TORONTO – It was a calm and pleasant mood at A&W headquarters, this week, as another poor showing by the Toronto Blue Jays meant that the fast-food chain’s “Blue Jays Win, You Win” promotion was functioning as expected.
The promotion, built upon the idea that a Blue Jays victory guaranteed users of the A&W app a free product the following day, ran the risk of becoming a significant money-losing venture for the famed burger franchise. Fortunately, the Jays’ seven-year-long run of largely mediocre play has continued into the 2024 season, leaving the team with a sub-500 record.
A&W Food Services of Canada, Inc. Director of Advertising, Nancy Sauermann, discussed the spirit behind the campaign. “When we entered into our partnership with the Blue Jays, we found ourselves searching for a way to maximise its impact, while not sacrificing our bottom line,” she explained. “Our brainstorming sessions weren’t going great, so we took a break to watch TV. As it happens, we chanced upon the Simpsons episode about the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the one where Krusty Burger promises to a giveaway tied to American success. From there, it was obvious!”.
Ms. Sauermann continued “Just like Krusty Burger’s losses were limited by rigging their promotion around events dominated by Eastern-Bloc nations, we rigged ours around the idea that the Jays’ bats can’t hit a beachball!”. She noted “Of course, in Krusty Burger’s case, the situation backfired with the the Soviet boycott and, for a while there, we found ourselves pretty worried, too, during the whole Ohtani thing. But, as usual, Shapiro and Atkins did what they do best, nothing!”.
In closing, Sauermann added “We’re just lucky we’re Canadian, and the Jays were our only option. Can you imagine how much money we’d lose if we sponsored a team like Atlanta?!”.
Asked if she had any other insights to offer about A&W’s inner-workings, Ms. Sauermann declined, but she did bring up a question of her own, asking “Is it just me, or does our spokesman look like the photographer from Monica and Chandler’s wedding?”.
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