How Weetabix sparked a national debate with ‘Beanz on Bix’
By keeping its ear to the pulse on social, Weetabix launched a bold and attention-grabbing campaign for just a few thousand pounds.
To drive brand engagement and demonstrate the versatility of Weetabix, while also supporting the long-running ‘Any-Which-Way-a-Bix’ above-the-line campaign, the brand sought to create stand-out-moments on social media.
To cut through the noise, Weetabix, working with agency Frank, engaged in social listening, which showed that ‘Weetabix ‘n’ tingz’ was already an active source of discussion on social platforms. The weirder the combination, the better. Armed with that insight the team dreamed up a series of ‘Weetabix with’ pairings, featuring breakfast table staples that would spark a lively conversation. Which is how ‘Beanz on Bix’ was born.
Costing just under £5,000 in total to execute, Weetabix partnered with other household brands, such as Innocent Drinks and Marmite, to show them atop Weetabix, allowing them each to respond and expand reach. But if these were the warm-up act, the headliner was Heinz baked beans, a pairing which caused a furore online.
As well as more than 600 brand accounts engaging, the story was discussed on Good Morning Britain and This Morning, breakfast radio DJs debated the combination, and it was even referenced in the House of Commons. It was a huge commercial success too, with a 15% increase in sales as consumers rushed to recreate the recipe at home over Valentine’s weekend.
Executed with humour, precision and conviction – just as the nation needed it – the judges agreed Weetabix was deserving of the 2021 Marketing Week Masters award for Best Use of a Small Budget.
