{"id":4285048,"date":"2025-03-12T16:37:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T14:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deptagency.com\/insight\/how-legacy-cpg-brands-are-using-storytelling-to-stay-relevant\/"},"modified":"2025-03-27T15:01:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T13:01:35","slug":"how-legacy-cpg-brands-are-using-storytelling-to-stay-relevant","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.deptagency.com\/en-dk\/insight\/how-legacy-cpg-brands-are-using-storytelling-to-stay-relevant\/","title":{"rendered":"How legacy CPG brands are using storytelling to stay relevant"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/mask><\/g><\/svg>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tInsights\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\tHow legacy CPG brands are using storytelling to stay relevant<\/h1>
\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t
\n\t\tErwin Bossers\t\t
\n\t\tStrategy Director\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tDate\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tMarch 12, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\tPeople are arguing about the death of the so-called \u201cMillennial brand,\u201d<\/a> brands that peaked in the mid-2010s with the help of a product aesthetic based on the pursuit of Pinterest-friendly perfection.

But the reality is that these brands aren\u2019t dead, consumer preferences have simply shifted.<\/h2>\n\tIf consumers craved ultra-clean, minimalist branded-ness in the mid-2010s, they\u2019re looking for the opposite today: Brands that are bold, expressive, and altogether more human.

This shift has created a particular set of challenges for legacy CPG brands. Brands in this category have been so ubiquitous for so long that their names have become monolithic.

While they may be the number one go-to in their category, the polish that comes with that reputation doesn\u2019t exactly lend itself<\/a> to boldness and humanity in the way that the originality of smaller, less-established brands does.

To stay relevant in the current landscape, legacy CPGs need to pull back the curtain and invite consumers to be a part of their legacy. The best way of doing that? Through storytelling.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n
\n\t\u201c<\/span>\n\tCPGs need to move beyond a “sell to everyone” mentality. Instead, they need to connect with consumers on a deeper level, aligning with their values, goals, and concerns. They need to tailor their storytelling and creatives to a range from social media to video platforms to retailer environments, online and offline.<\/em><\/p>\t
\n\t\u201d<\/span>\n\n\tNelleke van Grinsven, Media Director at DEPT\u00ae<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\tTurning legacy into story<\/h2>\n\tPeople who love a brand\u2019s story are 55% more likely<\/a> to buy a product in the future. Of those people, 44% will share the brand\u2019s story, and 15% will buy a product immediately.\u00a0

While most legacy CPGs have a well-defined brand story, the primary purpose of that story tends to be to chronicle their past. For today\u2019s consumer to fall in love with your brand\u2019s story, you need to refine it in a way that positions it firmly in the present but still leverages the power of that legacy.

TLDR; Legacy brands need to honor their heritage\u2014not be defined by it. <\/strong>

Your history is a valuable asset. Share stories of your brand’s origins, but don’t dwell on them. Focus on how your heritage informs your present and future by identifying the core values that have guided your brand throughout its history and demonstrating how they remain relevant today.

Of course, you also need to inject bold personality. For legacy brands, this is the tricky part. However, in our experience, we\u2019ve identified two ways of accomplishing this.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tAmplifying human stories<\/h2>\n\tTo bring out personality, start with people. All too often, consumers know legacy CPGs by name and name alone. By showcasing the people behind your brand\u2014from the farmers who grow your ingredients to the employees who work in your factories\u2014you can humanize your brand by helping consumers literally put face(s) to name.

When most consumers think of cranberry juice, for example, they think of a bottle of Ocean Spray. To deepen Ocean Spray\u2019s connection with modern consumers, we revamped its website <\/a>to allow cranberry fans to experience Ocean Spray beyond its product. We incorporated dedicated farmer pages that showcase the stories, expertise, and history of the humans behind the brand.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tHighlighting enduring brand values in a new way<\/h2>\n\tFrame your brand values in a new context or give them a modern twist. A different backdrop creates an opportunity for you to incorporate a bold new take on the core values that have guided your brand throughout its history. This way, you leverage familiarity in a way that appeals to longtime consumers while also introducing your brand in a way that stands out to a new generation.

When we supported J\u00e4germeister with the creation and launch of a new digital ecosystem,<\/a> we were inspired by how their brand has evolved. Originally J\u00e4germeister was known as a drink enjoyed among hunters to celebrate their success. While the brand has long since outgrown the context of that origin story, celebration remains at its heart.\u00a0

Today, J\u00e4germeister is synonymous with occasion and the human desire to capture the moment. This observation informed our work\u2019s guiding principles\u2014Lively, Unapologetic, Sociable, and Bold\u2014which we integrated throughout the new site to appeal to a new generation of memory-makers.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tDefining your biggest champions<\/h2>\n\tBrand storytelling is as much a creative effort as a strategic one\u2014never more so than in the digital age. By taking advantage of data-driven insights in AI and other tools for monitoring consumer behavior, you empower your brand to take a more targeted, more effective approach to storytelling.

For legacy CPGs, this capability is especially important because you\u2019re seeking to uncover the nuances of who<\/em> your audience is and how<\/em> they have evolved.

During our partnership with Hidden Valley Ranch<\/a>, for example, BASIC\/DEPT\u00ae helped uncover the group representing the brand\u2019s biggest champions: The ranch fandom. This was an especially important revelation because, in the internet age, Hidden Valley\u2019s most loyal audience had evolved into a group that doesn\u2019t just like<\/em> ranch, they love<\/em> it\u2014so much that it\u2019s a part of their identities.\u00a0

To ensure that the Hidden Valley brand resonated directly with this audience, our team worked alongside Hidden Valley\u2019s internal creative team to tailor every element of their creative expression\u2014including content direction and tone of voice\u2014to match the spirited, quirky personality of the online ranch fandom.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tTrusting your audience with the “happily ever after”<\/p>\n\tLike any novel or film, a good<\/em> brand story includes a conflict, a resolution, and a protagonist. Usually, the protagonist is the brand<\/a> because the brand is responsible for the product that provides the resolution and ultimately brings about the \u201chappily ever after.\u201d

A great<\/em> brand story, however, is bold enough to challenge the audience to become the protagonist, leaving the \u201chappily ever after\u201d up to them.

For legacy CPGs, making your audience a part of your brand\u2019s story is crucial to staying relevant. The goal is to create engagement and foster community by inviting your audience to write your brand\u2019s next chapter.

The best way of accomplishing this? Leveraging the power of social media.

In this case, Johnnie Walker offers a great example with their \u201cFootsteps of Progress\u201d<\/a> campaign, which they created to support women in Eastern Europe.

Despite the prevalence of female whiskey drinkers in Eastern Europe, the region\u2019s whiskey adverts are almost entirely catered towards men. Realizing that this disparity reflected the deep-rooted perception of whiskey as part of the \u201cman\u2019s world,\u201d Johnnie Walker embarked on a mission to change this perception by highlighting female stories.

With \u201cFootsteps of Progress,\u201d we helped connect Johnnie Walker\u2019s mission to \u201cKeep Walking,\u201d the brand\u2019s 120+ year-long commitment to progress. Leveraging AR experiences and influencer partnerships, we passed the mic to real-life women\u2014teachers, moms, inventors, politicians, even rock stars\u2014and invited them to share their stories as a way of sparking conversations about gender roles and inspiring societal progress.\u00a0

In the end, \u201cFootsteps of Progress\u201d evolved from a campaign into a movement. By using the power of storytelling to connect members of Johnnie Walker\u2019s audience with the brand, we were equally excited and proud to witness the birth of a community of female role models.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tInspiring connection<\/h2>\n\tUltimately, for legacy CPG brands, staying relevant is about more than just selling a product. It’s about connecting with consumers on a human level, understanding their evolving needs and desires, and creating a compelling story that speaks directly to their audience\u2019s hearts and minds.

By using the power of storytelling to pull back the curtain and reveal their underlying humanity,\u00a0 legacy CPGs can forge deeper connections with modern consumers<\/a> and ensure that their legacy continues to inspire for generations to come.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n
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