Philly’s Favorite Potato Chip

Long Hots and Sharp Provolone.

That was the winning potato chip flavor in Herr’s recent “Flavored By Philly” contest and marketing campaign.

The local snack company invited people to submit Philly-inspired chip flavor ideas.

The submissions were shaved down to three contenders, which Herr’s developed into actual flavors and products.

The three competing flavors were 215 Special Sauce, Wiz Wit and Long Hots and Sharp Provolone.

The flavors were available in limited quantities at Philadelphia stores, on the Herr’s website and in giveaways from the Herr’s marketing team at Phillies games and other events.

The chips generated a ton of press in the Philly area (who doesn’t love trying new chip flavors?). It was well-executed with engaging writeups of each flavor, smart social media promotion and a focus on the Herr’s fans who submitted the flavor ideas. It even included a charitable component – winning submitter Ryan R. selected Philabundance to receive a $10,000 check.

Dipping Into Audience Buy-in

Ultimately, the chips were a limited run and won’t be sticking around shelves past the summer.

But the Herr’s campaign details a deeper understanding of how brands and audiences interact today.

Marty Neumeier summed it up well in The Brand Gap: A brand isn’t what you say it is – it’s what they say it is. He defines a brand as “a person’s gut feeling about a product, service or organization.”

People feel ownership over the companies they choose to engage with. It’s the reason Wawa gets countless messages from devoted fans every day. It’s the reason why customers who didn’t want a new Coke rejected New Coke.

Audiences today have more platforms and channels than ever to make their opinions heard and engage with companies and brands. Smart companies are finding ways to foster those interactions and engagement in their marketing efforts.