For decades, Knorr has been a staple in Canadian homes. However, as cooking habits evolved, Knorr struggled to resonate with younger demographics and showcase the versatility of its Bouillon cubes beyond their occasional, traditional use as broth.
Despite growth in brand power and penetration, Knorr Bouillon POS (Point of Sale) has declined, driven by a -10.9% YTD decrease in Bouillon products specifically. Our challenge was to “get Knorr out of the cupboard” by positioning Bouillon as Gen Z Canadians' go-to flavour superpower for home-cooked recipes.
While the kitchen became a refuge and creative outlet during the pandemic, only 57% of Canadians say they like cooking post-pandemic. With growing financial pressures and limited time, young Canadians are forced to do more with less—less money, less time, and fewer resources. As a result, many turn to fast food or takeout as a quick, but unhealthy, solution.
However, trends reveal younger Canadians are eager to discover recipes and find kitchen inspiration. The rise of #CookTok and creators like Logan the “Cucumber Guy” dominating TikTok FYPs shows enthusiasm for cooking at home, we just needed to demonstrate how easy it is in a way that resonates with them.
Our mission was to prove that delicious home cooking isn’t just possible—it’s enjoyable and easier than you think through a simple solution: remix popular fast-food dishes using Bouillon and Knorr recipes to show how Knorr is the solve to making homecooked meals that are just as good as your fast-food favourites.
With over 190,000 university students across the Greater Toronto Area and 75% of students cooking from basic ingredients only a few times a year, Toronto offered a direct connection to our target audience; Gen Zs who needed to rediscover the joy of home cooking in Canada’s cultural and culinary epicenter.
With 'fast food remix' as our foundation, we set out to create a campaign that matched fast-food promotions while showing that cooking is meant to be creative, not a chore. Research shows that 80% of Canadians watch or listen to content while tackling everyday tasks, which inspired us to create cooking content.
Gen Z became obsessed with club music thanks to Charli XCX’s “Brat”, and Boiler Room’s immersive DJ sets. Like the remixes blasting through Gen Z’s headphones, we wanted to remix a “traditional” brand like Knorr. Welcome to The Bouillon Room: a one-night only event in Toronto, Canada’s culture and music hub, where meals would be cooked with music.
Using speakers and a cymatic plate to literally bounce ingredients for custom recipes, we created a sensory culinary experience, as we remixed classic fast-food dishes by cooking with sound.
To bring the event to life, we partnered with the coolest in food and music. Enter Chef Eric Chong, MasterChef Canada winner, a Gen Z chef who designed three recipes, including his remix of the TikTok famous Lemon Pepper Chicken. For tunes, we partnered with Loud Luxury, a DJ duo widely known for their rise on university campuses, to craft the beats that would cook the dishes. The partners were local to the Greater Toronto Area, ensuring an authentic connection with the city.
Sounds Good, a Toronto hotspot with a basement dance floor reminiscent of Boiler Room, became the perfect venue. With its underground vibe, top-tier DJ performances, and a space where creativity thrives, it resonates with Gen Z’s desire for immersive, authentic experiences. It became The Bouillon Room, alive with bold colours, powerful sounds, and overhead views of ingredients bouncing on speakers. Guests enjoyed bite-sized portions of each recipe, immersing them in the fusion of music and cuisine.
To build anticipation, we launched a social media campaign, creating owned promotional videos and partnering with local foodie influencers like Hash and Lyss and Danny Hunyh. Targeted ads were placed where fast-food brands already had a presence, ensuring maximum reach.
We tailored social content for each platform and amplified the campaign with surround-sound tactics. Awareness messaging dominated Toronto’s iconic Yonge-Dundas Square, while grassroots wild postings within a 2KM radius of The Bouillon Room created citywide buzz ahead of the event. And to replicate the livestream elements of Boiler Room’s sets—we livestreamed on Knorr Canada's Instagram channel, making a local event accessible for fans across Canada.
To streamline communication, we built a dedicated landing page, featuring event details, recipes, and partner content while also serving as a reservation platform. An email journey to confirm registration and send timely reminders.
Promotion for The Bouillon Room kicked off on Monday, September 13, with social media and influencer campaigns driving incredible demand; phase 1 tickets sold out in under three hours. Due to overwhelming interest, we released additional ticket batches twice more, and each time they were completely sold out within just a few hours.
On the day of the event, the venue buzzed with energy, hosting a vibrant mix of attendees, influencers, and media. The atmosphere perfectly captured the essence of a true Boiler Room set, with Chef Eric Chong’s meals being prepared on beat with Loud Luxury’s music, creating an unforgettable sensory experience.
The online buzz matched the electric energy of the event, with our promotions and livestream content generating over 5M views to date, and total campaign impressions surpassing 120M. Key highlights of the campaign included:
9.79% organic social engagement rate
120 event attendees, with lines stretching out the door
10.4M+ views and 78K total engagements on influencer partner content
100% website engagement rate and 0% bounce rate
57% open rate on over 150 event-related emails
Most importantly, the impact of The Bouillon Room has been game-changing for the brand. Knorr experienced a +10.2% increase in POS sales following the event, marking the first growth in the bouillon category in years and directly reversing the year’s long decline.
Beyond the numbers, the event has reignited excitement within the organization, sparking a renewed drive to deliver even more buzz-worthy campaigns in the future.
