Walkers shuns TV for DM in 3m campaign for SunBites

Walkers Snacks is shunning television in favour of a sampling and direct mail campaign that will target health professionals, as well as consumers, for the £3m launch of its new SunBites brand. The wholegrain crisps will be launched on September 17.

The PepsiCo-owned company says that the better-for-you snack is aimed at people that are “naturally healthy” and who already eat well and lead active lifestyles.

Jon Goldstone, Walkers vice-president of marketing, says that the target audience accounts for about 20% of the population who are “light TV watchers”. He adds the group is also slightly older than its core consumer and has a female bias.

Goldstone says that it will launch a “heavy weight” direct marketing campaign, which will include samples, and will target 40,000 health professionals with a campaign explaining the nutritional benefits of wholegrains. There will also be a significant online campaign through a sunbites.co.uk website, that will also focus on its health benefits and promote healthy lifestyles.

The packaging uses images of sunny fields of grains to reinforce the use of wholegrains. The theme is extended across its advertising, created by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, which also focuses on the “great taste” and its health benefits.

The launch of SunBites, which comes in three flavours, is Walkers’ third major launch into better-for-you snacks since 2005.