Stonefire has brought its naan into the Mario Kart universe, transforming the flatbread into a collectible item along the “Stonefire Speedway,” an unofficial track for the popular video game, in which players can collect naan during the high-speed racing.
Instead of a formal partnership with the game developer, the brand activation involves collaborations with Twitch creators and gamers, with support through paid YouTube, TikTok and Instagram posts.
The media buy is being handled by Zulumatic, the media planning and buying arm of Zulu Alpha Kilo, which is in charge of creative for the campaign.
Sean Bell, executive director of communications planning and technology at Zulu Alpha Kilo, tells Media in Canada that “Stonefire Speedway” is the brand’s first activation on Twitch and in the world of video games. The goal is to position the flatbread brand as both authentic and playful.
The game launched on Twitch with creators Faze Rug and Clix, followed by Loeya, who put her skills to the test in front of the platform’s users. The brand is now inviting fans to take on the “Stonefire Speedway” challenge by collecting as many naan as they can at full speed and submitting their times to a global leaderboard. The winner, after three weeks of competitive sprint races, will receive free naan every week for a year.
“Our target is already passionate about gaming and sees it as a valuable form of entertainment. This content speaks to them on their terms and complements the other activity we have in market,” Bell says, noting that Twitch is a key platform where gamers go to watch their favourite streamers.
“By showing up where streamers already go live and gamers are already tuned in, the challenge was a seamless part of their existing behaviour rather than feel[ing] like a forced brand moment.”
The activation is also part of Stonefire’s integrated campaign “Together We Naan,” launched in August by Zulu Alpha Kilo New York with support from the Toronto office and Zulumatic. The multi-platform campaign, which features streaming, social media and retail activations, celebrates Stonefire’s ancient-inspired baking traditions while also inviting people to make naan their own. The campaign also highlights the creative and modern ways consumers enjoy naan.
“Through ‘Stonefire Speedway,’ we wanted to show naan goes with everything, even gaming,” Bell says. “We’re trying to get Stonefire on people’s minds in an unexpected way. Reach, engagement and earned metrics are the primary indicators of that.”
