When food cravings strike at inopportune moments, Cheez-It wants people to embrace the chaos.
The snack brand’s new campaign, “Cravings Can Happen Anywhere,” leans into absurd humor to highlight how hunger for the cheesy squares can hijack any time or place.
Created by FCB New York and directed by Clay Weiner through Superfriends, the platform launches with three comedic spots in which a craving takes over an inconvenient scenario.
In “Meet My Dad,” a daughter introduces her boyfriend to her father, but is horrified when her new partner is hypnotized by thoughts of a Cheez-It instead.
“Eulogy” turns a somber tribute into a love letter to the snack, while “Book Club” shows a reader getting hot and bothered while misquoting a passage from a romantic novel.
The campaign is designed to build on its 2023 tagline, “Want It. Need It. Cheez-It,” and to serve as a launchpad for future storylines exploring uncontrollable cravings, said Cara Tragseiler, senior brand director.
“With ‘Cravings Can Happen Anywhere’, we’re doubling down on the absurd irresistibility of Cheez-It crackers,” she said in a statement. “The relatable moments in this campaign show, in humorous ways, how the calling of a craving for Cheez-It can take over in the most unexpected places.”
The challenge was reminding consumers of a beloved brand that risks fading into the background, according to Dan Kelly, executive creative director of FCB New York. By leaning into chaotic comedy, Cheez-It aims to cut through the crowded snack market and keep its crackers top of mind.
“Everybody loves Cheez-It. A lot of people would put it on their Mount Rushmore of snacks,” Kelly said in a statement. “The problem is, they’re not always thinking about our cheesy 1×1 inch square. That’s why we needed a new campaign like [this] to get the brand noticed again, and dig into that very real insight of what it’s like to have Cheez-It on the brain.”