Our creative idea was rooted in an unassailable product truth: Goldfish crackers are charmingly distinct. Their shape, eye and the trademark smile are both captivating and whimsical. Ever watch a child eating Goldfish crackers? It’s a totally different thing than eating a square Cheez-It or a round Ritz. Goldfish crackers instinctively bring out a child’s playfulness and imagination. Our idea was to nurture that playfulness and imagination, using really cool storytelling technology, with Goldfish crackers as the star.

Through our partnership with NYICFF, we hosted animation workshops and created how-to videos and behind-the-scenes footage, capturing hours of rich and inspirational content, including our first family created stop-motion film “Goldfish in Space.” Then we launched our 18-week campaign with a live integration on Good Morning America.

We asked people from all around the country to create their stop-motion Goldfish Tales in hopes of winning a “Goldie” trophy and top honors in categories such as “Best Story” and “Best Use of Goldfish.” We did this by tailoring assets to each of the social platform’s communication strengths.

Using paid media, PR and influencer outreach we inspired families to share their Goldfish Tales and lean into the playful spirit of childhood through the magic of creativity. We celebrated their stop-motion tales on all channels, including paid media, and on Good Morning America. We also hosted a “live” online awards show.

The Goldfish Tales Animation Xperience Contest eclipsed expected impressions after just 8 weeks into our 18-week campaign. Total impressions, including PR, reached 255MM.

We received more than double the expected submissions from across the country, with 11 states represented among the 12 finalists selected. Engagement across all platforms more than doubled versus YAG, including digital media and all digital and social brand platforms, and with content seeded. We were blown away by the creativity, imagination, and time that hundreds of families put into their films. This effort clearly inspired the playful spirit of childhood. In addition, families were effusive in their feedback, providing unsolicited praise for the magic and memorability of this experience.