Devour takes stab at ‘food porn’
Potter Stewart, the late Supreme Court justice, couldn’t define pornography but famously said, “I know it when I see it.”
Yes, but could he have tasted it? Devour frozen foods will have a 30second ad in the third quarter of the Super Bowl that styles its product as “food porn.” The comic ad features a frazzled food-porn addict and his forlorn wife. Think high calorie meets low comedy.
Devour released an uncensored 60second version on YouTube, and let’s just say that it’s NSFSB — Not Safe for the Super Bowl. The running joke: This man is a master of the microwave, but not of his own domain.
The 30-second ad scheduled to run during the Super Bowl telecast will be a tamer version of the longer one.
“It’s obviously an abbreviated version that we feel is appropriate for the Super Bowl audience,” Katy Marshall, head of marketing for the brand, says. “We’ve worked diligently with CBS over the last few months to execute a spot where both parties could agree.”
Devour was launched by Heinz Kraft in 2016 and its ads have been provocative from the start. Original slogan: “Food You Want to Fork.”
As a lead-up to Super Sunday, the brand offers a satirical food-porn hotline. “Hey, Saucy,” whispers a women’s voice when you call. “Welcome to 1-83FOODPORN, by Devour.” You press 1 to hear about Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese, or 3 for Loaded Potatoes with Angus Beef and Bacon.
The brand is aimed at men. “Actually, we know from the purchase data that both men and women buy them, because delicious food is really for everyone,” Marshall says. “But the primary target for Devour has been male, based on the specific unmet need when we were developing the brand.”
The tag line at the end of the 60second ad: “Never just eat, Devour.”