What are top cookware brands actually doing to with their online marketing?
I've been tracking how the big names in cookware market themselves, and honestly, it's gotten a lot more sophisticated than just showing pretty pans on Instagram. The brands that are winning right now aren't just pushing products—they're selling an entire cooking experience.
What's interesting is how they've moved away from basic product shots to focusing on what really matters to home cooks: performance, safety, and sustainability.
They're also getting smarter about using real chefs and home cooking enthusiasts to validate their claims, which works way better than traditional celebrity endorsements.
If you're trying to figure out how to market cookware in today's landscape, here's what actually moves the needle:
- Show your products working in real kitchens – not just glamour shots
- Address the problems people actually have when cooking
- Be upfront about what your products are made of – people care more than ever
- Talk about sustainability without sounding preachy
- Let real users do the talking through reviews and social proof
The brands getting this right aren't just selling cookware—they're positioning themselves as partners in creating better cooking experiences.
1. Show Your Products Actually Working
Home cooks today aren't just buying pans—they're investing in their entire cooking experience. They want cookware that's safe, makes their life easier, works for multiple cooking styles, and honestly, looks good enough to leave on the stove.
The problem is, most cookware ads still show perfect food shots without actually demonstrating what the pan can do. That's a missed opportunity, because video lets you prove your claims instead of just making them.
Our Place figured this out with their Always Pan campaigns. Instead of just talking about versatility, they literally show one pan handling an entire cooking process from start to finish—frying, sautéing, steaming, straining, braising, baking, and serving.
What makes it compelling isn't the fancy cinematography; it's watching someone actually use the pan the way you would at home.
You see the seamless transitions between cooking methods, and suddenly you're thinking, "Wait, I could actually replace half my kitchen cabinet with this one pan."
It's smart because it addresses the real problem many home cooks face: too much stuff cluttering up their kitchen, and not enough space or time to deal with it all.
2. Address the Problems People Actually Have
The best cookware marketing doesn't start with the product—it starts with the frustration. What's driving people crazy in their kitchens right now?
Caraway nailed this approach with their "Reasons to upgrade" video.
Instead of listing product features, they show actual kitchen disasters: pans that scratch easily, coatings that peel off into your food, handles that get scorching hot, and cookware that takes up way too much storage space.
Each problem gets a quick visual—no long explanations needed—followed by how their cookware solves it.
The pacing keeps you engaged, and by the end, you're not thinking about buying new pans; you're thinking about fixing your kitchen problems.
They even address the aesthetic side, showing different colors and sizes, because they know some people care as much about how their cookware looks as how it performs.
Then they close with that satisfying shot of everything stacking neatly together—because who doesn't want a more organized kitchen?
The background music adds energy, but the real hook is recognition. You watch it thinking, "Yeah, that's exactly what happens with my current pans."
3. Be Honest About What Your Products Are Made Of
Look, nobody wants to cook their family dinner in something that might be slowly poisoning them. It sounds dramatic, but that's genuinely what goes through people's heads when they're shopping for cookware these days.
The whole non-stick coating controversy has made people way more suspicious about what's actually in their pans. Smart brands have figured out that being completely transparent about materials isn't just good ethics—it's good business.
Take Our Place, for example. Instead of burying ingredient lists in fine print, they put their head of Quality and Engineering right in front of the camera alongside their co-founder.
They don't just say "PFAS-free"—they explain why that matters and call out competitors who are still using questionable chemicals. It's bold, but it works because people can tell they're not hiding anything.
They even put "toxin-free" right in their video signature. No ambiguity, no marketing speak—just a clear promise about what you're getting.
4. Actually Care About Sustainability (And Show It)
Environmental responsibility isn't just a nice-to-have anymore—it's becoming a deal-breaker for a lot of consumers. But here's the thing: people can smell greenwashing from a mile away.
Our Place gets this right by getting specific. They don't just say they care about the environment; they tell you their pans are made from 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum.
They explain how they literally take old products that would otherwise end up in landfills and turn them into something beautiful and functional.
It's not just a sustainability claim—it's a story about giving discarded materials a second life. That kind of messaging resonates because it's concrete and meaningful.
5. Let Other People Sell for You
Nothing beats having someone else tell people how great your product is. But social proof in the cookware world has gotten pretty sophisticated.
Everyone knows Gordon Ramsay works with HexClad, right? But instead of just having him pose with their pans, they created this intense, almost frantic video where he has to introduce every single piece in their line under time pressure.
It's like watching a master craftsman show off his tools—you can see he actually knows and uses this stuff.
The genius is in the details. As Ramsay rapid-fires through each pan, he mentions the specific cooking technique each one is designed for.
It's not just celebrity endorsement; it's expert validation. The guy clearly knows what he's talking about, which makes his endorsement feel authentic rather than bought.
Made In takes a different approach but with the same goal.
They compile short clips of actual working chefs in real restaurant kitchens talking about durability, quality, and design. It's not polished testimonials—it's real professionals explaining why they trust these tools in high-pressure environments.
Both approaches work because they show genuine expertise and real-world use, not just paid celebrity appearances.
The brands that nail social proof understand that credibility comes from context. A chef endorsing cookware in a professional kitchen carries more weight than the same chef endorsing it on a talk show set.
We hope you find the above marketing insights useful in boosting your online presence through social media ads. As always, we’ll see you in the next ecommerce update.
