To get the word out that Dempster’s new Dempster’s Zero bread will make moms “feel sexy,” the Maple Leaf Foods brand released a full-length romance novel on Jan. 27. Customers log on to the Facebook page, input some information about themselves, and tag friends to act as supporting characters. In return, they get a 120-page novel set in a bakery and starring themselves that they can download to their e-readers or via PDF.

With media handled in-house at Maple Leaf Foods and creative by Cundari, the creative team worked with an actual romance novelist to make sure the novel would appeal to the targeted suburban moms. “We know that (our target) likes things like romance novels, light entertainment,” Sean Ganann, group creative director, Cundari, tells MiC.

There is an option for people who don’t want to commit the time to take in all 120 pages. Customers can also simply build a custom novel cover and share it, but it seems most are interested in the full experience. “We have every indication so far that a high percentage of people are going through and creating that novel,” says Ganann.

The campaign leans on pre-roll video ads featuring a shirtless hunk with clickable abs to drive customers to the novel creation page. Dempster’s has a healthy Facebook audience, says Ganann – over 239,000 “likes” at time of writing – and since the creation process is News Feed active and customers tag their friends to select featured characters in their novels, there is a significant amount of organic spread.

Dempster’s did a small YouTube TrueView buy, and also bought Facebook promoted posts, Google SEM and digital display on sites such as People.com and Allrecipes.com.

Dempster’s Zero is also being promoted by a TV spot by JWT featuring the sounds of Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy.” The commercial is part of the same strategy that supports the launch of the bread, says Ganann, but it’s a separate campaign.

Promo for the campaign runs through March 2.

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