Kroger's latest Super Bowl ad tackles childhood hunger

The Kroger Co. says it is harnessing the spotlight of The Big Game to launch a new campaign that raises awareness around childhood hunger with a new ad, “Silence Hunger.”

Supporting its Zero Hunger, Zero Waste impact plan, the ad features Kroger characters, the “Krojis,” while shedding light on how 1 in 5 children in the U.S. go to bed hungry, according to a news release.
 
The “Silence Hunger” spot portrays two brothers struggling to fall asleep. One believes a monster is lurking in their room, when in actuality, the real “monster” turns out to be the growls of hunger from one brother’s stomach. This ad delivers a message that too many children across the U.S. don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
 
“We are proud to continue our collaboration with Kroger on this powerful campaign,” said Brynna Aylward, chief creative officer for Adam&eveDDB North America. “It’s not every day you get to work on a campaign that highlights real lives and real challenges. The ad serves an emotive message ... and I hope Super Bowl viewers take a pause from the exciting game and feel inspired to end childhood hunger.”  
 
“Every day, our associates donate fresh, surplus food in the communities where we live and work,” said Tom Duncan, vice president of marketing for Kroger. “These donations alongside charitable giving support local food banks that provide food for our neighbors in need. By shining a light on childhood hunger during one of the biggest cultural moments of the year, we are inviting our customers to join us to ensure no child goes to bed hungry.” 
 
The ad will air regionally in key geographies, including Cincinnati — home of Kroger’s headquarters — as well as Arizona, Georgia, Texas, Washington and more, according to the release.
 
Through the ad, Kroger says it hopes to inspire viewers to get involved and join the mission to end childhood hunger. Since launching Kroger's Zero Hunger, Zero Waste impact plan in 2017, the retailer says it has directed more than 3.4 billion meals to nourish communities and provided $1.5 billion to support hunger relief, including nearly 700 million pounds of surplus fresh food donations from stores.