• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, June 8, 2015

Auntie Anne's is running a social campaign featuring an interactive game show series to support a new product, Cheddar Stuffed Pretzel Nuggets.

The series, “You Cheddar Know Your Stuff,” spoofs ’80’s and 90’s game shows, including an over-the-top host named “Chet R. Cheese,” and lets viewers play the games on social. The idea is to engage consumers while driving awareness of the new product.

The first of five videos launched today on the brand’s Facebook page; the others will be posted over the course of the summer. Each video is being released in two parts, over two days, to build participation and create suspense about the outcomes of the games. For instance, the first one shows the host dropping a pretzel nugget into a vertical pinball-like maze; the outcome is suspended (to be shown in part two) so that viewers can log their votes as to which pocket the nugget will ultimately fall into.

The campaign, created by Likeable Media, also includes an in-store “cheesy” joke stickers promotion program with digital extensions.

Annie Anne’s will invite its Twitter followers to submit their own “cheesiest” jokes for a chance to have a joke animated into a custom GIF, and win a free order of stuffed pretzel nuggets.

The brand will also run a “Say Cheddar” contest, encouraging  consumers to submit their “cheesiest” photos based on various themes.

For each contest post, one or more winners will be chosen to receive a  card good for a free order of the stuffed nuggets. Those winners also will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize: a month’s worth of free pretzels.

In addition, the campaign will include a paid, humorous BuzzFeed article.

Founded in 1988, Lancaster, Penn.-based Auntie Anne’s is the world’s largest soft-pretzel franchise, with more than 1,500 stores operating in 48 states and 30 countries, according to the company. It is franchised and operated by Focus Brands (also operator of Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Schlotzsky’s, McAlister’s Deli and, in some international markets, Seattle’s Best Coffee). Auntie Anne’s also makes packaged pretzels, frozen pretzels and a baking mix sold at retail, and products for fundraising purposes.