Remember the time when you went to the kitchen cupboard and fridge, chucked together some basic ingredients and actually cooked your dinner from scratch? Sadly, it seems, you are way out of touch; these days more and more people get their meals from Just Eat and Deliveroo, scoff ready meals or, even, purchase a subscription recipe kit box, which includes ready-measured ingredients and easy to follow recipes.
Yes, dear readers, welcome to the world of Gousto, which according to the official blurb wants to make “dinnertimes exciting and inspiring for all through our vision to become the UK’s most-loved way to eat dinner”.
Some might say it is already getting there as it has apparently been voted best recipe kit service by The Independent, The Guardian, Metro and Time Out London.
Enter the second instalment of its Steal the Show brand campaign, designed to help put Gousto’s recipes at the forefront of minds.
Devised by Mother London, with media by the7stars, the ad continues the theme in which the “dramatic performances on screen are overshadowed by the gastronomic marvel in the kitchen beyond the TV”.
It opens in a US courtroom, as the prosecution lawyer states: “The prosecution rests, your honour.” The judge then calls the defence lawyer, who, pointing to the defendant, opens by saying: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury you have a chance to right a great wrong, and give a man his life back. So, the question you must ask yourselves is, ‘can anyone smell garlic?'”
The defence lawyer continues: “I can distinctly smell garlic…and smoked paprika…” as the scene cuts to someone watching the court drama on TV in a kitchen chopping up veg.
The judge barks: “What do you see counsellor?” He then continues: “Chicken, your honour, with a smoky spicy coating. I think we can conclude, it’s Spanish style chicken with patatas bravas.”
At which point the courtroom bursts into applause and the prosecution lawyer throws his papers away in disgust. The shot then pans back to show a couple about to tuck into their meal as the voiceover states: “Steal the show with 250 recipes every month from £2.99 a meal. Gusto.”
Mother creative directors Oli Rimoldi and Anthony Montagne explain the rationale behind the activity: “Over the past few years, the question of ‘what’s for dinner?’ has been overshadowed by ‘what shall we watch?’ Gousto’s Steal the Show campaign gives dinner its rightful place back as the evening’s headline attraction.”
The campaign is supported by OOH, with “cinematic photography and entertainment language” aimed at making dishes the headline act of the evening, running alongside radio that promotes specific Gousto dishes like movie trailers.
Gousto VP brand, insights and strategy Anna Greene added: “Gousto brings unrivalled choice and culinary inspiration to kitchens up and down the UK. With over 250+ show-stopping recipes to choose from every month – the latest instalment of our ‘Steal the Show’ campaign proves even the heat of courtroom drama is no match for the culinary delights happening in the kitchen. Gousto isn’t just winning in the recipe box category, we’re staking a claim on being the UK’s most loved way to eat dinner.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, first up, we have to admit we fall into the antediluvian camp. OK, we might have the occasional takeaway but by and large we actually don’t need any help from anyone to cook our own dinner from scratch; we can go to the shop, buy ingredients and rattle up something perfectly palatable within minutes.
For the more helpless, there’s Gousto.
As for the ad, well I guess it is designed to appeal to the lazy arses who can’t be bothered to go to the shop – or should that be time-poor highly successful executives who are simply far too busy with their top jobs to even think about something so mundane?
Either way, the production values might be high but we fear they are simply making too much of a meal of it all. We just can’t quite get our heads around the premise that “dramatic performances on screen are overshadowed by the gastronomic marvel in the kitchen beyond the TV” when all subscribers are really doing is cooking their own dinner out of a box.
Hey ho, no-one ever said that advertising had to appeal to everyone.
Decision Marketing Adometer: A “just get to the shops you lazy sod” 7 out of 10
