• by Karl Greenberg , May 6, 2008

Camden, N.J.-based Campbell Soup is making big changes to its nine-year "Mama's Boy" campaign featuring NFL players and their moms. The big change: mom won't be in the ads, and the campaign will spotlight one player, not several. It also offers up a new theme line: "Fill up on the good stuff." Starring in the new push is San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

The new ads, in which Campbell's will use computer-generated imagery for the first time, promote Chunky as being healthy and a source of lean-meat protein. The new theme replaces "It fills you up right." Tomlinson first appeared in Campbell's Chunky's "Mama's Boys" ads last year, as a member of the largest phalanx of NFL players ever to appear in the ads.

"This campaign is an evolution, not a 90-degree turn," says Doug Brand, Campbell's Chunky soup brand manager.

He explains that the ads--being shot now--combine "Hard-hitting, on-field action showing [Tomlinson] as a working man, but also making the analogy to everyday life."

The ads, whose launch is timed with NFL opening weekend on Sept. 4, follow Tomlinson's working day in two 30-second and three 15-second ads, as well as print and online. Voiceover aims to connect Tomlinson's daily gridiron grind with everyone else's. One of the ads features Chargers head coach Norv Turner.

Brand points out that some of the humorous storyboards use his life as a heightened example of the common man's struggle to please the boss--in his case the coach; or pleasing the people at the top--in his case the people sitting on the top row of the stadium; or three hours mowing the lawn on Sunday--in Tomlinson's case mowing down linebackers.

The decision to evolve the campaign from focusing on players and moms came from research, per Brand. "We have created a campaign that is really about reinforcing the good stuff in our products. What we heard when we talked to consumers is--people want to make good decisions for themselves, and not specifically about mom telling me what to do."

Brand says that it was time to change themes and focus on one iconic player who fits with the brand. "We have talked for years about how [Campbell's Chunky] gets you full, but not getting credit for how healthy the soup really is."

He says the brand is vying for "share of stomach" not so much versus other soups, but in the cornucopia of adult simple meals. "Our consumer--adult men--is saying, 'I want something quick.' The frame of reference could be frozen dinners, hot pockets or pizza, for example."

Campbell's Chunky will also have a redesigned Web site focusing on Tomlinson. "In addition, we are making a number of Internet executions that will hit consumers during their working day; all will speak the same language--Internet print, TV." When a consumer rolls over the ads, they will expand to serve up the TV ads, notes Brand.