Campbell debuts Chunky Soup ads with Chargers’ star, unveils new foods at trade show

CAMDEN, N.J. Campbell Soup Co. has been busily planning several launches for 2008. The newest in its ad campaign for Campbell’s Chunky Soup is a spot featuring LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers’ running back, the company announced today.

Campbell said it selected Tomlinson as a spokesman because he is known as one of the NFL’s most hard-working, generous and humble players. The Campbell ads featuring for the 2008 campaign are titled, “Working Day.” They went into production earlier this week in Los Angeles.

Campbell’s Chunky soups brand manager, Doug Brand, said, “As we enter our 11th consecutive season with the NFL, we are excited to introduce a new and different approach for this year’s advertising campaign S We are delighted to have LaDainian Tomlinson back for a second season and believe he is the foundation for the outstanding evolution of this new campaign. LaDainian is a stand-out athlete who truly represents all of the qualities of the Chunky soup brand—big-hearted, hardworking and fun—making him a natural fit as our spokesperson.”

Campbell also unveiled yesterday its new product line for the 2008-09 fiscal year at this year’s Food Marketing Institute meeting. The new group of foods is health- and vegetable-oriented and includes updates to some of Campbell’s soup lines, new Swanson cooking stocks and new flavors of Pace salsas.

Campbell’s said it has added two soups to its Healthy Request line; chicken corn chowder and sirloin burger with country vegetables. Both selections are lower sodium than traditional Campbell soups.

The company has also announced in February is has plans to revamps its whole line of Campbell’s Kids soups to bring them up to par with the government’s standard for “healthy” foods.

Consumers may visit www.chunky.com for more details on Campbell’s Chunky soups.