Lexis secures Birds Eye ‘healthy’ frozen foods job

The firm has asked Lexis to underpin its Birds Eye advertising strapline ‘We don’t play with your food’ and to raise awareness of its range of Captain Birds Eye’s nutritious children’s meals.

Lexis will be expected to emphasise to consumers that, because freezing is a natural preservative, Birds Eye does not add any artificial preservatives or colour to its products.

Unilever Ice Cream and Frozen Foods head of corporate affairs Helen Lo said she wanted to promote the idea that there is nothing in a Birds Eye product that would not be found in a store cupboard at home, in a bid to ‘dispel the myth that frozen foods are inferior to fresh-food products’.

The agency plans to publicise Birds Eye’s decision to reduce salt and fat content levels below those set by Government guidelines and to ensure it is recognised in the media as a food manufacturer responsive to the obesity debate.

‘We want Birds Eye to be seen as setting the benchmark for the industry,’ said Lexis consumer head Fiona Jolly.

Parenting and children’s media will be targeted, as well as national consumer and lifestyle press.

Lexis won the account following a final-round pitch against Fishburn Hedges, Porter Novelli and Shine Communications.

Weber Shandwick, Cohn & Wolfe and Manning Selvage & Lee were involved at an earlier stage.

Two-year incumbent Cairns & Associates did not repitch by ‘mutual agreement’ with Unilever.