JOHN MACALUSO
Narrative Writer
Creative Strategist
Bestest Friend
Partnering with an Entertainment Giant
THE PROBLEM:
Denny's was partnering with another entertainment property, and this time it was Solo: A Star Wars Story. The production had already had public-facing issues and Ron Howard had stepped in to save it. On top of that, Disney had STRICT rules about keeping the Denny's universe and Star Wars universe separate.
THE INSIGHT:
We actually learned this in the Hobbit campaign (see below), but Fanboys won't flock to Denny's because they like the food... They'll go because of the collectibles.
THE APPROACH:
We started by creating a commercial that barely touched the diner food. Our goal was to paint Denny's as a place for Star Wars fans, and the booth as the perfect vessel for nerdy discussions and games. Shit, people used to play D&D at Denny's.
To supplement the commercial, we worked with Topps to create official trading cards, with 1 in 3000 chance to open a pack and grab a holographic character card.
Plus, iconic character cups with millenium falcon lids.
The results were amazing. People immediately felt Star Wars in our commercial, and connected with the idea of the booth being the place they have their deepest, nerdiest IP-focused conversations.
The collectibles immediately hit eBay and other resale marketplaces, with holographic cards going for $100+.
We successfully hit Star Wars fans in a way that respected their love for the genre, and how they ACTUALLY enjoy interacting with the world.