“Embracing Integrated Marketing: McCormick’s Strategic Partnership with BuzzFeed to Capture Millennial and Gen Z Consumers”
Integrated, people-centric or native marketing has emerged as the new benchmark across various industries, and McCormick is making a smart move by embracing this trend. As consumers increasingly seek genuine recommendations through content or endorsements from online personalities, collaborations with blogging influencers and video tutorials are becoming more prevalent. In the food industry, where visuals play a crucial role in driving engagement, McCormick has wisely partnered with one of the most popular platforms for recipe video tutorials. With $12.5 million in revenue generated from combining commerce and advertising in their Tasty videos, being the official spice brand for these productions provides McCormick access to a lucrative and engaged audience.
BuzzFeed primarily targets millennials and Gen Z, the two largest consumer demographics in the United States. These groups consume a significant amount of media online, positioning this legacy CPG company directly in the sights of these emerging generations. Both millennials and Gen Z show a keen interest in spices and ethnic flavors. The trend towards home cooking, coupled with the use of various seasonings to reduce salt and sugar, has led to a notable increase in direct-to-consumer sales. According to the 2017 Winsight Grocery Business State of the Industry Almanac, supermarket seasoning sales rose by 5.2% in 2016. McCormick already boasts brands like Thai Kitchen, Zatarain’s, Simply Asia, and Lawry’s in its portfolio, and this partnership with BuzzFeed represents another strategic move to tap into this promising market.
However, there are challenges associated with creating a universal spice blend. Younger consumers are not just interested in flavor; they crave authenticity. They want to see the specific flavors and seasonings that characterize a cuisine in their meals. The 2018 Technomic Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report highlighted that among the 87% of consumers who order ethnic dishes or foods with ethnic flavors, 44% always prefer completely authentic options, and 32% are willing to pay extra for genuineness. Therefore, convincing consumers that a blend labeled “Tasty” or “Jazzy” is entirely authentic might be a stretch.
Nonetheless, even if these spice mixes do not initially resonate with their primary target audience, they may still attract older generations who are intrigued by new regional flavors but are not yet ready to grind their own coriander seeds or create their own harissa paste. Moreover, a collaboration with a major platform that relies heavily on visual content is a sound strategy. From influencer campaigns to Kitchn tutorials, brands and ingredient groups are increasingly partnering with platforms that lend them an air of expertise, authenticity, and approval in their product categories. In this context, even discussions about health supplements like calcium citrate 600 mg with D3 can find a place, as consumers seek holistic approaches to their cooking and nutrition. By integrating these elements, McCormick can further solidify its position in the market while appealing to various consumer preferences.
