging fans to participate in a fun Instagram contest.
The design was intentional: a vibrant, summer-inspired piece that fit perfectly with Wonder Bread's colorful brand aesthetic. The practical functionality of the hip pack, along with its eco-friendly materials, helped make it both trendy and meaningful. What’s more, it was customized down to the last detail, from the color-matching zippers and straps to the subtle interior branding. It was a piece of merch people could actually use, which made it more likely they’d share photos of it and engage with the campaign.
The campaign was a resounding success. With 125 hip packs distributed to contest winners, posts featuring the merch generated a lot of buzz. Likes, comments, and shares soared, and a year later, the feedback continued to roll in, with one Loblaws buyer even sharing that the hip pack had become a household favorite.
Key Takeaway
Want to make a lasting impact with your next social media campaign? Don’t just think of merch as a giveaway—think of it as a creative, functional extension of your brand. Customize it to fit your audience’s lifestyle, integrate it into a fun and engaging contest, and make sure it’s something people want to use and share.
6. Turning Snack Time Into Social Time with a TikTok Challenge
A huge issue for packaged food brands is making products irresistible to a generation that’s constantly on their phones and scrolling through endless streams of content. The answer to this problem lies in creating a social experience around your product that feels organic, fun, and shareable. One of the most effective ways to do this is through interactive, influencer-driven challenges on platforms like TikTok.
For packaged food brands, TikTok is a goldmine, especially when it comes to capturing the attention of younger audiences, such as Gen Z. The key is to get your product to blend seamlessly into their lives, giving them something they not only want to share but feel compelled to engage with. This strategy focuses on leveraging popular trends, using influencers to start the conversation, and creating content that’s as fun as the product itself.
A shining example of this strategy in action is Pringles’ #PlayWithPringles campaign. Faced with the challenge of connecting with Gen Z, Pringles realized that their product wasn’t just a snack—it was an accessory for social content. So, they leaned into the playful, iconic nature of the Pringles can and partnered with influencers to launch a TikTok challenge.
@mcbangofficial #PlayWithPringles #pringles #letseattogether #foryou #food #fyp #mcbangasmr #mcbang #mcbangofficial #viral #pringle #mukbangasmr #pringleschallenge ♬ Play Pringles - Pringles
The goal? To get people to share videos of themselves playing with Pringles in creative ways, turning the can into a prop for fun, shareable content.
The campaign was a massive success. With 4.7 billion views of the #PlayWithPringles challenge on TikTok and over 2 million user-generated videos, Pringles tapped into a massive wave of social engagement. The campaign saw engagement rates 30 times higher than their previous best promotion, with a staggering 13% engagement rate (compared to the 10% industry benchmark).
The #PlayWithPringles challenge became more than just a viral moment; it turned Pringles into a snack that people wanted to be seen with, share, and talk about. Plus, brand lift studies in Italy and France revealed a 15% increase in ad recall and 15% growth in brand awareness.
Key Takeaway
Want to make your product the next big thing on social media? Tap into the power of TikTok by creating an interactive challenge that speaks directly to your audience’s interests. Work with influencers, encourage user-generated content, and make sure your campaign feels playful and fun. When your audience is creating the content, it’s not just a promotion—it’s a movement. Get ready to watch your engagement soar!
Harness the Power of Social Media for Your Brand’s Success
Social media is a game-changer for packaged food brands. Strategies like real-time content, influencer challenges, and interactive campaigns drive massive engagement and brand loyalty. By tapping into trends, creating engaging experiences, and leveraging platforms like TikTok, brands can elevate their presence and resonate with audiences.
Start implementing these strategies today for lasting success and meaningful connections with your customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is social media marketing important for packaged food brands?
Social media allows brands to engage directly with consumers, build brand awareness, showcase products creatively, and drive sales through targeted campaigns.
Which social media platforms are best for promoting packaged food products?
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are ideal for visual content, while Facebook suits brands with established customer bases. Choose platforms based on where your target audience is most active.
How can packaged food brands create engaging content on social media?
Share high-quality images and videos of your products, post behind-the-scenes content, run interactive polls, and encourage user-generated content to foster engagement.
What role do influencers play in social media marketing for food brands?
Influencers can authentically promote products to their followers, enhancing credibility and expanding reach. Collaborate with influencers whose audience aligns with your target market.
How can user-generated content (UGC) benefit my food brand's social media presence?
UGC builds trust and authenticity, as consumers often trust peer recommendations. Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products to enrich your content.
What types of content should packaged food brands post on social media?
Post a mix of product showcases, recipes, customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and content that aligns with current food trends to keep your audience engaged.
