Hormel Foods is looking to shake up consumers’ recipe boxes with a new Spam campaign aiming to “Break the Monotony.”

The Fortune 500 company began March 16 marketing its signature brand with full-page ads in mainstream magazines, and followed with four 30-second television advertisements and 10 radio “adlets” beginning June 8.

The campaign marks the first time in seven years Hormel has launched a national radio campaign for Spam.

“The goal of the campaign — the whole ‘Break the Monotony’ — is to teach the consumers how to take routine meals … and make them better by adding Spam,” said Swen Neufeldt, group product manager for grocery products.

Hormel is currently in a continual planning cycle for marketing its products. The revitalization of Spam advertising actually began two years ago, when Hormel infiltrated TV and magazine markets with a splashy, colorful campaign promoting Spam’s “craveable taste.”

“Our television and print combination we used last year worked really well for us,” Neufeldt said.

An integral part of Hormel’s “Break the Monotony” campaign is their revamped Web site, which features a game that tests participants’ Spam-cooking skills against other contestants, as well as the Spam Shop, featuring quirky items like flip-flops, wine charms, neck ties, dog clothing and more. Visitors can join a fan club and learn more about the Blue Ribbon State Fair Recipes contest.

Neufeldt said the new site “delivers a lot of great recipe ideas and entertainment.”

Spam, he said, is an “effortless” meal staple for any household.

“It really makes mac and cheese, or your eggs … more of a dish,” he said. “The insight there is really around an enormous amount of consumers around the country (who) only have one way to prepare it. The goal here is to really create solutions for them.”

The lunch meat has proven to be a recession resistant product for Hormel, showing universal double-digit growth nationwide as well as internationally.

“Our international exports of Spam have also been remarkably strong,” Neufeldt said. “Over the 72 years, Spam has weathered all kinds of economic conditions.”

The creation of the TV, print and radio advertisements was managed by BBDO Minneapolis. TV ads were produced by Laika House of Oregon. Web development was managed by Marsteller Interactive, with Proximity Minneapolis designing and creating “Break The Monotony The Game.”

For Spam-related recipes, games and more, visit www.spam.com.