Quest Nutrition Wants You to Succumb to Your Instincts

Quest Nutrition previously broke through with its campaign ‘It’s Basically Cheating’, work created by SG1, the bespoke agency unit within Publicis Groupe. It positioned the protein snacks brand as the healthy option for when indulgent cravings kick in – but now, it’s taken a darker turn.

Led by Leo New York, the new development from SG1 asks customers to ‘Succumb’ to their instincts – a bolder, more psychological approach to that internal battle. The campaign’s films, directed by Biscuit Filmworks’ Damien Shatford, represent the conflict with unruly, sentient shopping trolleys, sinister alter-ego reflections in vending machines, and comic actors reacting to ‘devil on the shoulder’ disembodied voices.

“We knew we wanted to push the platform further and explore the other side of cravings,” says Stuart Heflin, SVP, general manager of Quest brand marketing. “‘Succumb’ came from that insight - sometimes the smartest choice is to stop resisting and give in. The word has a slightly darker edge by design, because Quest is about making indulgence feel a little mischievous while still delivering best-in-class nutrition. It's bold, it stands out in the category, and it perfectly captures the feeling of caving to something that's almost too good to be true.”

“Succumb was the perfect word to evoke the feeling we wanted consumers to take away,” adds, Joe Mongognia, chief creative officer at Leo New York. “You 'give in' to cravings; you succumb to what you need on a deeper level. The word creates tension, and Quest helps break that tension by giving you something you want and also something you feel good about eating.”

Damien Shatford’s films used off-screen improv actors to give the actors in shot something to react to in real-time. They “infused the set with energy,” says Stuart. This led to unique, surprising performances, and a lot of modular content from the shoot to be used across multiple formats.

He continues, “Since the commercial was all about capturing the battle between the voices inside your head, the actors had to communicate a lot without saying a word. Having the improv talent there brought out vivid and authentic expressions from the protagonists of each spot.”

According to Stuart, the strategy was to create an instinctual message for customers to encounter wherever cravings hit – “meeting people in the moments and places where they're snacking, scrolling, and making choices.”

So beyond the films, the campaign has also been launched across digital, social posts, influencer social content and out-of-home, with additional extensions into audio and commerce spaces.