To honor its 100th anniversary, Nathan’s Famous wanted to reward customer loyalty in a very special way.
Partnering with HelloWorld, Nathan’s Famous launched Nathan's Famous Coney Island, which is a personal, mobile-optimized virtual Coney Island experience that serves as the centerpiece of its summer Ticket to Fun loyalty program.
Using ticket codes on Nathan’s packages and registering on the Ticket to Fun site, consumers can explore the incredible virtual world and all that it has to offer−Nathan’s historical facts highlighting its Coney Island heritage, virtual rides, games (like competing in the iconic Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest) and opportunities to win “family-first” rewards: A Coney Island family vacation, trips to amusement parks, NASCAR races, and backyard makeovers.
Loyalty360 caught up with Mike Paribello, Senior Director of Marketing of Smithfield Foods (parent company of Nathan’s Famous) and Peter DeNunzio, CEO of HelloWorld.
What prompted the partnership with HelloWorld?
Paribello: Nathan’s Famous and HelloWorld have been partners since our work together on the Nathan’s Selfie Sweepstakes in 2015. This year, in honor of our 100th anniversary, we wanted to find a way to celebrate history with our fans by providing more opportunities to interact and engage with our brand and rewarding their loyalty. With the success of the Selfie Sweepstakes in mind and knowing HelloWorld’s creative capabilities, we knew we wanted HelloWorld back on board. HelloWorld, in collaboration with Marsh Brand Partners, helped us execute on our vision of ‘Nathan’s Famous Coney Island’ and the extensive ‘Ticket to Fun ’ loyalty experience.
What prompted the idea for a virtual Coney Island experience?
Paribello: We wanted Coney Island to play a major role in this initiative since Nathan’s heritage is so deeply rooted here, but we realized that many of our consumers have never had the chance to visit. We wondered how we could bring Coney Island to every fan, no matter where they are. With this virtual world, we bring to our fans the opportunity to experience a bit of Nathan’s history around our 100th anniversary, and many more opportunities to engage and win in ways that feel immersive and authentic to the consumer.
Did customer feedback play a role in this at all?
Paribello: We developed the program with our fans very much in mind. From our social channels to the Selfie Sweepstakes last year, we know that Nathan’s is a brand that generates a high level of interaction and loyalty among our customers. We really wanted to bring to life those elements of the Nathan’s Coney Island experience that most resonates with our fans based on where we see the most engagement such as the Hot Dog Eating Contest and of course the restaurant itself.
How will this digital strategy impact Nathan’s overall customer experience?
DeNunzio: Creating the virtual world of ‘Nathan’s Famous Coney Island’ as the backdrop for the ‘Ticket to Fun’ program taps into the brand’s rich Coney Island roots, while increasing engagement and reach with loyal fans. Nathan’s consumers can spend time with the brand exploring the site, uploading photos, competing in games like the famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, and learning more about brand heritage and values with trivia and fun facts. A digital and mobile-optimized program of this scale promotes a fresh perspective on a legacy brand, while tapping into the reservoir of fun that makes Nathan's and Coney Island such an iconic pairing.