Potbelly creates #FeedYourSmile to celebrate 40th anniversary
In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Potbelly, the sandwich shop which originated in Chicago, has turned to Detroit-based ad agency, Doner, to create a social media campaign called #FeedYourSmile. Throughout the month of June, the campaign will be released in two parts.
Potbelly creates #FeedYourSmile to celebrate 40th anniversary
For the 'Twitter jamboree' Doner brought improv musicians to a Potbelly in Detroit where they improvised original songs Thursday (June 1) as a response to 100 tweets from random unhappy people. They used third-party APIs to track unhappy thoughts — bad weather, traffic tickets, and other annoying situations — to create the songs for those who need that extra pick-me-up.
We made you a little tune to brighten your day. #FeedYourSmile pic.twitter.com/ns77MYUaCU
— Potbelly (@Potbelly) June 1, 2017
Additionally, the brand also offered 40% off on the original sandwich on June 1 if they mentioned their birthdays while ordering.
Our bday is June 1st, and for our 40th we want to #FeedYourSmile. Come celebrate and get 40% off Originals sandwiches on 6/1 from 11am-3pm. pic.twitter.com/2LPH2Ky5rY — Potbelly (@Potbelly) May 30, 2017
The second piece of the social campaign kicks off on June 12, with what they call the 'Smile Scale'. Doner created a group of short videos intended to bring happiness to people in an area of the country where the brand thinks they need some smiles.
"Many brands are not using the power of networks and data to their full potential, and this campaign combines both to change the way people feel when they interact with Potbelly outside of the restaurant experience,” said Marcus Collins, executive director of social engagement, Doner, to the Chicago Business Journal. “Our ambition is to get people to vibe on Potbelly in a whole new way."
The #FeedYourSmile campaign was created through a partnership with Michigan State University and its media psychology lab. Through the research, they looked to test how people feel when they not only eat its sandwiches, but see different types of content around the brand. Basically, they were looking to figure out what makes people happy and give them that experience through their content.