Proving a Product's Value with a Town's Name / WALKERS CRISPS "SANDWICH"

The problem

People think Walkers crisps taste even better paired with a sandwich, but in reality, fewer than 1 in 10 people actually eat crisps with their lunch. On top of that, supermarkets weren't even stocking crisps near the sandwich aisle.

The insight

"Walkers can make any sandwich exciting." To prove that one line, they decided to make the town of Sandwich itself exciting. What makes this strong is that it didn't stop at being a clever play on a place name—it became proof that convinced both consumers and retailers that it "really works."

The idea

Celebrities slipped into the village of Sandwich in Kent as if they were residents. F1 driver Jenson Button became a taxi driver, Frank Lampard became a coach for the local football team, and a popular boy band suddenly appeared at a school. There was no script and no rehearsal—to capture the townspeople's genuine reactions, the whole plan was kept top secret. Journalists and retailers were also invited to the scene to see it with their own eyes.

What happened

The online video was viewed 1.6 million times, and across the UK it was watched for a combined 3 million minutes. It generated media coverage worth an estimated £3.2 million, got Walkers placed in the sandwich aisle of all six major supermarkets, drove an additional 1.5 million packs in sales, and delivered 26% sales growth, beating its target. It won the first-ever Grand Prix in the newly created Creative Effectiveness category at Cannes Lions in 2011.

Afterthought

It's amazing how they turned a coincidence of a place name into proof this powerful. In just three days, they managed to shift both how consumers felt and what retailers put on their shelves. This is what people mean when they say an ad "actually works."

Awards

• Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2011

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