Honey Bunches of Oats Launches “Don’t Just Eat Oats. Eat Bunches of Oats.” Creative Campaign to Remind Fans that Oats are Great, so Why Not Enjoy Them Even More in Bunches?!

New creative campaign from Carmichael Lynch targets busy Millennials with relatable human moments and real-world dilemmas who could use a boost of bunches to get them through it

LAKEVILLE, Minn., Oct. 2, 2023 — Nodding to the return in popularity of oats, Post Consumer Brands’ Honey Bunches of Oats is launching a new creative campaign to remind consumers that if you love oats, you’ll love them even more in bunches. The fully integrated campaign, running into 2024, includes national TV, social and digital, produced by the brand’s creative AOR, Carmichael Lynch, bringing Bunches of Oats to the forefront with a hefty dash of dry humor.

Honey Bunches of Oats is a fan-favorite cereal with sweet, clusters of oats and a kick of honey making them uniquely delicious and crunchy – a key differentiator that informed the brand’s updated positioning, focusing on the bunches of wholesome, oaty goodness and all the good they can do. Going beyond just oats, this unique, delicious combination has your back through life’s toughest moments. Simply put: without these bunches, you just might be lost. This comes to life in an unexpected, new tone for the brand: light-hearted, dry humor. In one spot titled “Assembly,” someone is seen trying to put together some DIY furniture that suddenly falls apart (we’ve all been there). A voiceover shares, “If you ate Bunches of Oats, you probably wouldn’t have three leftover screws.”

In another, titled “Crush,” a boy smiles hopefully at his high school crush, as she walks by without noticing him at all. A voiceover laments, “Maybe if you ate Bunches of Oats, she’d know you existed.” Ouch, but fair enough.

“The ‘Don’t just eat oats. Eat Bunches of Oats’ campaign was designed to remind fans that Bunches of Oats make everything better. Fans have always loved our iconic bunches and clusters; they’ve stood the test of time and differentiate our cereal. Now we have the chance to highlight that we have Bunches of Oats, a wholesome, hearty ingredient that can help to set you up to win the day.” said Steve Spaulding, Sr. Director, Marketing Adult/Nutrition at Post Consumer Brands. “This campaign is centered around universal, human truths that resonate with almost everyone. Whether it’s assembling new furniture, listening to your parents talk on speakerphone in public, or facing your mother-in-law, we want our fans to know that it’s not just oats, but Honey Bunches of Oats that’s got your back. So, ask yourself, do you want to be someone who eats oats, or Bunches of Oats?”

The TV spots – in both English and Spanish – are set to run nationally on networks including Paramount Network Group (BET, NAN, MTV), HGTV, Discovery, Disney, NBCUniversal and more. Campaign creative will also run on SXM, across social platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and via retail media as well including, but not limited to, Walmart, Kroger, Instacart and Target. The campaign is also currently being built out for the full funnel with PR and broader 360 support slated for the back half of 2024. “Sometimes it’s all right there in the name,” said Marty Senn, Chief Creative Officer, Carmichael Lynch. “We wanted to draw out that distinction that sometimes oats alone aren’t enough to get you through life’s little challenges, but literal Bunches of Oats – crunchy, honey-kissed, and delicious – can take you to a whole other level. With this new campaign, we wanted to move past the usual breakfast vignettes and instead highlight those little moments where a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats could have made all the difference.”