Oscar Mayer deploys jetpack-powered 'Super Hotdogger' to deliver fresh dogs

Dive Brief:

Oscar Mayer unveiled the Super Hotdogger — a jetpack-wearing, orange-suited deliveryman who joins the brand's WienerFleet of vehicles, per news provided to Marketing Dive. The Super Hotdogger will deliver Oscar Mayer's new pork and chicken hot dogs offerings, which are made with 100% ground pork and chicken.
A promotional video shows the Super Hotdogger gearing up in an orange jumpsuit. He wears a utility belt lined with hot dog carrying cases and a helmet designed to locate hungry targets on the ground. The Super Hotdogger made his first public flight at New York City's Seaport District on June 18. Attendants could receive free Oscar Mayer hot dogs and explore the brand's Wienermobile.
Oscar Meyer is also giving away a year's supply of hotdogs delivered by the Wienermobile for fans who share a photo on Instagram or Twitter @OscarMayer showing how they top their hot dogs. The brand teamed up with Food Network Star and "Sandwich King" Jeff Mauro on Super Hotdogger-inspired recipes.

Dive Insight:

Oscar Mayer has long held the Wienermobile as a staple of its branding, but the jetpack addition shows the Kraft Heinz marketer trying to modernize this approach through more bleeding edge transportation. Last summer, the food company also debuted the WienerCycle and WienerDrone.

Building out the "Wienerfleet" beyond cars speaks to a growing consumer interest in emerging technology areas, including drone delivery and jetpacks. Oscar Mayer regularly takes its vehicles on summer tours aimed at generating awareness ahead of key holidays, like the Fourth of July, when hot dogs sales tend to spike. Pairing the out-of-home events with a giveaway that encourages social media sharing could help spread the message. Teaming up with a Food Network personality to offer special recipes might also appeal to consumers looking to break with the traditional dog prep during their cookouts.

Oscar Mayer teased the Super Hotdogger news on social media last week with a poll asking, "What's yellow and orange, can fly at 15,000 feet and delivers hot dogs?," with "WienerBlimp" winning the vote at 47%. The tactic followed a similar strategy by IHOP, which generated a massive amount of social media buzz by announcing a name change to IHOb and asking followers to guess what the "b" stood for (it was burgers, which proved controversial).

The hot dog brand’s launch of 100% natural pork and chicken products is additionally an effort to reach younger consumers, who tend to opt for fresher, healthier and more transparently-labeled options over processed packaged foods. Kraft Heinz last summer dropped artificial preservatives and added nitrates and nitrites from its offerings.