Pilgrim’s Europe-owned brand Fridge Raiders is aiming to strengthen its position in the fast-growing meat snacking category by broadening its appeal with a new campaign featuring a couple of seemingly jinxed Antarctic explorers battling a string of impossible obstacles.
“Chicken for the Road?”, devised by Joint, is the first major campaign for the snack brand since the agency was appointed to handle the Pilgrim brand portfolio in July 2025. Joint has already launched work for both Richmond Pork Sausages and Veggie Tasty.
With the meat snacking category forecast to reach £454m by 2028, and 65% of consumers yet to buy into the sector, Fridge Raiders is on a mission to convert the uninitiated.
The campaign is built on a simple belief: with a bag of Fridge Raiders in hand, you have the stamina to power through whatever life throws at you.
The film, directed by Stink Films’ Traktor, follows two explorers who are beset with problems as they battle through a blizzard towards the South Pole. First their sledge crashes, then one loses his trousers and the other steps on an animal trap but just when they are ready to give up, one remembers the Fridge Raiders in his pocket and asks the simple but timely question, ‘Chicken for the Road?’ Revitalised, they push on, even more determined than before.
The integrated campaign extends into the everyday through copy-led OOH executions that spotlight relatable moments that call for extra stamina, each solved with the same iconic offer of a pack of Fridge Raiders.
The idea is also brought to life closer-to-home with contextual OOH and guerrilla stickers, designed to be used at moments when an extra boost of energy is needed. Stickers will appear in real-world situations such as parking clamps, cancelled trains, out of order escalators and broken-down bikes, each accompanied by the simple offer of a pack of Fridge Raiders to help get you through.
The campaign goes live across TV, AdSmart and VOD, including ITVX, Channel 4, Sky Media, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Launching this week, the first burst will run until August, and include targeted spot buys around Love Island and The World Cup. A second burst is planned for later in the year across AV, VOD, OOH and social.
Pilgrim’s Europe marketing and innovation director Chris Doe said: “We’ve built strong momentum behind Fridge Raiders over the past six years, more than doubling revenue and delivering record levels of penetration and consideration.
“Chicken For The Road? marks a clear turning point as we reset the brand with a more emotion-led, distinctive creative platform, designed to cut through in a highly competitive category. With exceptional pre-testing scores, we’re confident this will resonate and accelerate the brand’s next phase of growth.”
Joint chief creative officer Algy Sharman added: “Since winning the Pilgrim’s account, we have been chomping at the bit to see this campaign out in the world. Chicken for the Road is an enduring brand platform that is not only hilarious and memorable but also extremely hardworking for the brand. We are so excited for this launch, but equally excited about where it will go next.”
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