Cultural Tension

Anecdotally, the world of food was shifting - Food Network replaced cooking shows with game shows, and restaurants sold tickets like concerts. Additionally, there were increasing ways to eat without making it yourself (e.g. UberEats). With that hypothesis, we found data that matched our hunch - people were cooking less, even though our interest was at an all-time high.

Introducing “Maker”

With “foodies” as our foil, we focused on those actually creating something in the kitchen, appropriately naming them “makers”. We chose “maker” for two reasons: 1) it’s all-encompassing and includes everything one can do in the kitchen - whether you cook, bake, brew or blend, and 2) “maker” captured the passion and spirit we saw in our consumer better than “cook” ever could. Additionally, it introduced new vernacular into the crowded, cluttered culinary space and gave us an opportunity to breakthrough.

The Mark of a Maker - Connecting our product with their passion.

The strategy was simple: tell the story of how KitchenAid products are Made For Makers - and always have been.

Every appliance features details, specifically crafted with the Maker in mind — small things that make a big difference to those in-the-know — and set KitchenAid apart.

Likewise, Makers have unique “marks” - characteristics, quirks, and behaviors - that separate them from the rest. From dog-earring cookbooks to wearing burns as badges of honor, each “mark” speaks to who they are and where their passion lies. We curated hundreds of examples, mined from qualitative, social and digital research, connecting each to product benefits.

This campaign marries these truths, celebrating the marks of Makers and products uniquely made for them. The work builds our emotional connection with Makers and establishes the KitchenAid brand as The Mark of a Maker.

While the data indicated a rise in “foodies”, but a waning enthusiasm for cooking, we discovered culinary hobbyists - those fueled by passion, not obligation. Despite others fleeing the kitchen, they spent more time there, seeking out new tools and techniques and translating inspiration into action.

To understand their unique connection to this universal place, we designed a series of immersive “eat-nographies”, enabling us to join them while they hosted cocktail parties, made osso bucco for dinner, and fried donuts at 6am.

Diving into their world fork-first revealed a relationship to cooking not readily apparent in data:

The process of making is more than a means to an end. It’s their source of stress-relief, freedom, possibility and pride.

Making is their outlet for creativity and expression.

And part of their identity.

It’s not just something they do, it’s who they are.

They create not because they have to, but because they need to.

Because making offers them something unique.

Making feeds their soul.

As a champion of making food from scratch, KitchenAid aimed to connect with our tribe of Makers and awaken the dormant spirit in others with a powerful campaign that celebrates the people and possibility of the kitchen.

Just a few months in, and we’re already seeing strong performance on our objectives:

Strike an emotional chord with consumers… 12pt lift in “Joy” from social sentiment.

Imbue the brand with meaning beyond the mixer… “Made For Makers” is up 3.1pt.

Shine a spotlight on the full portfolio of products … Large appliance Awareness and Consideration is up 2.6pt and 7.7pt respectively and Small appliance Awareness and Consideration is up 12pt and 3pt respectively.

Our goal was to create distinctive, credible and meaningful work for KitchenAid. Though it’s early, the campaign is already leaving its “mark” in the world and effectively getting KitchenAid noticed, remembered and understood.

Beyond the quantitative realm, our work has unified teams around the world and set the foundation for the first-ever global strategy. Most importantly, it’s elevated the brand to a badge, establishing KitchenAid as one of the “marks of the maker”.