Glizzies Since 1916
Nathan's Famous is a chain of hot dog stands and fast-food restaurants based in New York City. It was founded by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker in 1916 and has since become a popular destination for hot dogs and other fast food items such as hamburgers, french fries, and chicken sandwiches. Nathan's is best known for its annual Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which has become a popular event in the United States and has been televised nationally. Our team was challenged to write and produce a commercial that could bring Nathan’s back into the conversation with their competitors and earn new customers.
Positioning
Audience
Both men and women, aged 18-30, who are active on social media, fans of memes, and have an average or below average income
According to the National Center for Health Statistics from the Center for Disease Control 44.9% of Americans aged, 20-39 eat fast food on any given day
A survey conducted by AYTM reports that about 32% of the people that eat fast food eat it because they think it is cheaper than the alternatives
AYTM also reports that 42% of adults that have an average family income level eat fast food on any given day, while 31.7% of adults in lower income brackets do so as well
Product Class
Fast Food
Market Share
0.0026% of the Fast food industry as of 2021 (Zippia, NASDAQ)
Brand Messaging
Everyman (50%) and Jester (50%) archetype: “From hotdog to national habit”
Rationale
Nathan’s hot dogs are a generational classic
“World-famous hot dogs since 1916”
“The flavor of New York”
Problem:
Recently, hot dogs are not as socially accepted by Gen Z as they have been in the past
Members of the youth frequently call hot dogs “glizzies” to make fun of those who eat them
Objective:
Make Nathan’s hot dogs popular amongst Gen Z
Insight Statement
Gen Z finds eating hot dogs to be embarrassing due to their phallic shape
The term “Glizzy Trend” has 20.8M views on TikTok
Joey Chesnut (winner of multiple Nathan’s hot dog eating competitions) is referred to as “The Glizzy Gladiator”
Strategy
We chose to imitate silent films with a twist of modern language. This juxtaposition shows that there is nothing embarrassing about eating the hot dog that’s been everyone’s favorite for more than a century
Consumer Message
By eating Nathan’s hot dogs, you’ll find that they are as good as they were in the past despite their phallic shape
Support
New Yorkers and Americans alike have eaten hot dogs care-free for decades before social media existed
Tone of Voice
Staple, Icon, Classic, Convenient, Friendly, Economical, New York
TV & Online Video
We produced a 30-second spot that could be played as a commercial on TV, Youtube and other streaming or social media platforms