Impossible Foods’ New Ads Will Make You Want to Switch Up Your Meat

It’s the Summer of Impossible according to a stellar new ad campaign for Impossible Foods from Terry Crews’ Super Serious creative agency.

No one wants summer to end and Impossible Foods is making that known even before the season is officially underway next week. The Bay Area vegan meat company debuted its new ad campaign during the 76th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday and it’s award-worthy itself.

The Summer of Impossible

The campaign (“Making Meat History”), led by the new agency Super Serious — an up-and-coming creative studio co-founded by actor and TV host Terry Crews, alongside Matthew O’Rourke and Paul Sutton — sees the Emmy-winning director Jake Scott direct the musical spot that journeys back through meat’s history. Think the 2022 Super Bowl spot for failed crypto giant FTX that sees Larry David ringside to some of the most major inventions throughout history meets another Super Bowl ad, 2021’s Oatly spot where CEO Toni Petersson and a keyboard find musical harmony in a field of oats.

The second in the Impossible campaign series, “The Summer of Impossible,” positions Impossible not so much as a meat substitute just for vegetarians or vegans, but as meat from plants for anyone who loves the taste of meat. This campaign is made up of multiple shorter vignettes, juxtaposing the Impossible Burger with traditional animal meat burgers as they discuss their differences and similarities.

“We need to welcome consumers into the plant-based space and give them a reason to choose Impossible,” Leslie Sims, Chief Marketing & Creative Officer of Impossible Foods, said in a statement.

“These campaigns are lighthearted and approachable by design to make the choice between our products and animal meat feel less intimidating.”

‘Meat – just made from plants’

The campaigns mark a new era for Impossible Foods, which has historically followed a traditional marketing strategy including high-profile partnerships and word-of-mouth. But under Sims’ new leadership, the company is enhancing its marketing strategies to attract a broader demographic, extending beyond just vegetarians and vegans. Similar campaigns worked well for Beyond Meat, Impossible’s chief rival, when it debuted at Carl’s Jr.

“We want consumers to know they don’t have to give up the meat they love. Impossible products are meat – just made from plants – so they’re still delicious and have a ton of other benefits,” Sims said.

The campaigns follow major shifts within the organization after Peter McGuinness was appointed CEO last year. McGuiness scrapped plans to IPO earlier this year, and in March, the company announced cuts to about 16 percent of its workforce.

But despite the hiccups, sales for the brand have been strong as it launched new products and entered new key markets. While the plant-based meat category has seen lackluster sales, particularly over at Beyond Meat, Impossible reported a 50 percent hike in retail sales last year.