• by Teresa Buyikian , August 5, 2024

We don’t normally associate QSRs with any heavy lifting (mental, physical or otherwise), but A&W is celebrating their fans who do just that with its promo for National Root Beer Float Day on Aug. 8.

Customers who show up in real life to their local A&W between the hours of 2 and 8 p.m. on the 8^th and show off their “Float Flex,” which is, as the brand defines, is flaunting their “physique with their best muscle-flexing pose,” will receive a free small root beer float.

The “Float Flex” campaign, created with agency Cornett, is intended to encourage Americans to ready themselves physically for the enormity of A&W’s classic floats, which weigh in at roughly three pounds, five ounces of root beer and vanilla soft serve in a glass mug, per the release.

“A&W’s Root Beer Float is without a doubt one of the heaviest drinks in the quick service restaurant industry,” said Liz Bazner, vice president of marketing & innovation at A&W in the announcement. “It’s so heavy that we worried we might be missing out on a whole untapped market of folks that simply can’t handle its hugeness. This National Root Beer Float Day, we wanted to get everyone pumped up and ready to enjoy their free float.”

The brand also worked with social influencers such as Keith Habersberger of The Try Guys, to promote Float Flex. The Try Guys online entertainment group produces content of the group “trying” various things, such as eating entire menus at QSRs and Fast Casual restaurants. The group’s YouTube channel has over eight million followers.

The effort is also supported by original content on A&W’s social channels as well as paid social.