Hot Potato Food Truck
The Economist
Issue 30 | March 2014
Agency
BBDO New York
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer David Lubars Senior Creative Director Art Director Jean Robaire Senior Creative Director Copywriter Kara Goodrich Print Producer Mike Musano Junior Print Producer Rose Dionicio Presentation Services Barbara Zisk
Other Credits
Deputy Chairman, AMV Richard Swaab Vendor Vending Trucks, Inc
Date
August 2013
Background
The challenge was to raise awareness for The Economist while driving differentiation of the brand within the category. The aim was to spur active interest in The Economist among the target audience, comprising intellectually curious men and women on the look-out for inspiration.
Idea
The Economist provides its readers with a world view. As a magazine, its writers and its editorial approach to issues did not shy away from insight or opinion about the many sensitive issues of the day.
The Hot Potato truck was created to actually put these issues into the hands of potential readers. Each potato was labelled with a 'hot' topical issue.
RESULTS
The campaign ran in select markets including Boston and Philadelphia. Each truck was stationed in locations within the business district during peak lunch hours. A social hashtag on truck sides deepened consumer interaction with the brand, while increasing scale.
Our Thoughts
When David Abbott was writing Economist press ads and posters years ago at AMV in London, he set the bar extremely high for all who followed him in marketing the highbrow magazine. The proposition of being informed about world issues hasn’t changed, but the media landscape has. Today you can take the media to the target audience, which you couldn’t back then. So, with street food being so hot at the moment, it’s a relevant way of getting the sort of issues The Economist deals with into people’s hands. Or mouths, rather.
Yes, ‘hot potatoes’ is a pun but if David Lubars approved the idea, that’s good enough for me! If I’m right in thinking there was no charge for the potatoes, then it would be true to say that, actually, thanks to The Economist there really is such a thing as a free lunch.