Farmers brand carrots as 'junk food'

An alliance of carrot growers have joined forces with an advertising agency to package the vegetable as junk food to help boost their appeal.

The 'eat 'em like junk food' campaign from California-based Bolthouse Farms and CP+B aims to satirise the marketing techniques used by those in the snack industry.

CEO of Bolthouse Farms Jeff Dunn explained: "We feel that with the cultural climate around healthy snacking right now, there's a unique and timely opportunity to do the first ever consumer-based advertising for carrots."

Partner and chief creative officer at CP+B Andrew Keller added: "For baby carrots to join the conversation with other snacks, they need a bit of attitude. Mocking modern snack marketing is a strategic way of creating that attitude."

The ad campaign includes crisp-style packaging, TV spots, billboards, customised vending machines, social media applications and a free downloadable game from the iTunes store.