Grilled and Lonely … Great banner / ad campaign from Bush’s Baked Beans

This morning I fired up my email inbox and opened my Nation’s Restaurant News Newsletter and saw a banner ad that caught my attention. It said “Lonely?” then paused for a moment and flashed “Marinated?” and that was what caught my attention. It was not another online dating website but something in food! When I clicked I found GrilledandLonely.com .

Grilled and Lonely

This microsite is genius. With lines like, “Seared, Searching?” and “I want committment, something lasting. ‘Til Dessert do us part.” this site has created a creative play on online dating websites attempting to “fix up” centers with their sides. Next you see a lonely old entrée sitting by itself just dying to be matched up with it’s “sidemate.”

Very Lonely Salmon

The topper is the “find your sidemate” now box where you pick the entrée and what it “seeks.”

Find your Sidemate

From there it takes you to a selection of sides, revealing the final payoff of brand recognition, Bush’s Baked Beans. The payoff is you eventually get a $5 coupon only available to food service providers. I think Bush’s should expand this campaign beyond food service. At my house the hardest question is not “what are we having for dinner?” but actually, “what should we make with it?”

This is (ugh, hate to use it) thinking “out of the box” marketing. I wish more food companies took risks like this with their advertising.

Readers: is there another innovative / creative food company that has a campaign worth mentioning?

Tags: advertising, banner ads, beans, cpg, microsite