SPAM launches Spanish language TV commercial.

Hormel Foods Corporation will launch its first-ever U.S. Spanish-language television commercial for SPAM, its iconic brand of canned luncheon meat. The :30 execution, developed and produced by Hormel’s Hispanic advertising agency of record, The San Jose Group (SJG), will first air on August 14, 2006.

While SJG has been working with the SPAM brand since 2004, this year marks the product’s entrance into Spanish-language television in the U.S. The brand has been in existence since 1937 and enjoys significant awareness among general market households. However, according to agency/client research, nearly 77 percent of U.S. Hispanics are non-users of the SPAM® Family of Products. As such, SJG and Hormel have set out to educate the Hispanic female head-of-household on the versatility and convenience of SPAM.

“We are positioning SPAM to fit into our target demo’s busy lifestyle,” said George L. San Jose, president and COO of The San Jose Group. “As such, we leveraged a high-energy, urban approach to solicit a curiosity of SPAM as an incentive to trial.”

The spot depicts two young professional men on their way home from work in a modern, downtown setting. The hero blissfully imagines SPAM Classic being served for dinner. His antagonist literally steals the thought from above his head and runs away with it. After an engaging, gymnastic-filled chase scene, our hero reclaims his original thought. Upon his return home, his thought turns to reality, when his wife welcomes him with an enticing meal featuring SPAM Classic. The slogan “Imagínalo. Saboréalo.” (Imagine it. Taste it.) solicits a call to action to viewers against appetizing shots of more meals that can be prepared with SPAM.

“The mission of this execution is one of developing not only our brand, but also our category,” remarked Chris Durren, senior product manager, Hormel Foods Corporation. “This commercial will definitely get our target’s attention and help her connect with SPAM in a culturally relevant way.” The commercial will be piloted in Los Angeles and supported with outdoor advertising and free-standing inserts.