La Vie breaks up with meat for Valentine’s Day

The UK’s favourite plant-based bacon, La Vie, celebrated Valentine’s Day with a cheeky campaign that urged consumers to break up with meat once and for all. 

Penning an open letter in a UK national newspaper, La Vie declared its love for the taste, texture and smell of meat before affirming that, despite those feelings, the relationship was no longer viable. Citing meat’s addiction to intensive farming, its animal cruelty and environmental impacts as reasons for the breakup, the toxic relationship left La Vie no choice but to go its own way.

Determined to spread the message loud and clear, La Vie comically delivered the break-up news across the city, stopping at some of the capital’s most infamous meat hotspots on Ad Bikes. To really drive home the campaign and encourage consumers to follow the brand’s lead and break up with meat for good, La Vie handed out 5,000 units of its famously delicious meat-free smokey bacon outside of Farringdon Station to encourage lovers to take a chance on plant-based options. 

Using a two-pronged approach, we shared the news with key marketing, trade, design and vegan titles in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, paired with product gifting. We wooed friendly media contacts and influencers, gifting curated kits that included La Vie bacon alongside beautifully arranged floral bouquets. We achieved 29 pieces of coverage, with a total reach of over 2.4 million. Media coverage included two features on The Drum, including its Ad of the Day and Best Ads of the Week, PR Week, Little Black Book and Marketing Beat.

The campaign highlighted that it is still possible to enjoy bacon in a way that is better for you, the planet and of course, the pigs!