Edible Escapism: from TikTok to supermarket shelves
The Heinz and Absolut Vodka collaboration is a lesson in getting under the skin of Edible Escapism
In July, Absolut Vodka and Heinz announced they were bringing back last year’s viral collaboration, their Tomato Vodka Pasta Sauce.
The popular product was inspired by the social media craze for pasta alla vodka, ignited in 2020 when model Gigi Hadid posted a video of her recipe. When the collaboration launched in the UK last year, the limited release flew off the shelves – selling out in just four days.
Now, these two big brands say they have decided to revive the product after being inundated with requests for another chance to buy it.
Its success is a testament to the power of social media, but also to Heinz and Absolut’s ability to spot a way into the ways Gen Z use and interact with food and drink.
Since the pandemic, when people desperately searched for ways to escape the monotony of lockdowns, food has become a form of escapism for Gen Z, as well as some other generations.
In 2020, the internet was ablaze with images and videos of homemade banana bread, cloud eggs and whipped coffee. Now, social media is the main source of cooking inspiration for Gen Z, as they share tips for and attempts at different recipes.
Edible Escapism has continued to grow as the pandemic gave way to the cost-of-living crisis. People are now grabbing the opportunity to their take tastebuds on a trip, without the cost of an international flight. The popularity of TikTok has given rise to even more viral food trends, building on the love of aesthetically pleasing food videos and images that social media has cultivated.
In a recent article for Grub Street, titled The Hype Bakery is Here to Stay, New York’s viral bakery owners discussed their surprise at opening to queues snaking round the block and selling out their black-sesame tahini croissants or chocolate pains Suisse after a mere mention on a popular social media account.
For brands, spotting the right trend to jump on is a delicate undertaking. People – Gen Z in particular – are wary of an inauthentic partnership, which are seen as a cynical ploy to make money.
Absolut and Heinz got it right last year – having to limit sales to two purchases per customer – but just because vodka pasta sauce was popular didn’t guarantee their success. One key element was that both Heinz and Absolut brought brand awareness to each of their components, and it made sense for these two giants to collaborate.
There is danger in any brand hoping to align themselves with a social media trend.
At The Mix Global, we wanted to dig deeper into Edible Escapism, looking further than just “what’s going viral now” to understand why food carries such cultural cachet with Gen Z and, ultimately, to unearth where brands fit into all this.
Through speaking to Gen Z themselves and experts in food and drink, our research has explored the multi-faceted ways that food and drink consumption and interaction is evolving among this generation.
Hear all about our Edible Escapism research at our webinar on 18 September, where we will be sharing our findings and discussing them with Alex Hardy from Nomad Foods, an expert in the world of insight and FMCG.
Sign up for free here: https://themixglobal.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b1DMIPG3QMu_SNb_TVXLNQ#/registration
If you can’t attend the webinar but want to hear more, contact Sam@themixglobal.com or Charlotte@themixglobal.com