A&W Restaurants has launched a new campaign in time for National Root Beer Float Day, offering free root beer floats to physically fit patrons.
"Float Flex," conceptualized by A&W's agency of record Cornett, emphasizes the size and weight of the brand's famous root beer floats.
Coming in at a whopping 3 lbs. 5 oz., lifting the float is a workout in itself, so the fast-food chain is making sure customers can take it on.
As such, fans can visit participating A&W branches on August 6 and strike their best bodybuilding pose to claim a free small root beer float.
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A&W VP of Marketing and Innovation Liz Bazner emphasized the iconic drink's weight in a press release, which led to the campaign's concept.
"It's so heavy that we worried we might be missing out on a whole untapped market of folks that simply can’t handle its hugeness. This National Root Beer Float Day, we wanted to get everyone pumped up and ready to enjoy their free float," she concluded.
What A&W and Cornett did is a great example of creative marketing, using a unique and unexpected idea to give out freebies.
Making customers work for their root beer floats (quite literally) and appropriately combining it with the drink's weight provides an opportunity to increase engagement, as well as build brand affinity.
A Fast-Food Workout
Last week, the campaign also gave two lucky root beer float enthusiasts the chance to win a custom workout kit, complete with a towel, sweatbands, and a replica root beer float (for workout purposes).
The campaign runs across social media and includes influencer content from Stanley Sievers and Keith Habersberger of The Try Guys.
The TikTok video garnered 1.7 million views and nearly 2,600 likes in just five days, showing that the campaign is driving engagement.
@keithhabs August 6th Get a FREE float from @awrestaurants #AWpartner #rootbeerfloatday ♬ original sound - Keith Habersberger
Additionally, the brand is offering free floats to veterans while collecting donations for DAV (Disabled American Veterans).
Couple a funny creative marketing execution with a worthy cause, and it serves to further endear consumers to the brand.
A&W recently began using humor to spice up its campaigns. Last May, the brand and agency launched "Burgers, Float & Some," highlighting its heritage in a comedic way.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
