From Adweek · Robert Klara · · 1m 30s
Butter's Comeback Kid Writes a Self-Help Book
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter launches Tubz, a mascot with a redemption arc told through a self-help book.
In brief
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter launches Tubz, a mascot with a redemption arc told through a self-help book. Brands are using mascots to tell deeper stories about their own comebacks, not just sell products. Originally reported by Adweek.
Meet Tubz, the butter spread mascot
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter introduced Tubz in April. The mascot just published a 78-page self-help book called Lifting the Lid, available on Amazon today.
Tubz tells a story of decline
The book features a foreword by Fabio and chronicles Tubz's fall from fame. "I used to be famous. I was in every fridge in America," the mascot writes, before describing his descent into obscurity.
“I used to be famous. … I was in every fridge in America.”
The brand's actual fall from grace
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter dominated the early 2000s as a low-fat alternative, but lost ground when butter made a comeback and margarine fell out of favor.
New ownership, new direction
Private equity firm KKR bought the brand from Unilever in 2017 for over eight billion dollars. Gordon Ramsay recently endorsed the reformulated spread, which now includes vitamins and omega-3s.
Targeting GLP-1 medication users
The reformulated spread now contains vitamins A, D, E, B12, and omega-3 ALA. The brand markets it to people taking GLP-1 medications who need nutrient supplementation due to reduced food intake.
A story of renewal that resonates
Gary Rizzo, Flora Food Group's marketing lead, says the brand's comeback narrative appeals broadly. "At a rudimentary level, it's a story of progress, which really resonates with anybody."
“At a rudimentary level, it's a story of progress, which really resonates with anybody.”
The essence
Brands are using mascots to tell deeper stories about their own comebacks, not just sell products.
