Becel Vegan is taking over the digital space today as part of a campaign that’s introducing the product to the Canadian consumer. Launching in tandem with Earth Day, the goal of the digital buy was to reach environmentally conscious consumers who will be interested in the lactose-free, gluten-free product, explains Caroline Moul, digital group director at PHD in Toronto, who arranged the media buy.

‘We usually find that if somebody is vegan, they typically are aligned with [the] green-friendly [movement] and are trying to do things that are better for the environment overall,’ Moul tells MiC.

Placements include a reach block on Facebook that will ensure all females who log in today for the first five times will see the Becel ad on the right-hand sponsored section; a blast with Google across both niche and mass sites that are green friendly or food-oriented, for instance Naturalpath.com, or the FoodNetwork.com; and homepage placements with MSN, AOL and Canwest, with a takeover of the Weather Network homepage in British Columbia.

‘We’re trying to drive awareness and drive trial of the product in a fun and engaging way,’ says Moul.

This includes sponsorships on Shockwave.com games that are food-related and played by women, she adds, as well as magazine placements and a 15-second TV spot runninng in the BC market. The campaign, which started April 12, runs through to June.