How Brands Are Already Navigating LHF Regulations and Focusing on Brand First

As we’ve previously outlined, LHF regulations have tightened and while some may associate this with a creative squeeze with fewer placements, fewer product shots, fewer “impulse” moments, that doesn’t have to be the reality.

We’ve collated a mix of campaigns from over the years that show how brands have already altered their marketing strategy to navigate pre-empted new LHF regulations while still leading with strong, brand-first storytelling. Retreating wasn’t an option but adapting was a necessity. 

From reformulation and portfolio pivots to experiential marketing and purpose-led storytelling, leading names like Kellogg’s, Cadbury and PepsiCo are proving that regulation doesn’t kill creativity, but it can sharpen it. 

Instead of leading with product-heavy advertising that risks restriction, brands are doubling down on what truly drives long-term growth. Here are some examples that the Golley Slater team thinks work well right now and provide some inspiration as the landscape shifts. 

Kelloggs

Reformulation & reframing

“See You in the Morning” reframes breakfast as a calm, consistent ritual that supports everyday energy and wellbeing. 

The campaign cleverly crops the Kellogg’s logo to spotlight the word “OG”, reinforcing the brand’s heritage and long-standing authority in the breakfast category. 

Creative executions feature the iconic Kellogg’s bird enlarged and walking through the city before it wakes up – a visual metaphor suggesting that the day properly begins with a bowl of Kellogg’s. 

Alongside the creative shift, the brand has increased its focus on oats, fibre and simple ingredients, aligning both product and messaging with modern health expectations. 

Brand First: Advert is tonally quieter with lifestyle-led creative. They have reduced the use of characters with child appeal and the media placement has been moved away from kids’ environments. 

LHF Reposition: This strategy has enabled them to continue to advertise under HFSS rules. It has helped reposition Kellogg’s as modern and responsible, not nostalgic and future-proofed the portfolio against further regulation. 

Launched: Dec 2024 

PepsiCo

Reformulation 

PepsiCo (owners of Walkers and Pepsi) has been one of the most aggressive in reformulation and portfolio shifting. 

Brand First: They set a goal for 50% of their snack sales to come from products that are non-HFSS or sold in portions of 100 calories or less by 2025. 

LHF Reposition: You’ll notice their marketing now defaults to Walkers 45% Less Salt or Baked ranges. Similarly, Pepsi MAX (non-HFSS) is now the primary focus of all their major sponsorships and TV spots, effectively making the “unhealthy” flagship product a secondary concern for their marketing team. 

Launched: July 2022

Dominos

CRM 

Domino’s was recently called out by the ASA for an ad featuring a “Creme Egg Cookie” appearing on a Minecraft-themed YouTube channel. Since then, they have shifted their digital spend. 

Brand First: They have moved heavily into in-app gamification and direct-to-consumer (DTC) email. 

LHF Reposition: The 2026 rules do not apply to a brand’s owned channels (apps, websites, and emails). By incentivising users to download their app through “Group Ordering” features, they can market their full pizza menu directly to your phone 24/7 without paying for a restricted “social media ad.” 

2025 Rollout 

Cadbury

Purpose-led advertising 

Cadbury has adopted a two-pronged approach: portion control and a “brand-first” advertising model. 

Brand First: They implemented a 100-calorie cap on all confectionery specifically sold for children (like Fudge, Curly Wurly, and Chomp). By bringing the portion size down, they aim to frame the products as “responsible treats.” 

LHF Reposition: For their larger brand, they have leaned into “brand-only” advertising. Since the new 2026 rules allow brand ads that don’t show a specific “identifiable” product, Cadbury has focused on emotive storytelling (like the “Secret Santa”, “Generosity” and “Donate your words” campaigns) that features the iconic purple branding and the glass-and-a-half logo without ever showing a chocolate bar. 

Launched: Nov 2022
Launched: Sep 2019

Graze

CRM 

Graze was already positioned as “healthy,” but many of its indulgent nut and chocolate mixes technically failed the HFSS criteria. 

Brand First: They launched a massive reformulation effort, conducting over 1,000 batch trials to make 95% of their retail range HFSS-compliant. 

LHF Reposition: Knowing that paid social media ads for snacks are now restricted, Graze pivoted to owned community panels (like their “Grazing Time” panel). They use these direct-to-consumer relationships to gather data and market directly to customers via email and their own app—channels that are exempt from the 24-hour paid advertising ban. 

Launched: April 2023 

KP Snacks

Reformulation & Refocus
The “Popped” Pivot 

KP Snacks (owners of Hula Hoops, Tyrrells, and McCoy’s) has shifted its entire media budget away from “fried” and toward “popped.” 

Brand First: A total focus on Hula Hoops Puft and Popchips. 

LHF Reposition: These products are air-popped and meet the government’s nutrient profiling model requirements. This allows KP Snacks to keep prime “gondola end” (aisle end) placements in supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, where traditional crisps are now legally banned from being displayed. 

Launched: 2025 Rollout 

The brands set to win in 2026 won’t be those chasing loopholes, they’ll be the ones building distinctive, future-proofed brands. 

HFSS may change the rules of placement and promotion, but it doesn’t change what drives growth: clarity of positioning, emotional connection and long-term brand investment. 

Next, we’ll be exploring how LHF regulations are set to reshape the ‘treat space’, what brands can do to gain momentum in the treat space, and how these shifts will translate across social channels too..