The company, in an effort to combat negative sales trends, told attendees at its annual investor day that it will allocate 40% of its media budget to digital in 2016. That’s a significant increase from the 20% it devotes to digital today. 

What’s more: Campbell’s says that it will pull back from television entirely for some of its brands.

One of the reasons Campbell’s is confident about investing close to half of the $300-plus million it spends annually on digital is that it is increasingly comfortable with digital. “We have a level confidence now of what is working,” Mark Alexander, the president of the Campbell’s Americas simple meals and beverages division, explained. ”We are ready to really advance that.”

Another reason Campbell’s is likely shifting from television to digital is cost. As AdAge’s E.J. Schultz points out, as brands have developed their digital marketing chops, digital is increasingly seen as being more effective and less costly. 

As Campbell’s CEO Denise Morrison told investors and analysts:

We are moving away from brand marketing to brand experience, where we earn consumer’s trust instead of buying it.

Strategy and product are crucial

Campbell’s isn’t just increasing dollars spent on digital brand experiences, however.

It is implementing a master-brand strategy to market its soups, and updating its products to ensure that they meet the needs of consumers, many of whom are more health conscious and interested in the ingredients in their food.

Both could be crucial to realizing the type of return Campbell’s is hoping to see from its digital shift. After all, digital marketing can’t perform miracles.

As companies up their digital investments, they should remember that digital is very competitive, and consumers can be unforgiving online.

It’s hard to build effective digital campaigns without a solid brand strategy, and great products and services are the foundation of great digital brand experiences.