Synonymous with snacking, Jack Link's reign in the meat snacking category extends beyond jerky to meat sticks, a growing $1.8bn category in the US. The new Feed Your Wild Side (FYWS) campaign, supporting its WILD range of meat sticks, is part of a broad effort to recruit millions of Gen Z consumers in the snack aisle by proving that Jack Link's WILD® is the superior, rule-breaking, adventurous choice.
Born in partnership with creative agency, Milestone Integrated Marketing, the Feed Your Wild Side campaign employs a playful, yet calculated, swipe at a key Jack Link's competitor through both social and out of home tactics (OOH).
"The ethos of FYWS is to throw away conformity and embrace your authentic self. To get wild," says Gary Westgate, Executive Creative Director, Milestone Integrated. "In a world that demands playing by the rules, the wildest thing you can be is yourself. Sometimes that means speaking truths: Jack Link's is bolder, better, and there to join you on your wild ride."
WILD debuted a TikTok, dedicated to wild content: from found footage and live action to anime, with themes covering teen drama spoofs, neo-noir horrors, high-impact anime and galactic starship battles to name a few.
"Gen Z's preferences are clear: they demand authenticity, and connect with brands that play outside the lines," says Stacy Barr, Partner, Milestone Integrated. "A social-first strategy is a natural fit for FYWS— to meet them where they're setting the rules— and surpassing more than 15 million views since debut isn't just a win; it's a signal the campaign resonates. We've flipped the script on passive snacking and have turned it into a post-worthy experience."
A common thread found throughout the content: a dig on 'Jim.'
One spot features a clandestine meeting behind campus bleachers. Leaning into each other, the girl cheekily whispers, "Jim doesn't have to know," as Jack Link's WILD meat sticks are revealed. Another employs a yesteryear-like ad that encourages safe meat consumption, urging "kids today" to stay away from "Jimbo's" meat sticks and opt for the more premium Jack Link's WILD meat stick.
This enthusiasm is just the beginning as the strategy will evolve and react to real-time feedback, encouraging and incentivizing wild user generated content.
"Nearly fifty percent of our customers start with a meat stick as their first purchase. It's their 'on ramp' to jerky and as the leader in the category, we plan to own this segment, too," says Holly LaVallie, SVP Marketing, Jack Link's. "But FYWS is about more than product. It's about embracing good times; defying the boring; finding adventure; and feeding their individual wild side. Milestone has brilliantly delivered that message in a way that disrupts and challenges the category. Our audience is listening. They're highly engaged."
Playing to their own wild side, Jack Link's new WILD OOH billboards playfully subvert a competitor's slogan with graffiti, reading: "Snap into a… 'life-changing meat stick.'" Complemented by mobile billboards and fueled by real-time interactions and sampling, the call to Gen Z is clear: "Find it, snap a picture and tag @JackLinksWILD before 'some Jim makes us take it down.'" Users who spot and post the billboard are eligible to win a life-changing meaty prize pack.
Taking WILD on a ride, the campaign will focus on college towns this summer, actively sampling WILD meat sticks to forge a hands-on connection with Gen-Z. More to come on this and expanded initiatives in the coming months.
ABOUT LINK'S SNACKS (DBA "JACK LINK'S")
Link Snacks is a leader in snacking and its brand Jack Link's Protein Snacks is the #1 meat snack brand in America. Headquartered in Minong, Wisconsin, Link Snacks is a family-owned and operated company that represents a heritage of unsurpassed quality and innovation since 1985. The company is made up of passionate Team Members who share an uncompromising commitment to deliver awesome products. The company's portfolio of consumer brands include Jack Link's®, Lorissa's Kitchen®, Wild River®, Golden Island®, Country Fresh Meats™, BiFi®, and Peperami®. www.jacklinks.com.
ABOUT MILESTONE INTEGRATED MARKETING
Driven by their core principle: Truth Made Remarkable, Milestone is an award-winning, creative, strategy and integrated media agency. They help billion-dollar firms and cheeky challengers deliver incredible results and punch above their weight. Fiercely independent and with long-standing B2C and B2B clients, ninety percent of Milestone's clients worldwide come via referral. Creativity is your last great competitive advantage – so come be remarkable. Learn more at www.milestoneintegrated.com.
SOURCE Jack Link's
Share this article