Actual Salty + Pep shaker sets offered as a mail-in premium from Knorr. Bigshot designed and produce 30,000 sets...they sold out immediately.
Collaborating with other agencies has always yielded some tremendous results, and this project we contributed to for Knorr is a keen example.
Working with Knorr and ad agencies DDB Canada and Sons & Daughters, Bigshot Toyworks was given the opportunity to develop and design the "Salty + Pep" characters that were used in this stellar commercial. Bigshot produced more than 40 different characters for consideration for this project, and worked closely with the agency to refine their top picks into the characters used in the final campaign.
The final campaign featured television spots, viral online videos, wild postings, in-store merchandising, and a Facebook fan page which quickly garnered more than 7,000 active followers.
Thanks to Salty, Knorr's Sidekicks line showed a 24% increase in sales from the previous year. Bigshot was contracted to design and produce actual ceramic Salty + Pep shaker sets as a mail-in premium item, and 30,000 sets sold out almost instantly.
With more than 20 years of experience in Character Development & Design, Bigshot Toyworks is always pleased to lend its' expertise to such exciting projects.
Working with Knorr and ad agencies DDB Canada and Sons & Daughters, Bigshot Toyworks was given the opportunity to develop and design the "Salty + Pep" characters that were used in this stellar commercial. Bigshot produced more than 40 different characters for consideration for this project, and worked closely with the agency to refine their top picks into the characters used in the final campaign.
The final campaign featured television spots, viral online videos, wild postings, in-store merchandising, and a Facebook fan page which quickly garnered more than 7,000 active followers.
Thanks to Salty, Knorr's Sidekicks line showed a 24% increase in sales from the previous year. Bigshot was contracted to design and produce actual ceramic Salty + Pep shaker sets as a mail-in premium item, and 30,000 sets sold out almost instantly.
With more than 20 years of experience in Character Development & Design, Bigshot Toyworks is always pleased to lend its' expertise to such exciting projects.
"House Cleaning" flyer used in wild postings around Canada in conjunction with the viral video campaign.
"Lawn Care" flyer used in wild postings around Canada in conjunction with the viral video campaign.
"Dating" video from the viral video campaign
"Mask" from the viral video campaign
"Neck Brace" from the viral video campaign
Salty & Pep campaign success stories
"Knorr had just introduced their new Sidekicks with less sodium and wanted to take over the #1 spot in the marketplace. Tribal DDB introduced Salty – the lonely and dejected salt shaker. The ad and Salty were an instant hit, and they soon created a Facebook page for Salty’s Life and aTwitter feed. On Facebook alone Salty has 12777 Likes (note: Knorr’s Facebook page has only 1416).
Salty became such a hit that Knorr even created salt shakers of Salty and his buddy Pep. In less than 25 days the first shipment of 20,000 shakers sold out. In fact people were selling them on eBay for $200 a set! People started launching You Tube videos of them and their Salty and Pep shakers. In fact, Salty is quite the hit on You Tube as well. Check this out.
Did Knorr achieve their goal to dominate their market? Yes. Did they end up creating enormous buzz for the product? Yes. Heck they even created a new income stream (Salt & Pepper shakers). Just because of a little bit (okay a lot) of personality."
- source: Strategies for Success
The Salty viral video phenomenon
"One such was "Salty", a forlorn salt shaker who suddenly finds himself without a purpose in life because Unilever's Knorr range of easy-to-make Sidekicks side-dishes were pre-seasoned. The first ad - and especially its sad little star - was such a hit with viewers that agency DDB Canada was given the freedom to make three further spots. These little masterpieces had almost nothing to do with selling packets of Knorr Sidekicks but strengthened the bond between the brand character and his audience. The project was originally assigned to creative team David Ross and Shelley Lewis; Paul Wallace later replaced Lewis on the account. Andrew Simon was executive creative director.
Andrew Simon: "Salty was born when Knorr told us they were launching a Reduced Sodium version of some of their Sidekicks products. Instead of just focusing on the good news aspect of the news, we looked at it a different way. Who *wouldn't* take it so well? After all, it was really a rejection of salt."
Paul Wallace "In the original script, the salt and pepper shakers were an old fashioned, kitschy, flea market, farmer & wife set. However, the client took issue with the farmer & wife shaker set. Essentially, they were uncomfortable with the thought of some old flea market relic in a commercial for a modern, forward thinking brand like Knorr. We briefly considered using those hugging ghost shakers that were already available commercially, but negotiations with the designer collapsed. This was more or less when I got involved. For me, based on the script, the character was a loser, like Peanuts' Charlie Brown - big, prematurely balding head with low slung ears... Anyway, we engaged the very talented Bigshot Toyworks, and eventually landed on the character of Salty as you know him."
Directed by David Hicks, the original commercial showed Salty forlornly surveying a dish of freshly prepared Knorr Sidekicks risotto and realising his time is done. He walks off into the rain outside to the sound of a plaintive Michael Bolton ballad. Eventually, he dips his head in sorrow, and instead of tears, tiny little streams of salt pour from his eyes...
PW: "The commercial was an instant success. Sidekicks were flying off supermarket shelves across Canada. People simply couldn't get enough of Salty." Clearly, more could be done with this adorable little character.
AS: "We took it one step further with a series of online videos... and this was before online videos were really a thing. All three were about Salty searching for acceptance and love, trying to pick up the pieces of his life." In these, Salty tries to find new purpose to his life; he adopts a life of crime, with disastrous consequences; briefly takes up residence in a bikers' cafe; and finally attempts to console himself with the new sensation of internet dating. Chatroulette had just taken off, and the agency actually set up Salty to pop up for a few surprise sessions.
And Salty's success wasn't just confined to the original product. AS: "In the initial presentation, we talked about the idea of creating actual salt and pepper shakers with the characters of Salty and Pep. Our clients at the time thought it was cute but were really worried that they'd be stuck with a closet-full of a few thousand salt and pepper shakers. After seeing the final character renderings, they fell in love with our characters and decided on making 30,000 sets, 25,000 of which were made available for a 'Buy 3 Sidekicks packs, get Salty and Pep for free' sales promotion. In 25 days, all 25,000 sets of shakers were sold out and were selling on eBay for $200."
- source: Adbrands.net Classic Advertising
Bigshot Toyworks specializes in the creation, realization and manufacturing of unique characters and visual assets for advertising, entertainment, and commercial products. If you need carefully crafted visual development for your brand or entertainment property, or you need to make some toys or collectibles, contact us. We have over 20 years of experience and would love to talk to you about working together.
