Dive Brief:

• Online grocery platform Instacart unveiled on Monday its first brand campaign, according to an emailed press release. "How Homemade is Made" includes a new 60-second spot with all of the dishes shown available through QR codes that connect viewers to a shoppable recipe on Instacart's app.
• Meanwhile, Shipt announced earlier this month a year-long collaboration with actress and author Kristen Bell — a "first-of-its-kind marketing partnership" for the Target-owned e-commerce company that includes a holiday campaign followed by more seasonal campaigns. 
• Instacart's new campaign reinforces the company's grocery delivery service and arrives amid a visual refresh and new brand identity, while Shipt said it's looking to create greater name recognition and awareness of its expanded retail categories.

Dive Insight:

The announcements from Instacart and Shipt come on the heels of the holiday season as the two companies look to entice shoppers relying more on cooking at home, but they're taking different approaches with their tone.

Instacart's first integrated campaign spotlights how meals can bring people together. The new ad, which running through Jan. 2 on TV networks including ABC, CBS and NBC and other platforms, centers around a man's affection for his mother's cooking, capturing the love and joy that comes from a favorite family recipe, according to CEO Fidji Simo.

Shipt's video ads with Bell feature her fangirling over Shipt Shoppers and following them around the store, like a fan would for a celebrity. The playful tone ties into Shipt's stated marketing goals of highlighting convenience and the "elevated experience" provided by Shipt Shoppers. 

When announcing the partnership, Shipt included a 15-second video with Bell that shows the actress opening her fridge to discover it's mostly empty. "Oh Shipt. What am I going to do for dinner? I don't have time to go to the grocery store," she says in frustration before realizing she has another option. "Oh, Shipt!"

Instacart this year has made significant changes to its leadership, hiring Facebook's former ad chief as its new president. Having started in September, Carolyn Everson brings 30 years of experience across media, tech and ad companies to the president role and most recently served as Facebook's vice president of global marketing solutions. The appointment followed two other senior hires in its advertising business, suggesting the company is looking to majorly beef up its ad unit.

Instacart in August said its advertising arm, which works with more than 2,500 CPG brands, is poised to be one of the company's fastest-growing units in the year ahead as it looks to become one of the world's largest online grocery ad platforms.

Instacart in the past has focused its efforts around connecting with individual brands, as seen through a June advertising initiative to boost Black-owned brands. The $1 million push offered Black-owned CPGs prominent ad placement on its app and gave eligible companies ad credits to allow for higher visibility. It also created resources for these brands to learn how to maximize the impact of their ad campaigns.

Shipt said Bell will appear in video and audio ad spots that will run across online video, radio, connected TV and social media platforms, including on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, Hulu and other platforms.

Online grocery sales hit $8.1 billion in October 2021, up slightly from the previous month, per data from Brick Meets Click and Mercatus. Grocery e-commerce has settled into a more predictable pattern following pandemic-induced surges in 2020.