How Velveeta Became a Lifestyle Brand With Celebrity Clout

Though it became known as a Super Bowl party staple, Velveeta’s sales fell in both 2018 and 2019. Then it saw an unexpected 24% sales surge in 2020 as people stocked up on long-life foods during the Covid-19 pandemic. That marked a turning point, and an opportunity for the brand to translate its temporary boost into longer-term appeal.

“Velveeta was a very dusty brand before 2021. We had lost a lot of our magic and our mojo,” Vance said. “We had to figure out how to create relevance in younger consumers’ lives moving forward.” 

Velveeta’s marketing team surveyed its target audience—Gen Z and millennials—and uncovered a few truths. One, many people saw Velveeta as “this permissible indulgence, the epitome of ‘hit-the-spot’ food,” Vance said. “We came across a quote that said, ‘Sex is great, but have you ever had Velveeta?’”

The research also revealed a certain attitude among a younger cohort: “They go all in on the things they love. They want a life that prioritizes moments and experiences that are pleasure-filled,” Vance observed. “There was another quote that said, ‘I think of my body as an amusement park, not a temple.’”

By connecting the dots between the product’s cheesy goodness and young people’s hunger for experiences, the brand found its purpose: “Velveeta stands for outrageous pleasure. It’s a pleasure wingman,” Vance said. 

The cheesy life

The brand platform’s name, “La Dolce Velveeta,” is inspired by Fellini’s 1960 cinema classic La Dolce Vita, which in Italian means “the sweet life.” One of the main characters in the film is Sylvia, an electric and free-spirited actress “who embraced an unapologetic lifestyle,” said Michael Hess, creative director at Johannes Leonardo, Velveeta’s ad agency.

In that spirit, Velveeta and the agency devised a campaign that “embraces people who live life in their own, unapologetic ways and make bold statements,” Hess said.