If you're an awkward, love-starved guy pushing 30, Whole Foods wants to help you find a date.
The health-focused supermarket giant is poking a little friendly fun at itself, and its clientele, with "In the Market: An Organic Love Story," created by ad agency Omelet. A seven-part series of comedic sketches that rolled out on YouTube over the past week, the Valentine's Day campaign follows the misadventures of Ben, a lonely, almost-30 goofball trolling in the local produce aisle for hot, single girls in yoga pants. His enthusiastically clumsy approach would be creepier if not for sidekick Alex, the female Whole Foods employee who tries to help him navigate his search—and avoid the less-endearing gaffes that might make him seem like a hopeless tool. She can't quite save him from grinningly declaring that he's there to check out some "juicy breasts, lovely legs and nice tail," but does clarify that he's talking about chicken and lobster. Other products tied into the story line: wine, which Ben can't help but suggest will improve his odds of getting laid; and oysters, which spark an electric moment with Alex that neither character is quite sure how to handle. The integrations are actually pretty seamless, but end up being a bit undermined by Ben's self-conscious insistence to the camera that it's "not a commercial"—a little ham-handed to be amusing, and not much of a catchphrase.
The brand posted the final episode today, and the ending is predictable yet appropriately charming. Overall, the series is a nice serving of branded content—the grocery store's stockers might just have to put up with more shoppers mistaking it for a meat market. Watch the series here, beginning with the first episode at the top:
CREDITS
Client: Whole Foods Market
Agency: Omelet, Los Angeles