Knorr Rolls Out Hispanic National Effort.

After two consecutive years of successfully employing popular Latino TV personality “Chef Pepin” as its Hispanic market spokesman in New York and Miami, the Knorr brand of food products has decided to extend its winning recipe to the rest of the country.

The brand announced the launch of an all-new, national, multi-media, Spanish-language campaign centered around the charismatic television chef, whose knee-slapping antics, rapid-fire Cuban Spanish and hefty persona have led more than one entertainment reporter to call him “a cross between Ricky Ricardo and Dom De Louise.”

According to Eddie Lindley, Knorr Brand Manager, Hispanic Markets, the fully-integrated campaign “is designed to further strengthen Hispanics’ already high loyalty toward Knorr products by capitalizing on Chef Pepín’s universal credibility as the nation’s premier, Spanish-language TV chef, and demonstrating meal preparation to be an expression of love common to all Latinos, regardless of national origin.”

For that reason, the campaign also retains Knorr’s long-time, Spanish-language slogan, “Tu pones el amor, Knorr pone el sabor” (You put in the love, Knorr puts in the flavor), which research shows is widely liked and recognized by Hispanic consumers on both coasts.

Besides new television commercials for Knorr Creamy Soups, which began airing in 4th Quarter 2002, the campaign features a year-long, comprehensive promotional program that stretches the slogan’s message in various ways. For example, for the next 12 weeks Knorr will offer Hispanic consumers daily, instant meal solutions by way of radio capsules titled, “Cocina en un Minuto con Knorr y el Chef Pepín” (Knorr’s 60-Second Kitchen with Chef Pepín).

The capsules, which will be supported by an 8-week billboard campaign in Los Angeles, Houston and Miami, all have been tailored to the culinary tastes of Mexican and Caribbean Hispanics. They will run through the end of May, Monday through Friday, on afternoon drive time in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami, as well as Houston, San Antonio, McAllen and Laredo, Texas.

Knorr’s 1st Quarter Hispanic promotional program will also include an in-store sweepstake in hundreds of supermarkets throughout California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and the District of Columbia, as well as more than 100 in-store personal appearances by Chef Pepín in supermarkets throughout the country. The sweepstake will be supported by a radio ad schedule, and will give away a total of 600 gift certificates of $200 each to dine at local restaurants of winners’ choice.