Icelandic Provisions launches its first national ad campaign

The skyr brand seeks to introduce U.S. consumers to Icelandic culture.

Icelandic Provisions announced the rollout of its first national advertising campaign created, in part, to answer the questions: “What is skyr?” and “How do you say the word 'skyr?'” Developed in tandem with the Circus Maximus advertising agency, the campaign was created to help introduce consumers to the nutritious Nordic alternative to traditional yogurts.

Inspired by the brand's origin and the uniqueness of Icelandic culture, Icelandic Provisions and Circus Maximus made the decision to use only Icelandic partners in the campaign's production. They engaged Sagafilm Productions, a Kópavogur-based company that's worked on films such as Interstellar and Star Trek: Into the Darkness, along with Director Hawk Björgvinsson and local talent to anchor the video spots. The result of the team's past five months of work is what they consider to be a “snackable taste of Iceland,” Icelandic Provisions said.

Filmed on location in the coastal village of Vík, the commercials feature Jón & Guðmundur, played by Reykjavík improv actors Jörundur Ragnarsson and Bragi Árnason. The comedic duo explain to viewers what skyr is while donning two Lopapeysas, or traditional Icelandic sweaters.

"As a company co-founded by the dairy cooperative in Iceland, MS Iceland Dairies, to bring authentic skyr to market in the U.S, Icelandic Provisions continues to be driven by our team's commitment to sharing Nordic culture," said Mark Alexander, CEO of New York-based Icelandic Provisions. "Skyr has been an integral part of Iceland's heritage for over 1,000 years, so it only made sense for us to enlist the help of some of Iceland's most talented creatives. We're excited for consumers to experience Iceland with our loveable actors, hoping it inspires them to discover a new culture and encourages differentiation within the yogurt aisle."

The campaign, which will kick-off in Washington, D.C., in February, includes geo-targeted social and digital content coupled with out-of-home experiences that include transit takeovers, including full bus wraps, bike share kiosks and digital transit shelters.