CASE STUDIES

THE SHIZZLE JERK MARINADE

Develop an identity for a new jerk marinade that would overcome a sluggish market and become a household name

The Challenge

When you think of BBQ sauces, you immediately think of grocery shelves filled with an overabundance of options — not an ideal situation when introducing a new product! Big & Fine Food Co., a small start-up company, hired High Tide Creative with one product, a shoestring budget and a big dream: to create a new brand category with their jerk marinade and to develop a cult-like following of die-hard fans.

The Solution

The client provided the product name: The Shizzle. In an effort to capitalize on the pop-culture significance of this name and to build on this idea, we developed a Rastafarian character to represent the brand and capture the attention of a niche group of adventurous, spicy food fanatics. From there, we produced an intriguing label design, e-commerce website and Facebook presence. Once these strategic materials were in place, we sent samples of the marinade to as many potential retailers as possible. We hoped this budget-conscious, grass-roots strategy would spark a retail fire.

The Results

After one year in business, this marinade has its own fan base. They call themselves “The Shizzleheads.” The social media efforts have generated thousands of Facebook fans that are so enthusiastic that they share videos and recipes. The marinade is on retail shelves from North Carolina to Maine and is being distributed by two major hot sauce wholesalers. It was also voted “Best New Jerk Marinade” by Hot Sauce World. Things have gone so well that they can hardly keep up with demand. The return on their marketing investment has far exceeded the client’s expectations and future plans will take this product to a grocery store near you.