We helped Birds Eye recruit the next generation of frozen chicken shoppers by fusing a British cultural staple, The Chicken Shop, with the only media space Gen Z still reliably shows up in gaming. By recreating chicken shop vibes inside EAFC, Twitch and student life moments, we drove a 26% uplift in sales, tripled brand mentions and brought an influx of new, younger shoppers into the category.
The Insight
Birds Eye faced a category problem and a generational one. Their shopper base was ageing fast (average age: 52) and private label dominated 50% of the frozen chicken market. To win the next generation of home cooks and justify a price premium, Birds Eye needed cultural relevance, not just product messaging.
Our breakthrough came from a simple truth: even though Gen Z are eating and drinking out less, chicken shops remained an iconic third space that is cheap, social and deeply woven into youth culture (see the lasting popularity of Chicken Shop Dates, if you need proof!). We wanted to recreate that experience at home, but we needed a media environment where real-time banter, camaraderie and connection already existed. We found it in online gaming.
The Approach
Whilst chicken shop culture gave us the vibes, we needed to make sure we delivered the energy at home, where Birds Eye is the best choice.
We showed up everywhere that Gen Z hangs out; in-game, infeed, in-stream and in the group chat. Crucially, we tonally matched the chicken shop moment, but at home; mates together, competitive energy, chat flying, cravings kicking in.
The campaign centred on three pillars:
- The first FMCG brand inside EAFC – we set up shop inside the UK’s most iconic game for this audience embedding Birds Eye into Ultimate Team with LEDin-game billboard sponsorship. It was seen over half a billion times.
- Influencer-fuelled challenges in EAFC – we partnered with twelve leading gaming creators including Chuffster, Stokes and Shawrey, who played Birds Eye-themed challenges live on Twitch and YouTube. Their best moments became snackable content across Meta and TikTok.
- Real-world youth relevance – we built an OOH campaign designed to hit groups of students together: D6s on campuses, bus shelters on student routes, and high-traffic pedestrianised areas in student towns. AV still played a role, but tightly targeted, with Gen Z gaming affinity buys across YouTube, Twitch, BVOD, plus appointment to view programming Britain’s Got Talent, Celebrity Big Brother and Bake Off.
The Results
By meeting Gen Z where they spend their time, the campaign generated exceptional commercial and brand results:
- Strengthened Birds Eye’s reputation among consumers.
- Delivered standout visibility at scale.
- Successfully encouraged trial within the category.
- Expanded the brand’s customer base by attracting new buyers.
