Kraft Heinz: Bagelgate
Kraft Heinz wanted to increase the cultural relevance of Philadelphia Cream Cheese among a younger, digitally-native audience. Droga5 New York was tasked with finding a way to insert the brand into daily conversations and reinforce its status as the only acceptable bagel topping, moving beyond traditional advertising to drive massive earned media and brand love.
Creative Idea
Launched a mock political campaign to force Apple to add cream cheese to their emoji.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese launched a real-time "schmear campaign" against Apple's dry bagel emoji, rallying social media users to demand a cream cheese update. By positioning the brand as the defender of bagel integrity, they forced a tech giant to change its product.
The Schmear Campaign That Forced a Tech Giant to Blink
A 24 Hour Race Against the Sad Bagel
When Apple released the iOS 12.1 beta on October 2, 2018, the internet immediately revolted against the #SadBagel - a dry, factory - made icon that looked more like a plastic toy than a New York staple. Droga5 New York mobilized in under 24 hours, tasking their design team to "fix" the emoji by adding a thick layer of cream cheese and a doughier texture. This wasn't just a tweet; it was a multi - platform pincer movement involving a Change.org petition and a viral Twitter poll that garnered 13,000 votes, with 82% of users demanding the upgrade.
Mobilizing the New York Elite
The campaign tapped into a deep - seated cultural nerve, particularly in New York. The outcry became so loud it reached late - night television, where Jimmy Kimmel joked that Philadelphia was finally solving the world’s real problems. Even the NYPD and Senator Chuck Schumer joined the fray, framing the dry emoji as a personal affront to the city’s culinary heritage. This localized outrage fueled a global conversation, resulting in 401 million earned media impressions and an estimated $4.2 million in earned media value.
Ten Days to Change Digital History
The agility of the response proved that a low - budget social stunt could outperform multi - million dollar TV spots. Just 10 days after the initial "schmear campaign" launched, Apple capitulated. In a rare move for the tech giant, they updated the emoji to include cream cheese and a hand - rolled appearance. As the brand noted, the effort ensured future generations would never have to look at a dry bagel again, cementing Philadelphia’s role as the ultimate defender of bagel integrity.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Philadelphia's authority as the category leader and "inventor" of cream cheese enabled them to lead the conversation.
Category
Food brands usually ignore digital iconography or wait for slow, formal partnerships that lack cultural speed and impact.
Customer
Bagel lovers who felt a visceral, humorous annoyance at the lack of cream cheese on Apple's new emoji update.
Culture
The release of a "dry" bagel emoji in the iOS beta, which sparked the viral #SadBagel trend online.
Company
Philadelphia's authority as the category leader and "inventor" of cream cheese enabled them to lead the conversation.
Category
Food brands usually ignore digital iconography or wait for slow, formal partnerships that lack cultural speed and impact.
Strategy:
Leverage digital iconography errors to position a product as the indispensable solution to a cultural oversight.
Customer
Bagel lovers who felt a visceral, humorous annoyance at the lack of cream cheese on Apple's new emoji update.
Culture
The release of a "dry" bagel emoji in the iOS beta, which sparked the viral #SadBagel trend online.
Strategy:
Leverage digital iconography errors to position a product as the indispensable solution to a cultural oversight.
Results
The campaign achieved a historic 'win' by forcing Apple to update its product within just 10 days. It generated 401 million total earned media impressions and an earned media value of $4.2 million. On social media, the campaign reached 7.8 million impressions, while a Twitter poll attracted 13,000 votes with 82% of respondents supporting the change. The movement successfully engaged high-profile figures including Jimmy Kimmel, the NYPD, and Senator Chuck Schumer. The campaign was highly decorated, winning 1 Gold Cannes Lion (PR: Real-time Response), 1 Bronze Cannes Lion, 1 Wood D&AD Pencil, 1 Bronze Clio, and 1 Bronze Effie, among other shortlists and nominations.
401M
Total Earned Media Impressions
$4.2M
Earned Media Value
10 Days
Time to force Apple product update
Strategy Technique
Hijack a Moment
Philadelphia capitalized on the viral outrage over a "sad" emoji, turning a minor tech update into a high-stakes PR battle that positioned the brand as the essential solution to a digital problem.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Real-Time Relevance
The agency reacted within 24 hours to a trending digital controversy, using the immediate cultural conversation around Apple's iOS update to insert the brand into a global tech news cycle.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign is a masterclass in agile, reactive marketing that leveraged a cultural 'pain point' to force a global tech giant into a product redesign.
The agency orchestrated a 'pincer movement' that turned a minor emoji grievance into a global news story involving late-night TV and politicians.
By proactively redesigning the emoji with a realistic 'schmear' and doughy texture, the team provided Apple with a ready-made solution.
The 'Schmear Campaign' pun perfectly encapsulated the brand's playful yet defensive stance on bagel integrity.
The rapid 24-hour turnaround and use of multi-platform tools like Change.org and Twitter polls demonstrated high-level digital agility.
The magic lies in the synergy between real-time PR and high-fidelity Design; by showing rather than just telling Apple what was wrong, the brand made the solution undeniable.
