Rewriting the tune for an Oscar Mayer promotion
Oscar Mayer was a widely recognized but fading brand, struggling to stay emotionally relevant with new generations of mothers and children. Even its iconic jingles—once a core part of its brand identity—were being forgotten.
The Oscar Mayer Talent Search, an annual promotion designed to keep the jingles alive, was failing due to high costs and weak engagement.
The expensive and complex execution required a traveling promo team, professional video recordings, and in-store retail events.
My solution
I streamlined and repositioned the Talent Search into a turnkey, purpose-driven campaign that leveraged school music funding shortages to create emotional relevance.
Refocused outreach – Instead of targeting retailers, we spoke directly to school music teachers through low-cost educational trade magazines.
Simplified participation – Teachers submitted a video of their class singing the Oscar Mayer jingles for a chance to win a share of a $500,000 prize for their school’s music program.
Maximized impact – By eliminating unnecessary execution costs, the full campaign budget went toward meaningful cash prizes, making participation more compelling.
The result
6,000+ schools and 110,000 kids participated, making it the most successful Talent Search ever.
400% more impressions than previous versions of the campaign—at half the cost.
Earned media boost – Due to the overwhelming response, we created a TV commercial and mini-documentary about the winning school, further extending the campaign’s reach.
My eyes fell out of my head after watching 6000+ videos.
When a promotion stops working, the answer isn’t always to cancel it or cut costs—it’s to redesign the experience. By shifting who we engaged, how we reached them, and why it mattered, I transformed a fading campaign into a purpose-driven journey that reignited emotional connection and brand relevance.