• by Les Luchter , February 20, 2024

“Wellness experts from the Midwest? You betcha!”

That complete transcript of a six-second spot -- delivered by a wholesome-looking, winter-clad, peppy lass standing in a cornfield --- pretty much sums up the new messaging of 55-year-old, Fargo, North Dakota vitamins/supplements marketer Swanson Health.

Swanson’s ad campaign, titled “You Be Well Now,” emphasizes its Midwestern roots in :15, :30 and longform versions as well.

In the latter, the woman goes about her town telling Swanson’s backstory, handing ashwagandha to one family, bragging about Swanson’s “more than 1600 health-promoting products made from the best ingredients,” and finally delivering a food dish to another neighbor (“pop that in the oven for about 20 minutes or so”).

Created by Boulder, Colorado-based Fortnight Collective in its first work for Swanson, the campaign “dispels the myth that innovation in health and wellness only happens on the coasts,” says Andrea Crass, the company’s CMO, in a press release.

Spots running through the rest of this year target a 55+ audience through linear TV. A postcard has also been sent to print catalog subscribers.

A Swanson rep tells Marketing Daily “You’ll Be Well Now” is part of a complete brand refresh, changing from a “value-oriented” approach.

For example, a previous ad campaign in 2019 stressed “Antidotes for Everyday Life,” such as solutions for sleepless nights or too much screen time.

Crass says in a press release that the new campaign carves out a unique brand position in the wellness industry with this regional approach. “It sets Fargo…as the epicenter of health and wellness and dispels the myth that innovation in health and wellness only happens on the coasts.”

Swanson, which started life in 1969 as a mail-order company, now offers online shopping as well as through its catalog.  Its products are also sold at some retailers, but the company tells Marketing Daily that sales are “predominantly direct to consumer.”