Paul Newman was a very famous movie star. This will seem obvious to readers above a certain age and fans of classic films, but it is apparently not that obvious to all grocery shoppers. While you’d think that the late star’s Newman’s Own line of organic food that turns over profits to charity would be a hit with civic-minded foodies, that guy on the label may as well be Duncan Hines or Chef Boyardee to younger shoppers.

Well… maybe not that obscure, since many people don’t know whether those two men were real people or marketing department creations. Still, when Newman’s Own did some market research, the company discovered that relatively few younger shoppers knew that the company’s profits go to a charitable foundation.

In an article about the rebranding and ad initiative, the New York Times uses the “M” word: “millennials.” Suddenly, that makes sense: if you don’t know where the brand came from, it wouldn’t be obvious that it was started as a fundraiser.

Product packages now emphasize a banner that explains all profits go to charity, something that theoretically should please millennial do-gooders. They retain the drawing of a grinning Paul Newman, the same logo that the company has used since the ’80s.

Yet Newman’s Own isn’t used to advertising much at all. This ad campaign isn’t so much about the products themselves, but getting the message out about the company’s charitable mission. New TV spots for the brand discuss where the money raised goes, not necessarily the actual products.

Paul Newman Who? Salad Dressing Company Adjusts to Reach Millennials [New York Times]

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