Ian Stirling Gets Stuck into Regenerative Farming for McCain

Today McCain unveils a new through-the-line campaign, 'Let’s All Chip In', which highlights the positive collective impact we can have on the environment through the support of regenerative farming. 

'Let’s All Chip In' (the TVC starring Iain Stirling) tells the story of these regenerative farming methods and how we can all chip in to support them, spanning TV, VOD, Social, Cinema and Digital Audio, with corresponding PR and Social campaigns running simultaneously.

With potato yields down by 15% in 2022 alone McCain has committed to 100% regenerative farming by 2030, to help futureproof the way we farm; making it more sustainable and protecting potato yields and wider food supplies for years to come.

The campaign has been designed to engage young people in particular, following research conducted by McCain which showed this audience feel passionately about supporting climate change but at times feel overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge and question the impact on an individual level they can have. Separate additional research commissioned by McCain showed that almost two thirds (64%) of gen z would also be interested in knowing more about where their food comes from, whilst 68% are eager to make better informed choices at the checkout.

The campaign will also be supported by an innovative SnapChat AR Lens, an engaging LadBible partnership and unmissable OOH which includes an immersive installation bringing the McCain Farm to an urban location. 

In the debut 60’ TVC, created by adam&eveDDB and directed by Alex Boutell, the comedian and Love Island commentator Iain Stirling is picked up by McCain farmer Imogen Stanley in her tractor, before the pair drive through the busy city streets to her family’s farm in Oxfordshire.

In his box-fresh trainers, Iain experiences a clash of two worlds as he swaps these city streets for some very muddy fields, to learn about the regenerative farming methods Imogen is starting to use. These methods include cultivating less to keep more carbon in the soil, planting wildflowers to encourage birds and insects to help keep the bad bugs at bay and rotating crops to improve soil health.

Iain ends his visit by sharing some McCain Home Chips in the farmhouse kitchen with Imogen, who explains that thanks to the training and funding the brand is providing to all of its growers, consumers are able to support the regenerative farming journey, simply by choosing McCain.

In the days prior to the TVC launch, the 'Let’s All Chip In' PR and social campaigns will kick things off. On the social side, McCain invited gen z TikTok creators Ayame Ponder, Arthur Hill, Charley Marlowe and Jack Remmington to ‘Chip In’ at another McCain farm that is using regenerative farming practices. The creators teamed up with McCain farmer Zara Dorrington to discover more about regenerative methods, with Iain Stirling guiding the action with his signature witty observations. An unscripted and improvised approach was designed to draw out authentic comedy moments in a series of eight films, directed by Jack Howard, which will run on McCain’s social channels over the next three months.

Meanwhile within PR, McCain has partnered with presenter and Capital Breakfast radio host Roman Kemp, who has starred in a longer-form film directed by James Rawlings.  Roman also got to visit Imogen’s farm to learn more in-depth details about both the context surrounding the way we currently farm and the hugely positive impact which the regenerative farming methods McCain is rolling out across its potato farms can have.

Iain Stirling comments, “It’s amazing to think that you can support regenerative farming simply by choosing McCain. I had great fun on Imogen’s farm in the great outdoors. It was the least I could do to help make sure our beloved potatoes are still around in the future!”

Mark Hodge, vice president, marketing at McCain Foods UK&I said, “We’re hugely proud of our new 360 campaign, 'Let’s All Chip In'. We know that climate change is a real concern, especially for young people and we understand that whilst we all want to do our bit to help, on an individual level, the scale of change needed can sometimes feel overwhelming.

McCain’s commitment to 100% regenerative farming by 2030 means that more and more of our growers will adopt these methods with the help of the training and funding we provide. As a result, simply by choosing McCain, consumers are able to chip in and support a more sustainable approach to farming.”

The 'Let’s All Chip In' 360 campaign is a cross-agency collaboration between adam&eveDDB, We Are Social, Freud Communications and PHD.