Popeye Named as Face of Anchor Campaign
Popeye the Sailor Man has been engaged by Anchor to feature in the New Zealand dairy brand’s new brand campaign, which has been unveiled across the nation. The campaign was developed with Anchor’s agency TBWA Auckland to champion the goodness of real milk and normalize drinking it again, the campaign debuted in late September on billboards across New Zealand.
The Anchor Milk campaign sees Popeye trading his iconic spinach can for a glass of milk featuring the Anchor logo held in one of the character’s classic poses. Given Popeye’s iconic anchor tattoo on his arm, the character is a perfect fit to feature on Anchor’s larger than life billboards and other OOH displays.
Popeye’s brand owner, King Features Syndicate, is a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters. The partnership between King Features and Anchor was brokered by Born Licensing, King Features’ promotional licensing agent in the territory. This campaign is just the latest of Popeye’s efforts encouraging good nutrition as he celebrates his 95th anniversary. In January, Popeye became the first “person” to be awarded the Good Housekeeping Nutritionist Seal in recognition of his 90+ years advocating for healthier food choices as well as his more recent efforts to clean up the sea. Popeye’s healthy and active lifestyle gives him the confidence to rise to any occasion, and as the embodiment of strength and fitness, he inspires us all to stay Popeye Strong!
“Just like Popeye, milk has been synonymous with strength for decades, making this a perfect alignment for the two brands,” said Carla Silva, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Global Head of Licensing, King Features Syndicate. “Like Anchor, Popeye believes goodness feeds greatness and he inspires us all to work hard, be persistent, and stay strong to the finish! This campaign is simple yet striking and incredibly effective. We couldn’t be happier to see Popeye as a champion for milk on billboards and beyond!”
“Incorporating popular fictional characters into advertising material is a tried and tested way to achieve cut-through and capture attention,” said David Born, CEO of Born Licensing. “Popeye is instantly recognizable, has generational awareness and brings with him strong character traits that align perfectly with Anchors ‘Milk is Good. Real Good’ campaign messaging.”
