• by Teresa Buyikian , 11 hours ago

Smoothie King’s latest marketing effort is a “brand evolution” designed to promote its  position as the OG smoothie brand that “balances great taste with clear nutritional benefits.”

The “Best Kind of Delicious” campaign comes on the heels of the brand’s announcement of over 200 new store commitments, in addition to a newly expanded menu. The effort focuses on the brand’s category leadership position, and how it has “done the nutritional work so you don't have to.” 

Central to the campaign is the “Smoothie De-Dupe Program,” which Smoothie King says was “inspired by the rise of ‘dupe culture’ where consumers may embrace lookalikes across fashion, beauty, and beyond.” The brand asserts that while “you can dupe many things, but .. when it comes to health and building healthy habits, you shouldn't take shortcuts.” To drive the message home, customers can bring their receipt from any other smoothie purchase into Smoothie King through April 23 and “de-dupe” it by trading it in for a Smoothie King smoothie. The program runs today through April 23.

“This brand evolution is about building on what we started more than 50 years ago and reinforcing the role only Smoothie King can play in the category we created,” said Gavin Felder, president of Smoothie King. “We've always crafted every recipe with intention and care …  and that foundation continues to guide how we grow. By expanding our menu, investing in our in-store experience, and innovating in partnership with our franchisees, we're strengthening our leadership position while building a powerful platform ready to scale for our next 50 years.”

TV ads highlight the overwhelming number of online opinions information consumers face when seeking information on nutrition. In one spot, “Vitamins and Protein,” seen here, a man is seen in a park searching for “best vitamins” via his cellphone, when he is bombarded with barrage of social media posts. A woman is then seen searching “protein boosts” during a yoga class, with similar results. “With so many options, it’s hard to know who to trust,” says a voiceover, which goes on to point out that “at Smoothie King, our experts have spent 50 years balancing nutrition and flavor, so you can just enjoy.”

The campaign runs across traditional TV, CTV, OOH, social and digital media.

Smoothie King food choices, which recently expanded with a Power Eats Menu featuring items like avocado toasts and protein boxes, will soon include flatbreads as well as additional high-protein foods.

The brand has also announced a refreshed design and guest experience in-store, which “introduces warmth and approachability to better align with the brand's vision,” with a warmer color palate, greenery, updated lighting and branded artwork and merchandising, among other updates.