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GOLD WINNER: Be Proud of Your Weiner

POGO

Client: ConAgra Foods/Pogo

Entrant Company: Starcom Canada

Entry Category: A Local Brand or Service in a Local Market with innovative media solutions worthy of international adaptation or of world class standards

Names to be credited with submission:
• Charlotte Cheng, Strategy Manager, Starcom Canada
• Leanne Burnett, Investment Manager, Starcom Canada
• Emily Strongitharm, Planner, Starcom Canada
• Randy Mauskopf, Media Creativity Manager, Astral Media TV Plus
• Bernard Diaz, Media Creativity Supervisor, Astral Media TV Plus
• Anthony Chelvanthan, Leo Burnett, Art Director
• Steve Persico, Leo Burnett, Writer
• Steve Meraska, Leo Burnett, Planner
• Melissa Rorison, Leo Burnett, Account Supervisor
• Israel Diaz/Kelly Zettel, Leo Burnett, Creative Directors
• Shirley Ward-Taggart, Arc Worldwide, Online Creative Group Head

Time Period of Campaign: March – June 2008

Case Study Summary:

Marketing Situation: A Pogo, or corn dog- (a deep-fried hot dog or wiener on a stick), has been in a staple in French-speaking Quebec since 1962, however, there had been little recent communications with teen boys—the target consumer group. The marketing challenge was to make a latent brand more memorable and more likeable among these teens, so that they’d find it a “cool” product and ask their parents to buy it.

POGOKey Insights: Teen boys love competition, especially unique challenges among friends. Quebec is also known for its particular sense of humor. The campaign tagline “Tiens Ton Boutte” (meaning “Stand your ground”) evolved from the English campaign idea of “Be Proud of Your Weiner”. The campaign tapped into the double entendre by creating a sassy event (a “Mega-Pogothon”) to determine who is proudest of his wiener by holding a Pogo high in the air for the longest time and receiving bragging rights.

Media Strategy: The key was to treat Pogo as a cultural icon, rather than as food. Phase 1 began by “seeding” an unbranded Pogo icon in unusual places through guerilla “stickering” and “chalk art” campaigns. Pogo images were also flashed on teen station to make it seem that image was overtaking the airwaves. Random camera pans also feature teens holding their POGO high in the air on “cool” teen after-school music stations.

Phase 2 focused on an online game, which also included a Pogo icon as cursor for the site, and the “Mega-Pogothon” on MusiquePlus in Quebec with live to tape capsules as TV highlights.

How Could this be a Template for Other Campaigns or for World Class Standards? The campaign demonstrated an effective way to resonate with the elusive teen boy target. They were engaged wherever they went and were awarded with greater appreciation of fun, competitive accomplishments. Interactivity, therefore, was not just in the digital elements of the campaign, but in all elements.


Results: The campaign not only proved to make POGO more likeable and more memorable among the target, but it dramatically increased product consumption. Teens were eating more of these corn dogs again!