Using a hidden smoke machine and a hollowed out pair of shoes, we created the appearance of a person who had just put Tabasco on their lunch and spontaneously combusted. We then turned the smoke machine on and off intermittently to create the element of surprise. We left the pairs of “smoking shoes”, a half-eaten lunch and a bottle of Tabasco on benches and tables in the areas where people consumed their food.

Response measures showed 94% brand recollection among people who had seen the execution.

The execution featured on news websites and student blogs. Part of a wider ambient campaign, together with a competitive price drop, the “Smokin’ Shoes” helped increase quarterly sales of the standard 60ml Tabasco bottle by 13%.