Publisher case study: Changing what people think about frozen food
Changing what people think about frozen food
Up to 50% of consumers still believe frozen food is less nutritious than fresh, a misconception that meant Strong Roots, a brand built on real, recognisable ingredients, remained unfamiliar to many of the shoppers who would love it most.
Since launching in the UK in 2017, the brand had built genuine consumer affinity and steady growth. But changing deeply held beliefs takes more than reach and repetition. It takes proof, delivered in environments people already trust for food and health advice.
Strong Roots needed an environment where the quality of its ingredients could become proof in itself, one that could move the conversation from advertising claims to trusted recommendation. That’s where Good Food and Good Health by Good Food had a unique role to play.
*British Food Journal research article ‘Breaking the ice’, April 2025
‘Let’s be real’ was built around a simple ambition: to make Strong Roots the frozen choice people could genuinely feel good about. Immediate used the editorial authority of Good Food and Good Health by Good Food to build a campaign around authentic food experiences that helped audiences discover the quality of the product for themselves.
The partnership opened with an eclipse takeover of GoodFood.com, turning the site purple on launch day to give Strong Roots immediate standout. Immediate’s first-party data was used to reach consumers already engaged with cooking and healthy eating. Editorial content, recipes and health features then moved the brand from awareness into recommendation, showing how Strong Roots fits naturally into everyday cooking.
Finally, the campaign extended into the real world. A dedicated Strong Roots stage at the Good Food Summer Show, fronted by MasterChef winner Dhruv Baker, allowed consumers to taste the product for themselves, while vodcasts and social content extended those moments further. Every element of the campaign reinforced the same message: this isn’t frozen food as you think you know it.
Native content earned a click-through rate (CTR) five times the benchmark, a strong signal that reframing frozen food through recipes and real cooking moments gave people a genuine reason to look closer. In video, Good Health by Good Food‘s social native content accumulated 3.7 million views with a view-through rate more than double the benchmark.
Even the campaign’s boldest moment, the GoodFood.com eclipse takeover, delivered a 1.58% CTR on desktop. Proof that the right story, told in the right place, doesn’t need to fight for attention.
Changing a category misconception isn’t a job for reach alone. It’s a job for trust, context and repeated proof.
For Immediate, this partnership demonstrates the role publishers can play in modern brand building and driving trial, placing brands inside respected editorial environments where consumers are already looking for advice, inspiration and recommendations.
For challenger brands like Strong Roots, that is a powerful advantage. When the objective is to change what people believe, as well as what they buy, trusted publishing doesn’t just amplify the message, it helps turn brand stories into commercial results.
From the beginning, Immediate understood what we were trying to achieve. The partnership was about changing how people think about frozen food. Through trusted editorial, brilliant content and genuinely integrated experiences, they brought our brand to life in a way that felt credible, engaging and authentic. The results exceeded our objectives and showed how effective the right publishing partner can be.