Tony Hawk reconnects with Bagel Bites to engage 'Rad Dads'

Dive Brief:

Pro skateboarder Tony Hawk is reprising a 2002 partnership for a campaign with Bagel Bites, according to a company press release shared with Marketing Dive. This effort is centered around Father's Day, and the athlete — now a father of six — is encouraging other dads in the U.S. to join the #RadDadSquad and share their best dad tricks on social media. "Rad Dads," says the brand, are "spontaneous" and make every effort to create fun moments with their kids.
Fathers are encouraged to tag such moments with #RadDadSquad and add branded Giphy stickers to their content. Three fathers and their kids will be selected to spend a day with Hawk on his skate ramp in San Diego. Winners will be announced throughout June, starting on Father's Day (June 16). Additionally, other dads will be awarded custom Rad Dad swag, such as hoodies, nail polish, hats and a limited-edition skate deck signed by Hawk.
The campaign includes a microsite, two spots and social content created by D/CAL, a creative agency co-founded by Hawk. In one spot, "Sell-Out," Hawk recalls his first Bagel Bites partnership. In the other, "Get Rad," he shows off some of his best dad moves.

Dive Insight:

By re-teaming with Hawk, Bagel Bites is making an effort to engage the millennial consumers that were adolescents back in 2002, but are now able to serve the snack to their own children. The effort comes on the heels of Coke's resurrection of New Coke with a "Stranger Things" tie-in that also looks to capitalize on nostalgia. It also includes a social media contest that features experiential elements and branded merchandise as rewards — all popular tactics for marketing to millennials.

The "Rad Dad" push is the latest example of brands modernizing their depictions of fathers in advertising. Nearly three-fourths of millennial fathers in the U.S. said they think advertisers and marketers are out of touch with modern family dynamics, according to a Saatchi & Saatchi NY survey. The Bagel Bites campaign aims to engage with millennial dads that are more likely to have a tea party, paint their nails and prepare Bagel Bites for their kids than to play "pull my finger," according to the brand's microsite.

The commercial that Hawk made for Bagel Bites in 2002 was significant in his career because it was one of his first commercial endorsements — and because marketers were just getting accustomed to the idea of a skateboarder as an endorsing celebrity. Since then, Hawk has pitched for Mountain Dew, McDonald's and his own video games and clothing.

Bagel Bites' latest campaign is one of many holiday and experience-driven tie-ins that have become popular with brands. It's not just an endorsement by Tony Hawk: it's an endorsement of dads, kids and families sharing special moments. The brand says it's all about creating bite-sized "bonding moments" for families, like having an afternoon snack. Just as Budweiser ties its beer to Memorial Day and Pepsi to summer, Bagel Bites is looking to establish a connection with Father's Day in the minds of consumers.