In June 2020, in the wake of a cultural reckoning against a backdrop of long-standing social injustice, Uncle Ben’s knew it needed to adapt to be more inclusive. It listened to thousands of consumers, its own Associates, and other stakeholders globally – particularly those in the Black community – to understand the inequities associated with the brand. More than half of consumers (53%) wanted to see the brand change in some way.

Wanting to be part of the solution, they rebranded as the more inclusive Ben’s Original, and a new Purpose (to offer everyone a seat at the table) became its guiding principle.

Brief: Infuse the new purpose-led Ben’s Original brand with emotional meaning, while creating positive sentiment & desire

Business objective: Increase penetration

Marketing Objectives: Improve brand perception & purchase intent

Communications objective: Drive awareness of the brand & its purpose

Societal objective: Make a meaningful impact on society

The campaign launch film opens by asking ‘What if 100 families around the world started with the same ingredient? 1 pack of Ben’s Original’ rice.

What follows is a celebration of the diverse traits, backgrounds and stories that are the ingredients of what makes all of us original.

Shot in a real but beautifully cinematic style and told through joyful, upbeat cooking moments of six families - all from diverse backgrounds - the film leads us to the message: ‘Every meal, every family, everyone… We all bring something different to the table. Because we’re all original recipes.’

The next films focus on each of these families individually telling their original ‘recipes’: the added pinch of chaos in a family of 5, a dash of gossip between best friends, the daunting task of feeding two hungry dancing teenagers as a single parent and so on.