Bob Evans Foods had successfully scaled national retail distribution for its refrigerated side dish product line, securing placement in nearly every major grocery store. However, brand awareness remained limited outside of the restaurant's core Midwest markets.

To drive continued growth, the brand needed to increase national awareness and expand household penetration — particularly in underserved markets — while improving perception of the broader home meal replacement category.

Bob Evans had historically advertised in nine local markets. The objective was to transition to a national footprint without increasing the media budget.

In addition, the home meal replacement category faced structural challenges:

• Low household penetration
• Consumer misconceptions that convenient foods lack quality or taste

The campaign needed to both elevate the Bob Evans brand and strengthen overall category relevance, connecting with audiences beyond the brand's established Midwest base.

Jekyll + Hyde Labs applied its Infinite Growth Path process to analyze the brand, product, category, and customer to build a national, multi-media strategy aligned with the customer journey.

Product + Category Positioning

Research revealed a clear opportunity: Bob Evans refrigerated side dishes represented a compelling balance of convenience and indulgence — made with real ingredients, delivering flavor, and ready in minutes. The strategy focused on reframing convenience as quality-driven rather than compromise-driven.

Consumer Targeting

Two key consumer archetypes were prioritized:

• Food Lovers — consumers who value cooking from scratch and prioritize real ingredients and taste
• Life Hackers — busy households seeking speed and ease without sacrificing quality

Creative messaging was developed to resonate with both audiences while expanding relevance nationally.

Creative + Media Strategy

The campaign featured celebrity talent Jerry O'Connell and Alfonso Ribeiro in a retail-driven concept designed to build affinity and highlight product quality in-store. The media strategy transitioned the brand from local to national reach through an integrated mix of national television, radio, programmatic video and display, paid social, paid search, and mobile advertising. The omni-channel approach ensured coverage across in-home, in-car, and in-store environments to maximize reach, frequency, and recency within the existing budget.

Within the first three months of launch, the national campaign delivered measurable impact:

• 9% Year-over-Year Sales Lift
• $8.1M in Incremental YOY Sales
• $100M in Total Sales During Campaign
• 490 Million Impressions
• 30% Increase in Unaided Brand Awareness

The campaign successfully expanded Bob Evans' national footprint, increased household penetration, and strengthened category perception — all without additional media investment.

By transitioning from localized advertising to a disciplined national omni-channel strategy, Bob Evans accelerated sales growth while improving brand awareness at scale.

The campaign demonstrated that national expansion does not require incremental budget — it requires strategic allocation, disciplined execution, and messaging aligned to consumer motivation.