Krispy Kreme tapped into a resurgence in 90s nostalgia for its 'Throwback Arcade' campaign, to celebrate the introduction of a limited-edition Throwback Party doughnut range.

The brand turned its Instagram page into a virtual arcade aimed at giving millennials a taste of their childhood.

In developing this campaign – which launched in Australia and New Zealand during April this year and concluded in early June – the doughnut specialist worked with The Monkeys, a Sydney-based agency owned by Accenture Interactive.

A leader board was used by Krispy Kreme to track high scores, with the top players going into a draw to win a year's supply of doughnuts.

“Growing up as a kid we had arcade parties, filled with classic video games and party food like fairy-bread,” Jay Morgan, innovations director at The Monkeys, said when the Instagram program was originally announced. “We hope the range, and these games, act like a spaceship that transport people back there to simpler times and good memories.”The campaign garnered the brand not just a 50.9% jump in the number of mobile users interacting with the brand on Instagram but also a boost in e-commerce and retail sales.

Russell Schulman, CMO/Australia for Krispy Kreme, suggested this nostalgia-infused program was very much in line with the company’s global business objective of being “the most loved sweet treats brand in the world.

“Note that, in the CEO’s words, it’s ‘most loved’, not ‘the biggest’. So that allows for a rich brand character. And, from a brand perspective, it’s about giving people smiles,” he told delegates at Advertising Week APAC 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (For more, read WARC’s report: Krispy Kreme ANZ’s bet on Instagram and nostalgic gaming boosts engagement and sales.)

The ‘Throwback Arcade’ concept’s success in Australia and New Zealand has led to further investment and expansion. In fact, it launched in the United Kingdom in July – accompanied by its own range of retro-flavoured doughnuts, with plans to roll out the campaign in five additional markets in the future.

Sourced from WARC