This campaign is grounded in the evolving landscape of Asian cuisine in Britain and its broader impact on European food culture. This expanding industry is driven by the increasing popularity of oriental sauces, fueled by food lovers' interest in diverse flavours and Asian cuisines with Chinese ready meals now a staple in British households and British supermarkets offering an array of Chinese ingredients and ready-made dishes. Thus, the campaign aimed to inspire audiences to expand their culinary horizons with Lee Kum Kee sauces beyond traditional Asian cooking and highlight versatility showcasing their diverse flavours for everyday meals. The overarching objective was to increase awareness within the European market, positioning the brand as a go-to for enhancing any dish, regardless of its cultural origin. By tapping into the growing trend of culinary experimentation, the campaign aimed to shift perceptions and promote Lee Kum Kee as a key ingredient in European kitchens.

The creative idea behind the Lee Kum Kee Sauces campaign was to challenge stereotypes and expand general perceptions by showcasing the traditionally Asian sauces as versatile staples in European kitchens. Through strategic alignment with five cultural moments, including BBQ season and Father's Day, the campaign tapped into viral social media trends of culinary exploration and experimentation. By collaborating with influencers across the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, the campaign ensured authenticity and resonance with local audiences. The content featured creators embarking on culinary adventures with Lee Kum Kee sauces, demonstrating their use in unexpected dishes like fish and chips with soy sauce or oyster sauce on German sausages. Fun and laid-back content encouraged audiences to try new flavour combinations, ultimately reshaping perceptions and establishing Lee Kum Kee as an essential component of European cuisine.

The strategy for the Lee Kum Kee sauce campaign was designed to resonate with a range of consumer demographics across key markets. Leveraging comprehensive data gathering, including environmental scans that encompassed the desire for adventurous food, and audience analysis spanning generations from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, the campaign aimed to generate content that would captivate each audience segment. Social platforms were selected based on research into their users’ approach to food content. The approach emphasised amplifying the brand's values, educating audiences on flavour profiles and usage, and fostering trust through partnerships with expert creators. By championing innovation and offering inspirational culinary experiences, the campaign aimed to engage audiences authentically, promoting Lee Kum Kee sauces as essential ingredients for elevating home cooking experiences. Through a strategic blend of awareness-building, education, trust-building, and inspiration, the campaign aimed to create meaningful connections with consumers across markets while driving engagement and brand loyalty.

The execution of the Lee Kum Kee campaign was characterised by meticulous planning and strategic collaboration. With a dedicated team of multilingual staff, the campaign implementation ensured thorough market assessment and alignment with cultural nuances. The process involved shortlisting over 60 creators across the UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, guaranteeing diverse representation and ample opportunities for success. Tailored treatments were crafted for each creator, ensuring alignment with their content style, tone of voice, and audience demographics while meeting the brand's objectives.

The campaign was activated from July to November 2023, during which time we saw additional briefs integrated to include new markets and capitalise on market-specific opportunities, such as the 'oyster your way' campaign in the Czech Republic. Leveraging Instagram and TikTok, the campaign achieved significant scale, reaching over 1.1 million combined audiences, exemplifying its effectiveness in driving engagement and brand awareness across European markets.

Overall results:

- Total number of content pieces: 122 (+67% of target)

- Total unique audience: 564,100 (+97% of target)

- Total number of impressions: 1,249,126 (+442% of target)

- Total engagements: 35,676 (+301% of target)

Sentiment analysis results:

- Almost 900 comments were collected and analysed across the whole campaign;

- There was no negative sentiment throughout the entire campaign;

- The Netherlands generated the highest level of content positivity with 37.2%;

- Germany saw only positive sentiment overall, while the Netherlands and Poland also saw high levels of positive sentiment (with a small portion of neutral);

- One creator, @vero_licious_, generated 93% positive sentiment;

- Germany (6.1%) and Poland (5.8%) showed high levels of intent to purchase.