The Ripple Doughnut
Chase
Issue 43 | June 2017
Agency
Droga5
Creative Team
Creative Chairman David Droga Chief Creative Officer Ted Royer Group Creative Director Justin Ruben Associate Creative Director Paul Meates Copywriters Eric Johnson, Conor Dooley Junior Copywriter Stephen Shocket Junior Art Director Patrick Horton Group Design Director Annette Berry Design Director Devin Croda Senior Designers Fabian Grateroles, Joseph Dasaro Junior Designers Alex Lumain, Priscilla Gaviria
Production Team
Chief Creation Officer Sally-Ann Dale Co-Heads of Broadcast Production Bryan Litman, Jesse Brihn Associate Broadcast Producer Joseph Street Senior Integrated Production Business Manager Denise Klapp Integrated Production Business Manager Tom Vendittelli Head of Interactive Production Niklas Lindstrom Executive Interactive Director Shayan Amir-Hosseini Head of Print Services Rob Lugo Senior Print Producer Alyssa Dolman Print Producer Rose Mahan Project Manager Joe Watana, Charlie Fisher Global Chief Strategy Officer Jonny Bauer Co-Head of Strategy Colm Murphy Group Strategy Director Dan Ng Strategy Director Nick Maschmeyer Communications Strategy Director Yan Wang Senior Communications Strategist Courtney Bernstein Communications Strategist Emily Langham Senior Data Strategist Anthony Khaykin Executive Group Director Jeff Prince Group Account Director Frank Renwick Account Director Sharon Byer Account Supervisor Mark Donohue Account Managers Colleen Oberg, Niamh Walsh
Other Credits
Chief Brand Officer Susan Canavari Marketing Director, Brand & Advertising Melissa Webb Marketing Manager, Brand & Advertising Rachel Basaldua President of Mass Affluent Business Pam Codispoti General Manager, Ink Jeff Hoffman General Manager, Ink Kirk Fitzsimmons VP, Marketing Business Card Megan Chandler
Date
March 2017
Background
To launch the Chase Ink Business Preferred card, the task was to prove to business owners how valuable the reward points could be when invested back in their businesses.
Idea
Chase partnered with Mark Isreal, owner of Doughnut Plant in New York City, with the ambitious goal of using 80,000 points from Mark's Chase Ink card to create the next food craze in the city.
The Ripple was a doughnut within a doughnut within a doughnut. Capable of feeding as many as eight people, The Ripple came in seasonal flavours like cranberry, sweet potato and ginger as well as regular flavours like mocha, coffee and milk.
Using ingredients and equipment purchased with the reward points, Mark created The Ripple, a doughnut that went viral. The story went around the world, on food blogs, TV shows and in social media.
Told in long-form video, the story was also turned into custom content for publishers relevant to small businesses, such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider.
The story continues to be told as Doughnut Plant releases regular new flavour combinations.
Results
The real value of the Chase Ink card's reward points was proved by creating a real-world product made with exactly the same number of points all small businesses were given when they signed up for the card.
They too were challenged to use their points to invest in creating the next big thing.
Over 40 articles were written, collecting over 200,000 likes.
Mark's full story was told in long -form video paired with custom content created with small-business owner–relevant publishers such as WSJ and Business Insider. Native distribution supported the targeting efforts, ensuring the audience was exposed to Ink's in-depth story.
Our Thoughts
This is a simple idea. Demonstrate that reward points are really worth something by using them to buy the bits you need to make something.
The next bit wasn't so simple. Who do you work with and what do you make that will prove to be both a social and commercial hit?
It would have been all to easy to settle for some artisan potter or metal-worker, who'd make something pretty and pointless. Creating the doughnut equivalent to a Russian doll, well, that required real inventiveness. And a client prepared to cross her fingers and trust the agency.
There is an inspiring message to all small business owners here. An idea plus a little bit of investment can bring you great success.