Betty Crocker turned 105 this October, and it didn’t stop at a press release. The brand threw a party fans can actually attend. It’s one of the best examples of anniversary marketing we’ve seen this year.
A month-long party, not a one-day post
Betty Crocker teamed up with the Museum of Ice Cream for all of October. Every U.S. location is serving an exclusive Betty’s Birthday Cake ice cream. That includes New York City, Chicago, Miami, Boston and Las Vegas. The flavor is inspired by the brand’s best-selling Yellow Cake Mix and Chocolate Frosting.
The museums also feature cake-themed room takeovers. A limited-time birthday bundle adds a co-branded Betty Crocker crown and button for guests to take home.
Anniversary marketing with dated moments
The month has two big moments built in. On Oct. 14, Christina Tosi, a two-time James Beard Award winner, leads a cake crafting workshop at Museum of Ice Cream NYC in SoHo.
Then, on Betty’s official birthday, Oct. 21, the Las Vegas museum hosts Betty’s Birthday Bash in its Little Pink Chapel. Guests get cake, ice cream, games and giveaways. They can even take part in personalized ceremonies and say “I do” to cake and ice cream.
Those dates give media and creators fresh reasons to cover the story all month long.
The PR lesson: experiences earn coverage
Anniversaries alone don’t earn coverage. Plenty of brands hit a milestone every year. What gets people talking is something they can taste, share and show up for.
Betty Crocker’s own story started with an experience, too. It began in 1921, when a Gold Medal Flour promotion sparked hundreds of letters from home cooks looking for baking advice. One hundred and five years later, the brand is still showing up where people celebrate.
How to plan your own milestone
Got a milestone coming up? Restaurants, hotels and local businesses can borrow this playbook. Partner with a place your audience already loves. Create something exclusive and limited. Add one or two dated moments that give media a reason to show up.
Smart anniversary marketing turns a date on the calendar into a reason to visit.
Proof Publicity plans activations and milestone campaigns for restaurant and hospitality brands across Arizona. For more ideas, read How Do You Get More Foot Traffic Without a Big Budget?
