Unilever-owned stock food brand Knorr has launched a campaign in collaboration with Tinder highlighting how cooking is considered to be a “green flag” in the dating world.
“#UnlockYourGreenFlag" was created by MullenLowe UK, with global creative director Carlos Andreas Rodriguez leading on the campaign. It centres on a 30-second social film encouraging singles to add cooking to their dating profiles.
The spot, which uses an auto-generated voiceover, typical of social media videos, starts with the question "Confused by so many red flags?” It goes on to liss a series of hobbies, interests and behaviours that are often considered a "red flag", such as “Doesn’t like football” and “Likes football too much” or “Split the bill on the first date” and “Didn’t split the bill on the first date”. It ends with the line: “In a world full of red flags, go for the universal green flag. Cooking.”
The campaign is launching on social media with a focus on TikTok in 10 markets, including US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Philippines, Vietnam, Nigeria, South Africa and India. Mindshare is the global media agency for it.
The work was directed by Los Pibes through Kaus. The global copywriter lead was Sebastian Suarez Gnecco; Oliver Leon was global art director for the campaign.
Niek de Rooij, global masterbrand director at Knorr, said: “With this campaign, Knorr taps into the one green flag we can all agree on – cooking. As your wingman in the kitchen, Knorr is helping singles level up their skills, even if they haven’t cooked much before, as a great way to impress and help you connect with a date.
"This is an exciting next step in our journey with MullenLowe UK and team IPG to attract a new generation to cook with Knorr with a fun social first campaign that stands out in culture.”
“#UnlockYourGreenFlag" also includes a playlist by creators under the hashtag “UnlockYourGreenFlag”, featuring content around cooking and dating skills.
Devyn Simone, resident relationships expert at Tinder, said: “Our recent Green Flags Study shows that dating has become more challenging, with 91% of men and 94% of women agreeing it’s tougher than ever. In a time when it can feel like we’re surrounded by red flags, people are craving something positive and universal – like cooking.
“Cooking is the ultimate green flag because it’s more than just a skill; it’s a way to connect, show creativity, and demonstrate care for others. It’s no surprise that singles are turning to the kitchen as a place to spark new connections.”
IPG agency Webber Shandwick handled PR, and talent and influencer marketing agency ITB led on influencers.
Carlos Andreas Rodriguez, global creative director at MullenLowe Groupe, added: “#UnlockYourGreenFlag is the perfect example of how ‘cooking’ can become part of Gen Z’s lives way beyond just the kitchen. We’re so happy that Knorr let us join them on the journey to find those new spaces. A partnership like Knorr x Tinder just reminds us that we’re going in the right direction.”
The campaign launched alongside a survey commissioned by Knorr and Tinder, which revealed that 70% of respondents have cooked a meal, and 34% have learned to cook to impress a love interest. More than three-quarters (77%) of singles also said they would be more likely to agree to another date with someone who cooked them an amazing meal.
Knorr's previous influencer-led campaign launched in April 2024, testing the demand for a potential new product called the Supercube.
