Logan Chambers is the Senior Director of Marketing at PepsiCo Foods Canada and recently was behind a really cool thing for Quaker Protein, a healthy breakfast oatmeal with 10g of protein, perfect for race day. At the Toronto Marathon, Logan pumped up his “You Got This” campaign for Quaker with the Humble Runner, Kevin James Doe. It was one of the best activations we’d seen in awhile for a product we’re currently enjoying, and serving our kids. Here’s our interview with Logan Chambers, and find him on Strava @LoganChambers, and get his oatmeal, here.
Introduce yourself to our audience—who are you and what do you do?
I’m Logan Chambers, and I’m the Senior Director of Marketing at PepsiCo Foods Canada, where I focus on the Quaker brand. My role involves creating and executing strategic marketing plans to boost our brand’s visibility and growth. I also lead campaigns, like the Humble Runner campaign, to make sure they align with our overall business goals.
What made you think of running and racing as the right fit for Quaker Protein?
When thinking about the perfect setting to launch our expanded line of Quaker Protein products, we were inspired by how marathons have evolved. They used to be just for the ultra-athletic, but now they’re these amazing community events that bring people together and inspire hope. We thought, what better way to highlight everyday heroes? It was the perfect way to tie into our “You’ve Got This” campaign, which celebrates everyday heroes who inspire us all. We wanted to create a campaign that honoured this idea by spotlighting the “humble heroes” in our lives. With the global campaign launch and our expanded protein product line, we felt that both elements complemented each other perfectly.
Are you attracted to the running community as potential consumers of your products? If so, why?
Absolutely! Quaker Protein products are made with 100% Canadian whole grain oats and are a high source of protein, attributes which can contribute to a healthy diet for runners and marathoners because they provide essential nutrients for energy and recovery.
While this campaign focused on runners, we know that Canadians in general are increasingly looking for ways to increase their protein intake – in fact, a 2023 report indicated 61% of adults are trying to increase their protein consumption. Our expanded line of protein products helps everyone live their best lives and make the most of every day, fitting perfectly with our “You’ve Got This” message. Our high-protein instant oatmeal, granola cereal, and pancake mix gave the Humble Runner the nutritious boost he needed for training, all while delivering that delicious Quaker taste Canadians love.
And tell us about Kevin Doe. What was it about his story that resonated?
Quaker’s Humble Runner is Kevin James Doe, a high school social science and English teacher in Toronto. Kevin usually runs 5Ks each year, but this was his first time tackling a half marathon. We were thrilled to work with him because he truly embodied what it means to be a Humble Hero.
In his original casting video – which you can view here – his kindness and willingness to help and support his community shone through the screen, so it was clear to us that he was the perfect fit for this campaign. Kevin trained and competed in the half marathon with the goal of helping as many people as possible cross the finish line.
How did the experience go down?
We couldn’t be happier with how Kevin showed up on marathon day. Instead of focusing on his own “personal best,” Kevin dedicated himself to supporting as many fellow runners as he could. He ran alongside them, offering encouragement and inspiration, truly embodying what it means to be a “humble hero.” Kevin had a ton of support from the community, his family, and his coach – all cheering him on as he finished near the back, making sure others around him felt supported.
We also have worked with Eva Redpath. How can an influential, positive person transform a sporting experience into something fun?
From day one, Eva proved she’s not just a coach, but also a trusted mentor and cheerleader. Her unique approach combined expertise, empathy, and dedication to create a personalized training program for Kevin. Eva helped Kevin understand the realities of training for a half marathon, incorporating fitness, mental health, and nutrition into his regimen. We wanted a coach who could bring warmth and approachability to our campaign while creating a supportive and nurturing environment, and Eva was the perfect fit.
I think that’s almost a bridge to your products. You make healthy food that tastes good. What else do you have down the pipeline?
You’re right – Quaker Canada strives to make breakfast-time options without compromising on the delicious Quaker taste Canadians know and love. We are constantly trying to evolve our offerings for Canadians and are excited about what’s coming next. Later this year, we are further enhancing our line-up of Protein Oatmeal for those looking for even more Protein, and we are in development on further expansions for 2025.
Are there other PepsiCo products that you think might appeal to runners?
The Quaker brand portfolio includes a wide range of wholesome cereals, oatmeal, rice and corn snacks and snack bars that can potentially be appealing to the running community. You can find more information about the various products here.
Lastly, our sport is always looking for great partners and we appreciate your working with Kevin and Eva and being interested in half marathons. Do you expect to cross-promote with running and racing again?
We’re always open to new ideas! This campaign was incredibly rewarding and we saw how supportive the running community was in Toronto, so we’re planning a Montreal version later this summer. We did also partner with Strava on this program and saw an overwhelmingly positive response with 29,000 sign-ups to join Kevin to train for the half. If there is an idea that is impactful enough, we can certainly think about cross-promoting with running and racing again.
Would you be interested at all in running yourself? You know there’s a great half marathon coming this fall in Toronto and I’d be happy to train you. Eat some Quaker Protein products and have some fun. What do you say?
Yes! I was really inspired at the Toronto Half Marathon – I had never been to one before, and the vibe and camaraderie at the starting and finishing lines was incredible. So I have started training for the half marathon in October. I find tracking my progress on Strava (Logan Chambers) is really helpful – I just ran 11.4km in 60 minutes this past weekend which was the first time I have achieved that distance…and I look forward to boosting it further over the summer!
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