Last updated on September 7th, 2012 at 10:39 am
Athenos, a leading line of authentic Greek-style foods including feta cheese, hummus and pita chips, is unveiling a new phase of its popular advertising campaign featuring Yiayia, the brand’s opinionated yet relatable Greek grandmother persona.
After the success of last year’s campaign, which saw a double-digit increase in sales while on air, Yiayia returns in national advertising created by Droga5 New York that touts the Athenos brand’s commitment to products made with traditional ingredients. Yiayia remains as blunt and opinionated as ever when faced with modern situations, reserving her approval for Athenos products, and Athenos products only.
“Yiayia and Athenos are now interchangeable,” says Anne Field, brand manager of Athenos. “The brand’s respect for traditional Greek preparation is brought to life through Yiayia’s respect (and demand) for traditional ways of life. We’ve been thrilled with the consumer response to Yiayia and are excited to bring her to a wider audience this year.”
“Athenos is a brand willing to take risks,” says Andrew Essex, CEO of Droga5. “The success of last year’s campaign reflects our long-held belief that consumers respect brands and content that speak to them in unique yet relatable ways. We’re excited to continue to disrupt the category in this new phase.”
This year, the Yiayia from last year’s “Party” advertisement returns to comment on more modern day realities in advertisements including:
• “Pool Party”—An announcer interrupts pool party attendees enjoying Athenos feta on their salad. When he asks Yiayia what she thinks about the party food choice, Yiayia instead critiques their lack of clothing.
• “Video Chat”—An announcer interrupts a woman eating an omelet made with Athenos feta while video chatting with her husband. When he asks Yiayia what she thinks about this meal choice, Yiayia instead expresses her distaste for this nontraditional interaction.
In addition to the new television spots, Athenos will be supporting the campaign and the brand’s portfolio of products through digital integration and social media activation.
