This ad was created by HelloFresh, a meal delivery service that is notorious for its convenient, healthy, and well-balanced meals. HelloFresh is a subscription-based program that allows customers to select meal options weekly and have them delivered to their houses. They deliver pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipe cards to simplify the cooking process.
This ad was a time-based ad meant to catch viewers’ attention quickly. In this ad, there is a text that tells consumers they can receive up to 20 free meals and sides by signing up for their subscription. In the foreground, the ad focuses on a dish offered by HelloFresh. The dish is bright and colourful, from rich green broccoli to seasoned orange salmon. The colourful food indicates its quality, freshness, and nutrition.
Additionally: The warm, appealing sunlight from a nearby window illuminates the dish. By placing the dish in the sunlight, it seems more appealing. The sun is also associated with ideas like warmth, nature, and health. The background is blurry and out of focus. In the shadows, at the top right corner of the ad, there is an open box which indicates that the dish was just taken out of the box. There are phrases like “No Prep” and “Heat & eat in 3 mins”, the use of shorthand and fragmented sentences creates a more casual tone. Also, there is a hand holding the meal which suggests that using HelloFresh is easy, and that the meal is portable and can be eaten anywhere.
The text boxes have a bright green background to make the text stand out. Green is commonly associated with nature, freshness, and health. All these elements subtly tell the consumer that Hello Fresh can provide convenient, quick and healthy meals.
While HelloFresh markets its packaging as eco-friendly, only some elements of it are truly recyclable. This highlights the need for greater transparency in how companies label sustainability efforts. Plastic lasts for centuries, building up in landfills, oceans, and the environment. Moreover, its manufacture depends on finite resources like fossil fuels, resulting in resource exhaustion (BPF, 2023). Food, water, and environmental contamination by plastic additives raise health concerns (Sharda, Krampe, and Ingenbleek 2024). Not all plastics are recyclable, limiting reuse. Plastic waste is largely incinerated (Sharda, Krampe, and Ingenbleek 2024).
The company claims to have offset 62,000 tons of carbon emissions. This impressive figure gives customers the impression that they are environmentally conscious and proactive in tackling climate change. However, carbon offsetting merely postpones the inevitable consequences.
In comparison to standard supermarkets, the company’s shorter supply chain results in a 31% reduction in carbon emissions. Research conducted by Heard et al. (2019) supports these findings, revealing that, on average, grocery store emissions are 33% higher than those associated with meal kit delivery services. The researchers concluded that streamlined supply chains not only cut down on food waste but also significantly reduce emissions from last-mile transportation (Heard et al. 2019).
Although this sector remains understudied, other variables can also influence emissions. Heldt et al. (2021) highlighted that food cooling plays a considerable role in emissions and energy consumption. Vehicles consume three to five times more energy in hot conditions compared to colder temperatures (Heldt et al. 2021). Notably, emissions from refrigeration are three times greater than those generated by transportation (Heldt et al. 2021). Furthermore, refrigeration emissions fluctuate based on the delivery location, with urban areas experiencing higher energy consumption than more remote areas, due to the increased number of stops and the complexities involved in loading and unloading (Heldt et al. 2021).
Overall HelloFresh has a blend of pros and cons regarding environmentalism. While their marketing can be a deceptive blend of buzzwords, there are some genuine incentives HelloFresh is working towards. In response to critiques on their plastic usage, HelloFresh aims to increase their use of recyclable and compostable materials. According to their 2021 Sustainability Report, packaging makes up approximately 10% of their meals’ carbon footprint.
Young adults and young families are the target demographic for HelloFresh. This ad is effective as it has a high incentive, if viewers sign up now, they can receive 20 free meals. This is very attractive to young adults who may be in school, or young families who are on tight budgets. As a student, my budget is often tight, making the appeal of free meals particularly strong. This highlights the effectiveness of HelloFresh’s marketing in targeting young adults seeking affordable meal solutions.
Ezeobidi Michael
I found this analysis of HelloFresh’s advertisement to be insightful and well-structured. It does a great job of breaking down the ad’s visual and textual elements, explaining how the company appeals to consumers through warm lighting, bright colours, and casual phrasing. I especially liked how it identified the target audience by linking the ad’s financial incentives to real-life budget concerns. As a student, I can relate to the appeal of free meals, so I thought this connection was particularly effective.
The discussion on greenwashing was substantial, especially in pointing out the contradiction between HelloFresh’s eco-friendly branding and its continued use of non-recyclable plastics. I appreciated the critical take on carbon offsetting, showing how it doesn’t necessarily solve the problem but delays the impact. The use of scholarly sources, like Heard et al. (2019) and Heldt et al. (2021), made the argument feel more credible, particularly in explaining the emissions linked to food delivery and refrigeration.
That said, I think the analysis could have further challenged HelloFresh’s sustainability claims. While it covered packaging well, you should have discussed food sourcing or the potential downsides of their supply chain. It also could have drawn a clearer contrast between HelloFresh’s marketing claims and independent research. Overall, though, this is a well-researched and thoughtful critique.