• by Sarah Mahoney , 7 hours ago

Whether or not you’ve been following the tabloid fuss around a group of so-called “toxic moms” in California, Stonyfield Organic sees the moment as another opening for its clean-food messaging.

The brand, known for its 40-year stance against toxins and pesticides, is using out-of-home messaging to remind people that toxic friends may be as harmful as toxic food — and to prove it, it’s giving away free yogurt to moms across America.

“The word ‘toxic’ gets thrown around a lot, and we want to continue to tie ourselves to the fight against toxins in food,” says Lisa Kinzel, senior brand manager. “It’s been in our DNA right from the beginning. So it’s great when we can find a way to fit into a cultural conversation that’s happening and bring some levity to the situation. But we can also remind people about our mission and products made through organic farming.”

Stonyfield has leaned into cultural flashpoints before. Last year, for Valentine’s Day, it ran a “Block your toxic ex” challenge, offering the chance to win cash for those willing to block an ex on social media. To combat election toxicity, it offered to pay people to avoid social media for the month of October.

While those ideas are inherently playful, the Londonderry, New Hampshire–based company has long been serious about combating toxins. Beyond its organic heritage, it launched StonyFIELDS in 2018, an effort to clean up playing fields and public parks. The program has converted areas in more than 40 cities to organic grounds maintenance.

The current effort also aligns with Stonyfield’s tight relationship with parents — yogurt is one of a family’s core foods. “We always try to be an ally for parents, in giving them safe products that are good for their kids,” Kinzel says. “So it felt like a natural fit to support moms in this conversation that’s come up around toxic relationships within mom groups.”

A microsite is offering coupons for free yogurt as part of the campaign, and Kinzel tells Marketing Daily that in the first day, 15,000 people had already claimed them, prompting the brand to extend the offer.

Stonyfield is owned by Lactalis, the French multinational dairy group.