VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline help General Mills shine during Earth Month

The increasing prevalence of video-streaming subscriptions in American households has created new opportunities for audiences to connect with the outdoors, even when they can’t visit natural spaces in person. Earth Month, which takes place every April, is the perfect opportunity to spotlight the beauty of nature while also supporting initiatives to protect the planet.

General Mills elected to use this time to help bring green spaces directly into consumers’ homes. They also sought to highlight the brands under their umbrella that prioritize the use of recyclable or compostable packaging and participation in projects that offset their environmental impact, such as Nature Valley, LÄRABAR, EPIC, and Annie’s.

To accomplish these goals, General Mills turned to Amazon Ads partners VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline. Together, they produced a Prime video for the United States through Fire TV and the Stream It Forward program. This Fire TV cause-based marketing initiative, called Press Play for Nature, gave audiences the opportunity to stream video content and help raise funds for the National Park Foundation (NPF), an organization that protects and enhances more than 400 US national parks to benefit both current and future generations. For each hour watched, General Mills donated $1 to the NPF.

Through the use of Amazon DSP, sponsored ads, and insights from Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC), the campaign also highlighted General Mills brands distinguished by their sustainability initiatives and authentic connection to nature. AMC insights were instrumental to the campaign’s success. Using this information, VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline analyzed the conversion paths of customers exposed to multiple Amazon Ads touch points.

The partners learned that exposing a customer to a particular series of ad types—Fire TV, Sponsored Brands, and Amazon DSP conversion—resulted in a substantial boost in return on ad spend (ROAS). Using AMC insights, VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline tailored the ad sequence precisely, unlocking a 203% increase in ROAS.¹

For the 100 million Americans who lack easy access to green spaces, the Press Play for Nature campaign provided a unique opportunity to learn more about our planet and contribute to its preservation. Consumers watched 102,000 hours of documentaries on Prime Video, resulting in the maximum possible donation to the NPF of $100,000.² During the campaign, General Mills also saw their Store achieve its best week of selling on Amazon to date, with a boost in net sales of 47%.³

With the assistance of Amazon Ads partners VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline, General Mills was able to deploy a successful campaign that not only drove sales but also helped protect national parks throughout the United States. For spearheading a strong ad strategy with a positive impact, VMLY&R and Stackline have won the Creative Brand Building Award (Endemic) at the 2023 Amazon Ads Partner Awards.

Learn how VMLY&R Commerce and Stackline can help make a difference in your ad campaigns—and more.