Manna Sauzen and iO: a long-term creative collaboration

From strategy to creation: a long-term partnership

Creativity is only part of the work iO does for Manna. We are Manna’s strategic partner and have a proactive relationship in the ever changing, digital world of marketing and communication. In other words, iO is the digital sauce for Manna. We share our knowledge and experience, connect strategy and creation and explain the difference between trend and hype.

This makes iO an extension of Manna's marketing department. We think, work, and innovate together. And the results of that collaboration? You can’t really miss it – in both words and images.

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Challenge

Growing Manna Sauces into a Belgian A-brand

Solution

Creative always-on and ad-hoc campaigns in line with Manna Sauce's DNA, (social) advertising that reaches the target group efficiently, sales material to strengthen the internal team, or a guerrilla campaign at the world expo? iO does it all.

About Manna Sauces

Manna Sauces was founded in 1935 and has been producing a range of popular delicious cold and hot sauces ever since. Manna Sauces is a family business with a strong focus on rapid, flexible service. Made with care and high-quality raw materials, Manna stands for top-quality products. In short: authentic, local ingredients for top products, delicious dishes, and satisfied customers.

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Ambition and creativity as a common thread – against the tide

The collaboration between Manna Sauces and iO goes way back. The cameras and the creativity were timeless, but in terms of media, we took our client on new paths. Channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, for example, but also newer social networks such as Snapchat and TikTok made their appearance. To this day, we are working through all the trends and evolutions together.

The secret of our successful collaboration? Ambition and a no-nonsense-let's-do-it attitude. A mouthful, but a description that fits perfectly with Manna Sauces. As an ambitious Belgian organisation, they insist on the importance of quality. On the one hand when it comes to the products, on the other hand by taking it to the digital stage as a brand with quality content.

As a brand, Manna likes to go against the grain, but with a thoroughly researched data and clear knowledge of market figures. In addition, they like experimenting with new platforms or channels, and viral guerrilla campaigns. We brought the strategy, the coherence, and the consistency. Today, Manna Sauces is as strong digitally as a brand with its products, as it is as an employer brand.

Typical Manna Content: An Anthology

A long-term collaboration has yielded a lot. While times change and target groups grow up, we always bring a true story that responds to the zeitgeist of the moment. We'll take you through several years of Manna.

1. Crazy delicious

If it's really tasty, we'll be happy to lick our plate clean. When we're at home, anyway. In the very first campaign we created for Manna, that's exactly what we see.

It's damn tasty, and we don't care that we are 'not supposed to'. We are who we are and we do what we want. Sounds like Manna.

In 2019, we brought that same idea to our Youngest target group: students. By watching our video and recognising that(fighting against) laziness is normal at that age, we responded to that trend. With the Catchy Manna-jingle (Mahna Mahna from The Muppets) in the background, we came up with a commercial with a high feel-good content that lingers in every possible way.

2. A blundering master chef and Kempen icons

This approach has already translated into a series of successful video and marketing campaigns in recent years, with Manna's sauces as the focus of the creative collaboration.

Making off

What if Piet Huysentruyt – master chef, culinary TV face, and Flemish icon – suddenly starts making hilarious blunders during the programme Lekker Thuis? That's the question many television viewers asked themselves when videos surfaced in which almost everything in Piet's kitchen seemed to go wrong. Shortly afterwards it emerged that it was all a set-up, with Manna, iO, and Huysentruyt playing in cahoots with Flop Chef. It gave Manna Sauces buckets of exposure, as part of a viral success story.

Watch all Flop Chef videos here

This campaign would be different if it was made today, but in the zeitgeist of the time, the results did not lie: the various videos in the series together achieved almost 500,000 views. We couldn't stop talking about a blundering SOS Piet and new, younger target groups got to know Manna's sauces. The national newspapers wrote about this surprising campaign, and it was shown on television several times. So a lot of free publicity.

3. By Manna, Tijs, and Yves - for CliniClowns

The creatives at iO and Manna got a taste for it. Not long after the viral success of Flop Chef, it was time for the next body of work. This time it was up to the comic musical duo behind Van Echelpoel, Kempen residents Tijs Vanneste and Yves Gaillard, the two driving forces behind successful songs WADDISTJOM and Zietemduun.

In a comical variation on one of their best-known video clips, the viewer saw how the duo had personally 'hacked' the video of WADDISHYOM, with 'Vanechelpoelsaus' as the theme – after which comes the surprise reveal. With this collaboration, Manna Sauces committed themselves to charity. CliniClowns received a lot of donations thanks to the campaign. And Van Echelpoel? The duo received a whopping 20,000... jars of Manna Sauce.

The goal of the campaign? Manna wanted to put a positive spin on the (unfortunate) trend of hacked profiles and websites. Our translation with a Manna Sauce: Belgian hacked. Once again, the campaign was a success, creating a lot of visibility and fun PR for Manna and CliniClowns.

Bolognaise tailored to each brasserie

Not every campaign needs to reach the general public to be successful. This was proven by our video series about the new Bolognaise Chef, a new product for the hospitality industry and therefore a purely B2B campaign. The assignment: create a video to get the target group excited about the launch event.

We involved comedian Steven Goegebeur in a series of five videos, in which we humorously portrayed all the USPs. In the story, Steven goes in search of Bolognaise Chef's secret recipe. And that didn't exactly go smoothly.

We used each video as a multi-purpose promo tool for the exclusive launch event. We shared the smaller videos as a teaser on the various Manna channels and as a sales tool for visits to prospects.

iO developed the concept and wrote the screenplay and script, was responsible for production supervision, graphic elements, and account management.

The lids on the Manna jars

To promote an upcoming job fair for Manna, we developed a targeted advertising campaign on social media. The goal: is to find the right lids for the Manna jars. In other words, attracting potential new colleagues, and at the same time cultivating brand awareness.

An innovative umbrella concept for culinary communication

After the previous successes, Manna wanted to join forces with iO again. As with the previous campaigns, Manna came with clear ambitions:

To increase its brand awareness among three main target groups (students, graduates, and young families).

We came up with 'Relax. Put sauce on it.'. More than just a throwaway line, it's a mindset. Almost a way of life. Because we put every luxury problem into perspective and try to make our target group look at life positively. Manna is your plate of comfort food after a bad week, but just as much your tasty quick bite of everyday life.

With an optimistic view, we can underline the opportunities that a problem can offer. Take positives from every negative. Where possible, link to the sauces. Manna wanted to use this connection to respond to how easy their products are to use, and the message that you make delicious food easily with Manna's products.

Every campaign that results from this concept is light-hearted and witty, with self-reflection but, above all, they are never too well-behaved. The stories are informal, accessible, and recognisable. Delicious no-nonsense. Totally Manna.

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Humorous through and through, with familiar faces

In one of the campaigns, we chose – based on the target groups – two well-known Flemish faces; the content creators and influencers of Antwerp-based Kurkdroog. Flanked by a Manna food truck, they gave their well-known twist to some of the videos, which was well received by the Kurkdroog audience and Manna’s target groups.

Before, during, and after Kurkdroog's witty questions, our digital specialists took care of the entire concept formation, elaboration, production, and post-processing of the video campaign. In addition, our iO content team also put their shoulders to the wheel for the online marketing of the videos and Kurkdroog also shared the videos on its channels for a wider reach.

Difficulty with left and right? Relax. Sauce over it.

One of the videos from the "Kurkdroog" campaign

Too common knowledge? Relax. Sauce over it.

One of the videos from the "Kurkdroog" campaign

Coole Hot Shot? Relax. Sauce over it.

One of the videos from the "Kurkdroog" campaign

"The experts at iO have already articulated the chemistry between Manna and the various influencers very well and have already given our online community a lot of great things. Social media success is proof of that."

Putting current affairs into perspective

You create real interaction by responding to themes that concern your target group. That's why we came up with incisive posts that tie in with the headlines.

The combination of always-on and campaign moments

The creative picture is well known by now, but an important element of the success of the collaboration? The efficient combination of an always-on approach with the right, relevant campaign moments. Offline and online content find each other and are helped by the extra channels that, in addition to the regular ones, are added to reach the target group well.

With page posts, the iO-Manna tandem gives a multimedia charge to the brand. In this way, we ensure that the brand is continuously visible to the target group. During the campaign moments, we also adjust the page posts accordingly. Optimising visuals and every other feature to ensure that the pages on social media support and reinforce the campaign.

These efforts are all the result of well-thought-out media plans. Based on this, we engage in smart media buying. We analyse our campaigns and optimise where possible.

How we supported Manna Sauces

A dome concept with endless potential

Today, the concept of 'Relax. Put sauce on it.' Is like a house. A house in which new stories can always take place based on the existing strategy and new creative content and campaign formats. Like?

Easy Monday Meal, Manna's Life, Blog Posts, Life hacks, Games, News & top topicals, Vacancies, ...

The fact that the umbrella concept could also be flexible during changing circumstances was proven during the corona pandemic. Due to the restrictions in place, which dominated current events, the teams were forced to adjust the content. Think of topics that did not ignore or trivialise corona as a problem but did give it a positive spin. Pure Manna, again.

Today, by the way, we are far from finished with Manna, their ambitions, and their target groups. The future still has a lot to offer and we seize those opportunities together with Manna. Relax. Put sauce on it.

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