FDBusiness.com

Premier Foods has commenced a concerted programme of TV advertising as part of its strategy to double marketing spend to more than £50 million in 2012 to help restore growth. Investment is being prioritised behind the company’s eight Power Brands of Ambrosia, Batchelors, Bisto, Hovis, Loyd Grossman, Mr Kipling, Oxo and Sharwood’s with TV spots for Sharwood’s, Loyd Grossman and Hovis leading the campaign over the next two weeks. Further advertising for Mr Kipling, Bisto, Oxo and Ambrosia will be on in the next few months representing the largest concentrated period of TV advertising the company has ever launched.

The new TV advertising is designed to build on the strengths and heritage of the brands while reinforcing their relevance for today’s consumers. In addition, each ad will carry a Premier Foods signature underlining the company’s commitment to invest in its portfolio of brands and to being the Best in British Food.

“The awareness and popularity of our Power Brands remain strong but it’s clear that we haven’t invested enough in marketing compared with our competitors,” explains Michael Clarke, chief executive of Premier Foods. “I’m committed to changing that. The new TV ads are just the start of things to come.”

Hovis will be on air from 10 February until the end of March.

Sharwood’s ‘Great British Curry’ is the first campaign to air, from Thursday 2 February through until the end of April. The ad will show the Sharwood’s chefs travelling the length and breadth of Britain, discovering what makes a great British curry by visiting local curry houses and then creating the best curries so that families can enjoy them at home. The ad is part of a wider £6 million marketing campaign that will target British curry lovers and build on Sharwood’s expertise in creating local culinary experiences. Sharwood’s is the number one Asian food brand.

Hot on the heels of the Sharwood’s launch, Loyd Grossman will return to TV from 6 February until the end of April. The ad will document Loyd from a toddler to the present day underlining his passion for good food throughout his life. The ad is part of a wider £2 million marketing campaign for Loyd Grossman, which is the UK’s leading premium cooking sauce and the second largest cooking sauce brand.

Hovis will be on air from 10 February until the end of March. The ad sees the return of the much loved ‘Go on Lad’ execution featuring a young boy’s journey through recent history focusing on quintessential British life. The ad is part of a wider £10 million investment to build on its British goodness promoting its uniqueness among major national bread brands, in being made from 100% British wheat and free of artificial preservatives. Hovis is the market leading brown bread brand.