Creative Campaign Concepting: How We Helped Capriotti’s Make Bacon ‘Cappen’

Bacon. 

A simple, beloved ingredient. 

But for Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, adding bacon wasn’t just about taste—it became the spark for a national paid media campaign because after 50 years in business, it was time to add this classic crunch and sizzle. This wasn’t just about bacon; it was about rekindling the passion of Capriotti’s fans and showing that the brand could still surprise and delight. 

At the heart of it all was a playful, engaging message: “Bacon. It’s Cappening!”

Operation Bacon

Capriotti’s recognized the importance of adapting to consumer shifts in the last few years while maintaining the quality and appeal that had made them successful for five decades. They needed a fresh way to reconnect with their fans, grow their rewards program and boost in-store sales. 

Enter “Operation Bacon.” An initiative that started as a simple menu addition but quickly grew into a full-blown marketing campaign that could scale for the national push as well as franchise participation.

The challenge? To take an ingredient as familiar as bacon and make it feel like an exciting, unique addition to a beloved brand, particularly one with a passionate following: the Greatest Sandwich in America known as The Bobbie, their iconic Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich.

Sizzling Ideas

The Noble Studios Creative Services team got to work brainstorming, generating creative concepts that could help the bacon launch stand out. Ideas like the “Baconspiracy Theory” and “Baconnoisseurs” began to take shape, with each concept bringing humor and wordplay to the forefront—perfect for Capriotti’s quirky personality. The goal was to create buzz and excitement while staying true to the brand’s fun and bold identity.

Ultimately, the concept that stood out was “Bacon. It’s Cappening!” It was simple, direct, and fun—everything Capriotti’s needed to energize its audience, announce the new BLT sandwich and encourage folks to add Bacon to their Cap’s faves. It conveyed the idea that adding bacon was an event in itself—a celebration that could get fans talking and drive people back to the stores.

Bringing “Bacon. It’s Cappening!” to Life

Once “Bacon. It’s Cappening!” was chosen, the focus shifted to bringing the concept to life across various media.

Food Photography

How do you make mouths water? With the help of talented production partners, photographer and a food stylist. In a one-day shoot, we captured three key Capriotti’s sandwiches with bacon to be used across all digital creative, in-store displays and more. This gave our team and Capriotti’s in-house team the tools everyone needed to scale this campaign. 

Video 

The visual strategy centered around capturing bacon in all its sizzling glory—close-up shots of the crispy bacon and hero sandwiches that would make anyone’s mouth water. The sizzle video storyboards guided this, ensuring the bacon was the star, alongside Capriotti’s beloved sandwiches. All created to run across linear TV, connected TV and social media. 

Radio Spots

The radio spots mirrored the playful tone of the campaign. They featured catchy phrases and humor to highlight the excitement of adding bacon to any sandwich, making it sound like a must-try event.

Static and Out of Home

Headlines like “Now, That’s Extra Extraordinary,” “Calling All Baconnoisseurs,” “Show No Baconstrain,” “Be Bold & Baconfident” and “Break Out the Baconfetti” showcased clever wordplay that made bacon the hero. This system created immediate recognition while maintaining flexibility across formats, ensuring every execution reinforced both the product story and campaign message “Bacon. It’s Cappening!”

The Impact of “Bacon. It’s Cappening!”

When the campaign launched, the response was immediate. Capriotti’s fans took to social media, sharing their excitement over the Bacon Bobbie and debating which sandwiches were the best with bacon added. The playful tone resonated, driving fan engagement and creating buzz. The campaign not only generated excitement but also drew people back into Capriotti’s stores, delivering on the promise of boosting in-store sales.

If you’re ready to make some noise with your brand, come collaborate with our Creative Services team. Together, we can turn bold ideas into impactful campaigns that get people talking.