This week’s award for best marketing promotion related to the election goes to AirBed & Breakfast, the peer-to-peer pad crashing site for travelers. (You list how much per night you want for travelers to stay on your floor, and they book through the site). Today, I received a package from AirBed & Breakfast containing the two boxes of cereal pictured above: Obama O’s and Cap’n McCain’s. In addition to the physical boxes of cereal, there are two catchy jingles for each cereal (embedded below), and a Webpage where you can vote for the cereal you prefer.
What does this have to do with AirBed & Breakfast? To promote the service, the startup is encouraging people across the country to put up get-out-the-vote volunteers for each campaign. Hosts can order a box of whichever cereal they prefer and serve it for breakfast. Except each box costs $39, and the company only made 500 of each. (If they make more, that could be their business model, at least for a month).
I just really like the design. The front of the Obama O’s box is stamped with “Hope In Every bowl” and on the back it calls itself the “Breakfast of Change.” The McCain character on the Cap’n McCain’s box is appropriately wearing a naval officer’s uniform, and the side of the box sings the praise of eating squares (inside the box are repackaged Quaker Puffs; the Obama O’s are really Honey O’s). The copy on the side of the Cap’n McCain’s box could have been written by his campaign:
Os may look pretty, but have you ever noticed there’s something missing? That’s right, there’s a hole in the middle of every O. With Cap’n McCain’s you get a whole piece of cereal in every bite.
It also points out that “Squares Are Stackable” and that “Squares Keep America Regular.” But the Obama O’s jingle is catchier. Have a listen:
Obama O’s
Standard Podcast [20:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Captn McCain
Standard Podcast [20:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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This is hilarious! I especially like the McCain’s.
what the hell does this have to do with anything? it’s not really that clever - you are overposting dude. take it down a notch.
this election will be stolen. “Let There Be No Doubt.” j.m.
He knows it……Do You?
FraudLocator.com
Awesome! I only wish I was cool enough to have received a box.
oh the fun that is being had.. three more weeks of it!!
Um … this is tech related how ?
Last time I check - 1000 startups want coverage and you post this &#$**#(#($
what about bob barr’s bunches o nuts?
Ding ding ding we have a winner!
It’s true; squares are all there.
Yeah except if you read the article he said that they turned out to be repackaged Quaker Puffs which aren’t squares are all… just like what it would be like if he’s elected I am sure.
As much of a Maverick as those puffs are square…
I want the breakfast of Change!
Boxes aside. Why would I pay any $$ to stay on someone’s floor when I can stay on someone’s couch for free http://www.couchsurfing.com/ or free-load around http://www.globalfreeloaders.com/ ?
Spending my $.02 so you can save some $
I know someone that used the site. They didn’t sleep on the floor. They had a bed in a private room. People charge whatever they want for whatever they have.
I tried finding something on couch surfing, but it takes a lot of time to get a response.
Cereal box with “Maverick” reminds me of this video http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uRCBsFaUz_Y
There might be a tinge of racism in the Obama caricature.
Look closely at his stereotyped image - compare and contrast to the image of McCain.
Sometimes these satires are unconscious - but it illustrates how deeply embedded certain old ideas are in our society regardless of the achievements of a person.
Are you kidding me? These are caricatures! Get over it!
I do agree with everyone else about this not beign tech related at all!
I , for one, appreciate the occasional non tech related post from you guys … and Tech Crunch could be a cereal too.
I don’t think we get the mere in Canada but I’d definitely add some bacon.
creative brand extension, playing off the ‘breakfast’ in their name…and riding the presidential election to get some attention/traffic. we’re having a blast in the office listening to the jingles. (any amount of humor is welcome today). can you post some close up pics of the details on the boxes?
What I would like to have is some Obama toilet paper.
Innovative marketing campaigns like this are harder and harder to come by. Luckily, this one was done full-bore and executed really well. Very cool idea.
I see where people are coming from about this being a non-tech article. But they are a tech company, and this is a very clever promotion (ableit it a non-tech one). This is still a noteworthy story just based on the quality of the cereal. If it wasn’t that well done, I would agree. But I think some startups can learn a thing or two about clever marketing.
I thought the symbolism was well thought out–the openness of the Obama Os suggesting freedom, choice, possibility, and the blockage of the McSquares suggesting…well, you know…. But the piece doesn’t mention the McSquares’ special coating, which turns you into an America-is-just-for-the-few-of-us, if-it-was-good-enough-for-the-7th-century-it-should-be-good-enough-for-everyone-now, I’m-a-religious-retard-who-wants-my-tiny-sad-beliefs-genuflected-to moron among the masses. Although I guess injecting that realism would have made the piece less funny.
I think this company has too much cash and spare time.
Seriously, Erick - maybe this is funny, but it does not belong on tech/startup/web2.0 blog.
Erick, this is hilarious. Haha!
I’m partial to that new site that isn’t endorsed by Mccain (Or Obama).
http://www.steadyhandatthetiller.com
A box of Frosted Flakes would best represent both…
Good stuff. In this bad economy, we need the humor.
-Dash
http://adecon101.blogspot.com/
http://telCade.com/
Arrington is a fraud. Larry Flint is offering $1 million to anyone who can find evidence that Arrington has secret money stashed with one of the companies he sucks up to.
Perhaps our pal McAdoo can shine the light? Or Ycombinator?
Arrington: your days as a kingmaker are nearing an end.
Um…weird comment much?
It’s funny, but i don’t eat that for breakfast
LOL Game, Obama O’s VS Cap’n McCain’s?
http://playum.com/media/335/Ra.....ite_House/
make mine round with a hole so we get some flow not blockage.
I’ll over this and the site’s a great idea.
Now that is great marketing. I am in awe.
I wish I could order them in Holland, but I think the shipping costs are not worth it.
wow, there are certainly a lot of grumps around here.
I am gong out for Barrunch…
Cereal sucks
Vote Bob Barr these other two are going to turn recession into depression…
NO, I don’t want the people who do everything wrong get my money when I do everything right. This teaches people it is ok to mess up…the others will work harder to make up for your stupidity. This is not OK @ all!
Watch this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcEuhi7KKHA
http://www.bobbarr2008.com
Brilliant!
Hey…there is something wrong with Mccains picture. he cant actually carry his hands that high to his head. am i the only one noticing this…..
oh my Sk Sk Sk Sk Sk Sk Skeety skeet skeet!!!
Obama O’S and Capt’ McCainy’s…lol
Haha. They should have written, “Help McCains Straight Talk Express Get to the White House, but be careful! Don’t let the wheels fall off!” Lol.
You guys all see this? http://www.hopewon.com
Pretty cool.
Airbed and Breakfast are liars. I fell for this scam. I bought a box of Obama O’s because the FAQ read:
“Did you really only make 500 of each? Yes! Once they’re gone, they’re gone. ”
The other day I checked to see if they were sold out and I noticed that when I clicked the buy button it said (unnumbered) next to the item in the cart. I figured this meant that they decided to make more than 500 boxes of each! That really pissed me off. I paid 49 dollars for a box of cereal only because it was limited to 500 boxes. Stamping a number on a box does not make it a limited addition!
A few days later they changed their FAQ to read:
“Did you really only make 500 numbered of each? Yes! Once the numbered versions are gone, they’re gone. ”
This was done after the initial 500 boxes sold!
I WANT MY MONEY BACK
CNN did the advertising for them about the “only 500 will be made” and I headed for the website. CNN, you, me, and 498 other folks were duped.