Katie Piper Leads New Special K Campaign Aiming To Reshape Perceptions Of The Brand

Special K has teamed up with TV presenter Katie Piper in a new digital campaign to bust myths and challenge criticism around the breakfast cereal.

In a bid to tackle tricky questions around nutrition, taste and brand image, the new food reappraisal content opens up a conversation about Special K in a series of blind experimental videos and advertorial on leading Hearst platforms. 

Using Katie Piper as the ambassador voice of Special K, the content aims to reshape perceptions of the food, challenging head on social media criticism branding it ‘tasteless’ and ‘unhealthy’.

Katie Piper invites the public to separate ‘the iconic red swimsuit’ and advertised diet challenges of the 90’s from the food sold in today’s market, echoing Kellogg’s commitment and highlighting the food’s credentials.

Special K original is nutrient rich in nine vitamins and minerals including Vitamin D, Iron and Zinc.

Muscling in on the sugar debate and responding to health-conscious Brits, the campaign looks to challenge the view that Special K contains high volumes of sugar per serving – showing the public it is one teaspoon per 30g serving.

The campaign follows a commitment from Kellogg’s to improve and adapt its food to meet people’s needs. As part of its ongoing sugar reduction programme Kellogg’s has already removed 10 per cent of sugar from Special K.

Commenting on the digital campaign, Ambassador Katie Piper, said: “I am very excited to be working with Special K once again as the brand continues to move in a different direction.

“When we were shooting the content it was interesting to get out into the public and see what people really think about the food. I was surprised to see how many people were misinformed and enjoyed giving Special K the opportunity to respond to the criticism.”

The Hearst partnership kicked off this month with a Woman’s Health social take over, the campaign will continue to run on their platforms, such as digital banners and VOL, until September.

Backed with a £3M investment, the digitally lead content will also run across Special K channels including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The reappraisal will include PR activity.

Special K Brand manager, Emma Birks, said: “For years Special K was associated with the woman in the red dress or the two week diet challenge to fit in to your bikini. We know our customers have moved away from this style of dieting and towards nourishing their body through a healthy lifestyle – they want to eat well and feel confident the brand can deliver this.

“This latest campaign re-educates customers about our food. We're tackling challenges around being 'just diet food', sugar and the goodness of the cereal, so that the key barriers to purchase are removed and women are reminded how nutritious and delicious Special K is.”

She added: “Katie Piper is a great brand ambassador for Special K, because she is passionate about the cereal and enjoys the benefits of eating it.”