As part of our continued charge for Hormel® Foods, our team ideates unique and buzzy activations and partnerships to generate new news and allow its brands to shine. Sharp suggested Hormel® Cup N’ Crisp Pepperoni partner with The Doughnut Project in Greenwich Village in honor of National Pizza Party Day on May 21, 2021 to create a limited edition “Cheese the Day” doughnut. This savory, warm, and delicious treat consisted of mozzarella cheese, homemade marinara sauce, and Hormel® Cup N’ Crisp Pepperoni atop half The Doughnut Project’s classic unglazed doughnut. In addition to traditional media pitching, on the day of the announcement, Sharp delivered boxes of “Cheese the Day” with extra Hormel® Cup N’ Crisp Pepperoni packages to strategically chosen food media and influencers, whose posts increased brand visibility and drove people to the store that weekend.
By combining two of America’s favorite foods (pizza and doughnuts) and making them available in store for just three days, Sharp captured the attention of mass consumers as well as seasoned foodies nationally and locally in New York. The result was above and beyond what even the client had hoped for: generating over 950 million media impressions and social coverage with the potential reach of almost 900k followers. Stand-out coverage included articles in Time Out New York, “This is not a drill: You can eat a bunch of pizza doughnuts this weekend,” and Hypebeast, “The Doughnut Project Joins HORMEL For "Cheese the Day" Pepperoni Donut.” There’s no better way to bring a brand to life than proving just how tasty it can be! Doughnuts for lunch anyone?