Widespread misinformation has led people to seek out non-GMO products, which have seen a 50% sales increase over the past five years. Perpetuating this stereotype are visuals of GMOs being “manufactured” in labs. GMO opponents have dominated the biotech conversation for two decades, forcing farmers to play defense and fend off sensational accusations that GMOs are unsafe – even though their safety is settled science.

Using precision targeting through market testing, we proved that we could change opinions of GMOs among a key segment of Moms – but we wanted to earn more attention and persuade the broader public to take a fresh look at GMOs. By telling the GMO sustainability story through chocolate — something consumers love and enjoy — we challenged them to think about GMOs in a new way – one delicious bite at a time.

We launched on February 5, 2019 – ahead of Valentine’s Day. To get the word out, we organized a giveaway on the Ethos website, allowing our target millennials, moms and chocolate-lovers alike to send an Ethos chocolate valentine to loved ones – for free! The limited-edition boxes of chocolate helped spread GMO facts, demystifying the science and making GMOs less scary and more sweet.