Eat like no one is watching: Inside Landor & Fitch’s Cannes Lions entry

With Cannes Lions 2023 almost knocking at the door, the Indian advertising industry is gearing up to put its best foot forward with the work they have executed in the last year. In our Cannes Lions Entry series, today we are exploring Landor & Fitch’s campaign, Eat Like No One Is Watching, for cloud kitchen brand Full’r Burger. The agency has sent the campaign for the category of Brand Collateral, Native Tech,  Packaging, and Copywriting for Packaging.

The campaign has been 360-degree strategized by the agency. The film is a hilarious take on how messy eating a burger can get, especially in an office setting or while you or in a meeting. It uses wit and technology to deal with the issue.

The Campaign

Lunch breaks are a thing of the past because we work from home so frequently now that we have back-to-back video conferences for work. We are forced to eat on a screen. Generally good, unless you're eating a burger! In real life, eating and enjoying a burger is messy, and that adds to the enjoyment. However, doing so in front of your co-workers while being recorded on video is a big no-no! Burger sales have fallen worldwide as the number of people working from home has increased. The Sri Lankan burger company Full'r sought a novel approach to reintroduce hamburgers on people's lunch plates. At that point, the agency intervened and offered the idea of "Eat like no one’s watching." 

They also used scannable technology to make it possible for customers to enjoy their hamburgers even during an online meeting. People can record their finest meeting gameface while pretending to nod and listen by scanning the QR code on the packaging to access a website, download the video, and publish it as a virtual background on Zoom and Google Meet. Once the background is on, they can eat their juicy burgers in private without anyone in the meeting noticing and in the manner that most people do by default: sloppy, messy, and full.

Full'r developed the campaign with various touch points across physical and digital channels to start a conversation about the issue in a humorous, playful and engaging manner. The visual identity "hacked" the visuals of the online meeting calendar graphics to show that now our cuisine can find a place in your busy day because the objective was to "hack" online meetings. 

To emphasise the idea, people were shown devouring juicy hamburgers within the calendar meeting image on touchpoints like Instagram posts and stories, web banners, posters, and several experience design elements. To encourage as many people as possible to exploit the hack, web banners were displayed on the local Sri Lankan food delivery services UberEats and PickMe Foods, and flyers were posted around offices. 

Every meeting slot in the special edition packaging for all Full'r burgers and menu items indicates a wonderful component of your meal by using meeting names and colours that correspond to each ingredient used in the dish.

The Entry

When asked why the agency has chosen this particular camapign for Cannes Lions amongst all their creative work, Arnab Ray, Creative Director, Landor & Fitch India, said, “We were instantly captivated by this campaign due to its unique blend of wit, innovation, and relatability. It resonates with us because it addresses a common struggle we have all faced during remote work—balancing the confines of online meetings with our desire for a satisfying lunch experience.”

“The campaign tackles this challenge in a cheeky, yet innovative manner, perfectly aligning with the brand's playful personality. Moreover, the execution stands out with its inspired infusion of formal online meeting aesthetics and unabashed indulgence, leading to delightful moments that bring a smile to our minds. We believe this campaign has the potential to truly charm the Cannes jury as it combines a genuine insight with a refreshing execution.”

While being messy around food has been a problem since a long time, we asked Ray about what was the initial brief and what Full’r wanted to improve with the campaign, He said, “The initial brief for this campaign came from Full'r, a burger brand in Sri Lanka rooted in generosity and unapologetic indulgence. They presented us with the challenge of creatively addressing the issue of blurred boundaries during WFH, where online meetings encroach upon lunchtime, making burgers a seemingly forbidden pleasure. The added pressure of being constantly on camera amplified the dilemma, resulting in a decline in Full'r's sales.”

Speaking on the challenges faced during executing the same, Ray said, “With a limited budget, our team had to create something impactful with minimal resources. We overcame these challenges by developing an innovative hack based on existing technology, which significantly reduced the stress. However, it required extensive research and development from our tech team to arrive at the final solution. The client's response to the campaign was overwhelmingly positive, as they appreciated our ability to tackle their specific problem with a fresh and ingenious approach.”

The Impact 

People loved the idea of hacking their meetings and devouring their burgers behind the scenes! They started scanning and eating like no one’s watching, and in just one week we brought burgers back:

•         3700+ QR code scans
•         2,500+ customers tried the hack
•         +1900 new followers on our Instagram
•         And most importantly + 306% increase in orders

Speaking about what he is expecting from this year’s Cannes Lions, Ray said that he is looking forward to creative tech and the use of AI. “Brands that leverage technology in innovative ways to tell captivating stories will likely stand out. Additionally, we anticipate a focus on inclusivity, with brands actively championing diversity and targeting larger, more diverse audiences. Moreover, campaigns that demonstrate a commitment to serving the underserved, addressing societal challenges, and driving positive change are likely to make a significant impact.”