Thursday, August 23, 2018

Postmates stunt fails to deliver ‘Better Call Saul’ excitement

A recent marketing effort that brought to life the fast-food fare featured in “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” fell short, by many accounts.

AMC partnered with Postmates and offered hungry consumers a Los Pollos Hermanos “mini-meal,” consisting of two pieces of fried chicken and curly fries. The fictitious fast-food chain is owned by a central character, Gustavo Fring, and is used as a cover for Fring’s methamphetamine distribution ring.

The Aug. 21–22 promotion was available to Postmate users in New York City and Los Angeles. The offer was simple: Order through the app to get free food (along with a promotional sticker for AMC’s “Better Caul Saul”).

[RELATED: Join us in San Jose for the Brand Storytelling & Content Marketing Conference at Intel.]

Postmates wrote in a blog post:

To order, open the Postmates app and find the Los Pollos Hermanos store near you. Mini-meals are free and will be delivered without any fees!*

Plus, after you order be sure to tune into episode 3 of the critically-acclaimed fourth season of Better Call Saul, airing tonight at 9/8c, only on AMC.

Then, don’t forget to share your experience with us on Instagram or Twitter @Postmates as you dive into curly fry heaven.

Postmates tweeted the promotion, which included an ad for Los Pollos Hermanos that featured

AMC also tweeted the promotion:

Giancarlo Esposito, the actor playing Fring in both “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” also tweeted a video of him promoting the marketing stunt:

Though many people were excited about the promotion (and others tweeted pleas to have it extended to other cities), the campaign’s execution wasn’t as flawless as the handoffs in Fring’s distribution network.

Some consumers (including reporters) tweeted their meals:

However, many complained of app problems or canceled orders, prompting Postmate’s social media team to address the unhappy consumers.







AdAge reported that the food was disappointing, as well:

One of our Ad Agers in New York, John Dioso, tested it out. The food came in about 40 minutes through a typical Postmates delivery person, not done up in Hermanos garb.

"The chicken was fine, nothing special," he says. "I couldn't help but be disappointed. It's been a while since I ate fried chicken regularly, but I'd say it's no KFC, much less Buttermilk Channel."

It was, however, better than the fries, which were "mildly spicy and curly but didn't travel as well," he says.

Inc. contributor Erik Sherman wrote:

When you do a promotion, it has to be true to the brand. Whatever experience the customer has is really an extension of the brand. If the promotion is satisfying, it supports the brand. If it doesn't, the marketing campaign undermines what the brand has achieved.

… By delivering what sounds like an unmemorable experience, AMC basically tells people who receive the meals that the show stands for something forgettable. The danger is that the communications are all emotional subtext that can't be undone.

The consensus is that the idea behind the marketing move was excellent, but the execution failed to live up to consumers’ expectations. Fring would be disappointed.



from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2w6Eosw
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)