Jack Link's is announcing the launch of a new national campaign dubbed “Feed Your Wild Side”—a direct call on Gen Z to embrace a lifestyle that celebrates authenticity, spontaneity and defiance.

The new campaign is part of a broad effort to recruit Gen Z consumers in the snack aisle.

Born in partnership with creative agency Milestone Integrated Marketing, the “Feed Your Wild Side” campaign employs a playful yet calculated swipe at a key Jack Link's competitor through both social and out-of-home tactics.

"The ethos of FYWS is to throw away conformity and embrace your authentic self. To get wild," said Gary Westgate, executive creative director, Milestone Integrated. "In a world that demands playing by the rules, the wildest thing you can be is yourself. Sometimes that means speaking truths: Jack Link's is bolder, better, and there to join you on your wild ride."

WILD debuted a TikTok dedicated to wild content: from found footage and live action to anime, with themes covering teen drama spoofs, neo-noir horrors, high-impact anime and galactic starship battles, to name a few.

"Gen Z's preferences are clear: they demand authenticity, and connect with brands that play outside the lines," said Stacy Barr, partner, Milestone Integrated. "A social-first strategy is a natural fit for FYWS— to meet them where they're setting the rules— and surpassing more than 15 million views since debut isn't just a win; it's a signal the campaign resonates. We've flipped the script on passive snacking and have turned it into a post-worthy experience."

The strategy will evolve and react to real-time feedback, encouraging and incentivizing wild user-generated content.

"Nearly fifty percent of our customers start with a meat stick as their first purchase. It's their 'on ramp' to jerky and as the leader in the category, we plan to own this segment, too," said Holly LaVallie, SVP marketing, Jack Link's. "But FYWS is about more than product. It's about embracing good times; defying the boring; finding adventure; and feeding their individual wild side. Milestone has brilliantly delivered that message in a way that disrupts and challenges the category. Our audience is listening. They're highly engaged."

Playing to their own wild side, Jack Link's new WILD OOH billboards playfully subvert a competitor's slogan with graffiti, reading, "Snap into a… 'life-changing meat stick.'" Complemented by mobile billboards and fueled by real-time interactions and sampling, the call to Gen Z is clear: "Find it, snap a picture and tag @JackLinksWILD before 'some Jim makes us take it down.'" Users who spot and post the billboard are eligible to win a meaty prize pack.

Taking WILD on a ride, the campaign will focus on college towns this summer, actively sampling WILD meat sticks to forge a hands-on connection with Gen Z. More to come on this and expanded initiatives in the coming months.

Source: Jack Link's