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Anyone can sell a candle that smells like rose petals, but try selling one that smells like hamburgers. That’s exactly what White Castle set out to do, and with a national media blitz not only did they sell them, they sold out of them in less than a week. The idea was so unique, it even caught the attention of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update with Seth Meyers.

To celebrate National Hamburger Month, Paul Werth Associates created a sizzling public relations campaign about White Castle’s hot new hamburger-scented candles, with proceeds benefiting Autism Speaks.

Werth’s media strategy helped the story spread like wildfire in just a week, generating 300 million impressions and $2.3 million in advertising equivalency through:

• More than 500 stories in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Chicago Sun-Times, Entertainment Weekly, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and other elite media across the U.S. and internationally.
• Features on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
• Online buzz from The Village Voice, Burger Beast, Slashfood and other foodies and culture mavens.
• Viral momentum through thousands of Tweets, Facebook “Likes” and social bookmarks.

The $10 candles sold out online in less than 48 hours and began to dwindle in restaurants within a week. Hundreds have signed up on a waiting list.

Other campaign elements included a video by Werth Creative telling the story of “America’s Most Distinctive Hamburger” and celebrity “Sealed With a Crave Kits” featuring White Castle swag.

And, if you’d like to talk about how Werth’s public relations team can put some sizzle into your next promotion or product launch, please call 614-224-8114 or e-mail swh@paulwerth.com.

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