Dietz & Watson celebrates unique hot dog flavors of MLB cities

Dive Brief:

Deli foods brand Dietz & Watson is celebrating the unique hot dog styles of cities with Major League Baseball teams in its new campaign "All-Star Dogs," The Drum reports.
Created in partnership with its agency of record Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners, Dietz & Watson has created 30 custom hot dogs inspired by each MLB team and the city’s local flavors. Examples include the Boston Red Sox "Lobsta Dog" and Miami Marlins' "My Hammy Vice." The Philadelphia "Whiz Wit" is a cheesesteak hot dog, and Minnesota’s "#Twinning" features Cheddarwurst dogs with pickles and tater tots.
Recipes for the hot dogs are available online. The "All-Star Dogs" campaign will run across the brand's social channels in conjunction with the MLB All-Star Break, which starts today (July 16).

Dive Insight:

Dietz & Watson’s campaign is well timed since it pairs two all-American summertime staples: baseball and hot dogs. The deli foods brand is hoping to showcase its wide range of products and build brand awareness and recognition among sports fans and foodies. By featuring a series of recipes celebrating U.S. cities and their MLB teams, Dietz & Watson is also hoping to drive sales during the season when people gather for cookouts and to watch their favorite baseball teams play.

Packaged foods brands have struggled to draw millennial consumers, because of the generation’s preference for fresh, healthy foods. Other hot dog brands have released better-for-you products and played up their health attributes in their marketing. Oscar Mayer, for example, unveiled the jetpack-wearing deliveryman Super Hotdogger in June to promote its new pork and chicken hot dogs, which are made with 100% ground chicken and pork. Organic meat producer Applegate launched a social media campaign around the Fourth of July and National Hot Dog Day to promote its “Cleaner Wiener,” which is made from non-GMO grass-fed beef.

Dietz & Watson is taking a different approach to reach millennials with its line of quirky hot dog recipes. The campaign will likely appeal to millennials' tastes for exotic flavors and exciting food pairings that they can share on social media. More than two-thirds of millennial moms consider themselves to be "adventurous eaters," according to research from CCD Innovation.

Exclusive, how-to content like recipes give consumers a way to interact with brands in a real-life way and often helps marketers drum up brand interest. Tying the campaign to a key event, like the MLB All-Star week, can help extend the push. Kellogg’s created a similar campaign around the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May, with online recipes and how-to videos for a royal wedding-themed breakfast menu. Consumers were encouraged to share their creations on social media.