KD looks beyond dinner to woo younger consumers

KD believes that what constitutes a meal in these hectic times is completely in the eye of the KD Cup holder, and has launched a new advertising campaign promoting the product’s versatility.

The “More Than Just Dinner” campaign is built on the insight that KD Cups’ snack-sized portion, coupled with a cooking time of just three-and-a-half minutes, means they can be enjoyed at any time of day, whether it’s between meals or as a late-night snack. 

Using a combination of digital advertising and out-of-home placed in the vicinity of grocery stores, athletic centres, transit stations and college/university campuses in Toronto, Montreal and Montreal, the campaign from KD’s creative agency Rethink promotes KD Cups as being suitable for everything from “3 p.m. slump cups,” to “forgot to eat breakfast cups,” and “staring at the fridge in the middle-of-the-night cups.” 

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KD’s director of brand communications, Rachel Drof, says the brand has seen an increase in consumers turning to KD Cups for eating occasions outside of dinner. “We’re all about celebrating people eating KD exactly how they want to, when they want to, and ‘More than Just Dinner’ highlights several relatable snacking moments that take place between meals, whether it’s refueling for post-lunch afternoon meetings or pulling an all-nighter to cram for exams,” she says.

The brand is also inviting Canadians to submit their own “creative snacking occasion” at KDCups.com for a chance to win a coupon for a KD Cup. Some winners will also receive a custom cup featuring their preferred name printed on the outside.

In 2022, KD live-streamed a branded debate on the online gaming channel Twitch inviting people to vote for KD Cups’ “Team OG” or “Team Flavour,” a product assortment including Jalapeno, Poutine and Spicy Flavour.

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The brand is returning to the youth-oriented channel this year with “non-intrusive” ads designed to run without interrupting a livestream. KD is the first CPG brand to use the “Mirror-C” format, says Drof. 

KD Cups’ “convenient, crave-worthy” nature makes them a perfect snack option for time-starved students and on-the-go young professionals, says Drof. The consumer segment prizes convenience and flavour exploration, she says.

KD Cups are sold in five flavours, including Original, Three Cheese, Jalapeño, Spicy Buffalo, and Poutine. Each cup comes individually packaged in microwavable, snack-sized servings that require just three-and-a-half minutes to prepare.