GS&P Teams Up With Instagram Celebrity to Introduce SONIC #SquareShakes

By Erik Oster 

Goodby Silverstein & Partners and SONIC are going all-in on Instagram with “#SquaresShakes,” a collaboration with Instagram celebrity Chef Jacques La Merde (also known as Christine Flynn) and a team of Instagram designers resulting in a shake designed for, and only available through the platform.

The brand is calling the collaboration a “first-of-its-kind partnership,” and since Chef Jacques La Merde made his name lampooning fine dining by photographing simple foods in sophisticated ways, it’s arguably an appropriate one. SquareShakes, which are inspired by (and promote) Sonic’s new Creamery Shakes line, come complete with square tray and straw and will be available to festival goers at Coachella on April 16 exclusively through “Shop Now” geo-targeted sponsored ads on Instagram. Consumers can then photograph the creations, perfect for Instargram’s square format (although the platform opened up to other photo formats last summer), and tag them with the “#SquareShakes” hashtag to complete the meta-homage to the social media service. Check out the video above for a better look at the square creations and stick around for the “Making of” video below for a few words from Flynn herself. 

“We’ve refocused our visual strategy and presence on Instagram, transforming popular SONIC menu items into digital artwork, which has resonated with our followers and resulted in enormous engagement,” said SONIC president and chief marketing officer Todd Smith. “We’ve seen a 72 percent growth in Instagram since last September, and partnering with the social platform and @ChefJacqueslaMerde to develop the world’s first shake designed for Instagram is another innovative step forward in our social presence and strategy.”

“People are obsessed with capturing the world on Instagram so we thought ‘What if we manipulated the real world to fit on Instagram’’ instead,” added Goodby Silverstein & Partners partner and executive creative director Margaret Johnson. “We are excited to partner with Chef Jacques La Merde, who is famous for turning simple ingredients into works of art on Instagram every day.”

Credits:
Client
CEO: Cliff Hudson
Chief Marketing Officer & President: Todd Smith
VP of Marketing: Sarah Beddoe
VP of Public Relations: Christi Woodworth
Senior Director of Culinary Innovation: Mackenzie GIbson
Director of Content: Burke Morley
Director of Brand Advertising & On-Lot Communications: Molly Brill
Assistant Digital Marketing Manager: Jackie Cyrnes

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Creative
Co-Chairman: Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein
Executive Creative Director: Margaret Johnson
Creative Director: Jon Wolanske
Associate Creative Director: Tristan Graham
Creative: Rohan Cooke
Creative: Laura Petruccelli
Content Creative: Quinn Gravier
Designer: Todd King

Production
Director of Interactive Producer: Margaret Brett-Kerns
Executive Producer, Director of Graphic Services: Jim King
Senior Interactive Producer: Danielle Riccardi
Senior Print Producer and Art Buyer: Noah Dasho
Director of Experiential, Music Supervisor: Todd Porter
Interactive Producer: Severin Sauliere
Content Producer: Isaak Le
Technology Director: Mike Kellogg
Associate Technology Director: Andre Cardozo

Post Production
Post Production: E Level Films
Director of E Level: PJ Koll
Post Producer: Jack Whalen
Editor: Erik Johnson
Assistant Editor: Lori Arden
Motion Graphics Creative Director: Mike Landry
Motion Graphics Artists: Nathan Shipley, Chad Ford, Anthony Enos, Ratha Nou, Alec Cummings
Color: Fabio Benedetto
Music: Nic DeMatteo
Story Board Artist: Steph Sanchez

Account Services
Group Account Director: Leslie Barrett
Account Director: Jenna Duboe
Account Manager: William de Ryk

Production Partners
Culinary Artist: Christine Flynn (Chef Jacques la Merde)
Food Artist Manager: Brandon Rosenblatt
Photography Studio: Dwight Eschliman Photography
Photographer/Director: Dwight Eschliman
DP: Charley Weston
Producer: Jamie Antonioli
Food Stylist: Karen Eva

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