Gen-Z, Millennial Opps: The General launches new campaign as part of brand evolution (Score 28)

Sales Lead: The General recently launched its first campaign from Energy BBDO, its creative AOR since last summer.

• The company is experiencing an ongoing brand evolution, which now includes a new brand logo, mascot, and campaign spot.
• The campaign features Shaquille O'Neal, who has appeared in The General's work in the past.
• The campaign also includes a spot designed for Latinx audiences.
• It rolled out across linear and streaming TV ads and social channels.
• The General has also started establishing more partnerships; for example, it now sponsors the NBA’s G League.
• The company will likely:
  • Continue shifting its strategy
  • Pursue additional sponsorships
  • Ramp up spend
• Target demographic: 
  • ​​​​​​​Gen-Z and millennials

Additional spending insights:

• Broadcast insights (TV ad creative spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)
  • YTD spend: The General has spent approximately $16m on national TV commercials YTD, down slightly (2%) from the approximately $16.3m spent by this point last year.
  • Last year: The company spent around $32.7m on this channel last year after having spent about double this, around $65.3m, in 2021.
  • 2023 ad programming: The General's 2023 commercials have targeted Gen-X watching shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Enamorándonos, NFL Football, The People's Court, and NBA Basketball..
• Digital and social insights (digital ad spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)
  • YTD spend: The company has allocated roughly $3.3m toward digital ads YTD, down 8% from the roughly $3.6m allocated by this point last year.
  • YTD data: Since the beginning of 2023, The General has earned ~257.2m digital impressions via YouTube (80%), Facebook (13%), Instagram (6%), and desktop display (1%) ads.
  • Last year: The company's estimated full-year 2022 spend of $8.7m increased by 26% from that of $6.9m in 2021.
• Additional channel insights  
  • The company utilizes print, digital, local broadcast, OOH, radio, Google Ads, and online video (via Youtube Android, Youtube IOS, and Youtube.com) ads.
  • The General sponsors podcasts such as The John Batchelor Show, The Breakfast Club, Real Ghost Stories Online, The Walton & Johnson Show, and The Grave Talks.

Additional agency insights:

• Opportunity: If you haven't yet, reach out to offer media, PR, digital analytics, experiential, influencer, and/or multicultural services following The General's AOR appointment last year.
• Current agency roster:
  • ​​​​​​​Energy BBDO: Creative AOR (June 2022)
  • Highdive: Creative AOR
  • Performics: Media AOR
  • Spool Marketing & Communications: PR agency partner

Insight Sources: Broadcast insights estimated by iSpot; digital spend insights estimated by Pathmatics; additional channel insights estimated by Vivvix; podcast insights by Podchaser.