Why Circle K Gave Away More Chips than You Could Dream Of
While Canada gets associated with many types of foods (poutine, butter tarts, and naturally, maple syrup), there is no doubt that high up on that list should be the iconic ‘all dressed’ potato chip flavour (or crisps, for our British readers). It’s a beloved flavour, and no matter where one might travel in the country, odds are good that it will be available in abundance.
Naturally, this is information that convenience stores across Canada are aware of, and Circle K is no exception. Drawing upon the country’s widespread love for hockey, the chain teamed up with TAXI Montreal to offer hockey fans who can’t get enough of the flavour a chance to win an outrageously large ‘Hockey Bag of Chips’. Available as the grand prize in Circle K’s online hockey game, ‘Drink. Snack. Score.’, the full-size hockey bag constructed entirely from foil material featured a resealable closure to avoid stale chips, and sturdy reinforced handles - perfect for lugging it to the next big game watch party.
To learn more, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with TAXI Montreal creative director Alexis Caron-Côté, discussing how this quintessentially Canadian campaign came to life.
LBB> A giant hockey bag filled with all dressed chips is wild! As such, what was the brief, and how did you come up with a hockey bag of chips?
Alexis> Our client, Circle K, wanted to promote their mobile hockey game ‘Drink. Snack. Score.’. This is a series of online games Circle K runs year after year, and they wanted additional ideas to keep the customer experience fresh.
In terms of the bag, there were a lot of great ideas from the team, but we decided to go with something a bit more unusual and unique to stand out from the crowd.
LBB> Why was all dressed the appropriate flavour of chip to use?
Alexis> Well, two reasons. For a start, all dressed is the most Canadian flavour of them all. And for a hockey game, well, you get the idea. But on top of that, all dressed chips are the most popular choice with our contest participants. Historically, when they win free CK chips, it is the most redeemed flavour. It was a match made in heaven!
LBB> Tell us about designing the bag. Who did you work with, what was that process like, and how many pounds of chips can the bag hold?
Alexis> That’s what we love about these kinds of projects - the fact that we (mostly our producer) scratch our heads and creatively brainstorm to get it done. We paired with WXM right away, knowing that they can do those kinds of things and create a bag like this. However, the bag design process took a bit longer, and we tried everything from zippers and pockets to Ziploc seals. The process was a bit like walking in the dark. We were like ‘Yeah, it’s doable. How? Don’t know!’ In the end, after trying many avenues, WXM found the right material - one that felt exactly like a regular bag of chips with an aluminium interior, while being able to hold the three to five kilograms of chips.
LBB> Another fun aspect of the campaign is the spot. Who directed, and why were they the right person to bring this campaign to life?
Alexis> We worked with Moonstruhk, an up-and-coming production company in Montreal. Real troopers. They were our best kept secret until we wrote the script. Jokes aside, Charles-Antoine Thériault directed the video, while Samuel Doiron and our own Alexandra Michaud - a real rockstar - produced it.
LBB> Who did you work with for the voice over, and why were they the right person for the job?
Alexis> Ralph Prosper was behind the mic. A natural!
LBB> The epic music really sets the tone well! Who did you work with to find the right sound?
Alexis> A small production like this needs to be lean. We had to go for stock that doesn’t sound like stock. I won’t say more than that, however… we’d like to keep our sources for ourselves. ;)
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Alexis> The main challenge during this campaign was the production of the giant hockey bag filled with all dressed chips, and taking the concept and turning it into a real physical bag. Creating a bag of chips at 32 inches by 20 inches by 20 inches is not an easy task. In fact, the bag actually ended up weighing way more than we expected, so we had to reinforce the handles to make sure we could ‘handle’ it.
LBB> How does this campaign fit into Circle K’s branding for late 2022 and beyond?
Alexis> The overarching idea is that Circle K fuels everyone’s journey. It’s always there to make the lives of its customers easy. However, this campaign tapped into that idea in another way. As a customer, you had the chance to be the hero of your own game. And, it was received really well. Clicks on the ad and organic engagement were stellar!
LBB> For our non-Canadian readers, how would you describe all dressed chips?
Alexis> The flavour is often described as being like a mix of ketchup, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing. All dressed chips are known for their bold, unique flavour, and are a popular choice among chip-lovers in Canada.
