Omelet Cooks Up Tasty SXSW Stunt

• by Larissa Faw , February 21, 2014

Brands and key influencers converge each year in Austin, TX to attend SXSW, the annual technology, film, and music conference. So in order to capture buzz -- Twitter famously gained traction after its 2007 SXSW appearance -- companies either must go big (American Express hired Jay-Z), be unique (Nike built a mini skate park) or stay away. 

This year, the LA-based branding, marketing, and entertainment agency Omelet is hoping to receive attention by whipping up a batch of pancakes. As part of its "Rise and Shine" promotion, all 2014 SXSW attendees are invited to tweet at @ThisIsOmelet for the chance to have an amateur chef cook them breakfast during this year's event. Then, each day between March 7-11, Omelet will visit a different house and provide fresh eggs, crispy toast, and coffee.

"We knew we wanted to make a splash at SXSW," says Mark Anderson, chief experiential officer, Omelet. "The problem is 1,100 other companies were thinking the same thing. Some of them are doing fun low-fi guerilla promotions and some hire Prince to play their party. We asked ourselves where we fit into the equation. So we decided to rally behind our motto of 'Rise and Shine' and help people get their day started right -- with a great breakfast."

Still, this promotion is more than just feeding hungry hipsters. "Fish where the fish are," says Anderson. "There is no better place to find a convergence of like-minded marketers and industry leading visionaries. Plus we thought it would be fun." Ultimately, the agency wants to increase brand awareness and attract new clients. 

SXSW represents the first time Omelet is selling Omelet. The agency has worked with AT&T, Microsoft, and HBO's Game Of Thrones, but this year’s breakfast campaign is the first time Omelet is serving as its own client. "We are the 17th fastest growing company in Southern California," says Anderson. "We have work we are proud of, industry recognition and company growth are all converging right now so we felt it was as good a time as any to raise our hand and make some noise."

"Two fried eggs in a frying pan" photo from Shutterstock.