Arby’s Now Has Coke.
Activation | Online Video | Social
An Absurd Spectrum of Scale
Arby’s announcing they were serving Coca-Cola products was big news from two iconic brands, but we knew that with the abundance of attention seeking content these days, even the biggest news barely gets noticed. So we delivered a creative idea that celebrated the most insanely absurd spectrum of scale ever done–proven by the two Guinness World Records we received for the world’s smallest and largest ads ever made. All to simply deliver the message: Arby’s Now Has Coke.
We created a brand announcement that stood out from the clutter and captured major press coverage in a very brand authentic way while amplifying (not distracting from) the key message: Arby’s Now Has Coke.
“Guinness World Records Approved.”
THE SEED
We began the brand activation first by seeding our big announcement with a sesame seed (get it?). We partnered with the brilliant scientists at Georgia Tech’s world-class nanotechnology lab to figure out how to print an ad less than 40 microns wide on the surface the seed to say “A big announcement is coming. This isn’t it.”
THE DATA
Through data-driven insights, we knew the heart of the Arby’s audience was based in middle America so the location of the final big announcement payoff would benefit from going against the standard media trends of focusing activations in large markets.
THE EXECUTION
We displayed the sesame seed with the official world’s smallest ad, and an insanely high-powered microscope, at an Arby’s in New York City to kick off the press and social buzz to get people talking about what could be next.
Then we created the world’s largest ad by placing an eight-ton sheet of vinyl (fully recycled later) on a farm in the smallest town in America. Monowi, Nebraska population 1. It was over 5 acres in size and visible only from the air. The local news helicopters loved that part.
The final reveal after 2 weeks of build up was a gigantic ad that simply read “Arby’s Now Has Coke”.
RESULTS
It worked. The activation received over 4 million daily media impressions the week of the final reveal, with placements in nearly 200 media outlets. Most important of all, the absurd ridiculousness of the way we delivered this big announcement’s message was a HUGE hit with the Arby’s fanbase.
Smallest town in the USA. Population 1.
Guinness World Record for The Largest Ad, placed on a farm in Monowi Nebraska.
“Arby’s went incredibly small, then incredibly big...and it worked.”
“So extra lol.”
“I get it.”
Guinness World Record for Smallest Ad, written on a sesame seed. Displayed in New York City.
We partnered with nano scientists at Georgia Tech to print on the sesame seed.
As seen covered by ADWEEK.
“Wow, that’s a big ad.”
“Arby’s now has Coke.”
“omfg”
“Look at that thing.”
“You guys are cool as f_ck.”
“That is actually a really, really, big announcement.”
“Shipping and handling on 8 tons of OOH vinyl must have been nuts.”