Wonderhood Studios' new Waitrose films sell the £15 Dine In for Two by convincing diners they are at a restaurant, when they never left home.
Waitrose has launched a campaign for its meal deals built on a single joke: “It’s not fine dining, it’s fine Dine In.” Made by Wonderhood Studios, the films show people convinced they are at a smart restaurant until it becomes clear they never left home, and they are promoting the £15 No 1 Dine In for Two and the £18 No 1 Takeaway for Four, as Decision Marketing reported.
In one film, a couple enjoying an evening out suddenly remember the babysitter, until the camera reveals the baby asleep on a monitor and the couple at their own kitchen table. In another, a woman compliments the décor of a restaurant that turns out to be her own home. Both end on the prices, which are front and centre throughout.
Kyle Jon Shephard directed for Wonderhood Makers, the agency’s in-house production arm, with MG OMD buying the streaming TV and Waitrose’s own team running social. Radio support includes a partnership with Zoe Ball on Greatest Hits Radio. The creative directors, Myles Vincent and James Rafter, said the range is “so good you’ll probably forget you’re at home in your slippers”.
The target is interesting. Waitrose is aiming at 18 to 35 year olds who would normally order a takeaway on a Friday night, a group that does not think of Waitrose as its supermarket. Competing with Deliveroo on price and convenience, rather than with Tesco on the weekly shop, is a smart way for a premium grocer to recruit younger customers without discounting its brand.
It also shows how the supermarkets are talking about value this autumn. While Aldi attacks loyalty prices, Waitrose is selling a treat at a fixed price, framed against the cost of eating out rather than the cost of groceries. It is the same playbook that has made meal deals one of the most profitable lines in British retail.
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