Capt takes a back seat as Birds Eye makes food the hero

Frozen food brand Birds Eye is launching a new masterbrand campaign as part of a broader pan-European multi-channel strategy from parent company Nomad Foods, which is the first work created by Havas London since its appointment in November 2024.

The campaign will premiere in the UK first before rolling out across Europe and introduces Birds Eye’s new mantra, “That’s a Recipe for a Life Well Fed”, designed to promote the brand’s commitment to nourishing lives through food that is not only full of goodness but also brings people together.

In a move which it is claimed marks a departure from more traditional frozen food advertising, the campaign film reframes frozen food from a choice of convenience, to celebrating it as a reputable source of nutrition for all the family – from “vitamin-rich miracle peas to protein-packed chicken dippers”.

Captain Birds Eye is conspicuous by his absense but according to the official blurb: “The film is set in a mock-heroic theme, elevating everyday scenes like a child climbing on the sofa or winning a video game against the family, into “cinematic moments” of well-fed achievement. The scenes further reinforce Birds Eye’s role in feeding the everyday – yet no less epic – moments in life.”

Directed by Trevor Clarence, with production from Hunky Dory, the master track has been composed by Soundtree Music and will sit across all Birds Eye brand campaigns moving forward.

Birds Eye will still create individual product ads, so it is not the end for Captain Birds Eye just yet, but they will be more clearly linked under one umbrella strategy, with the same end line.

The campaign is now live on TV, VOD, digital and social channels, and sits alongside wider activity across OOH and online, with additional bespoke content curated for Birds Eye’s social channels. Production for the social content was handled by Prose on Pixels.

Alongside the campaign, Birds Eye’s visual identity has also been developed, with a subtle evolution of their typeface and colour palette.

Retail marketing specialist Field Day has developed and executed shopper and point of sale communications for the campaign. Media strategy and placement has been managed by Zenith.

Birds Eye UK & Ireland marketing director Claire Sutton said: “This campaign is our creative reset. That’s a Recipe for a Life Well Fed isn’t just a tagline, it’s a manifesto for modern mealtimes. We’ve taken the everyday and made it epic, reframing frozen food from a backup fix to a first-choice source of goodness. With Havas, we’ve built a platform that’s bold, warm, and unapologetically proud of the freezer aisle. It’s time frozen food was truly recognised for the quality, value, and goodness it brings to the table and Birds Eye is leading the charge, one cinematic pea at a time.”

Havas London chief creative officer Vicki Maguire added: “This campaign flips the script on fresh v frozen by celebrating what really happens around the dinner table – the laughter, the chaos, the comfort. The fight for the last fish finger or chicken dipper. We wanted to show that frozen food can be just as joyful, just as meaningful, and just as central to modern family life as anything else that happens in the home.”

The €75m Nomad Food account spans brands including Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Aunt Bessie’s and more, across its six marketing clusters: the Adriatics; DACH; France, Belgium and The Netherlands; the Nordics; Southern Europe; and the UK & Ireland.