General Mills just released a very special edition of Bisquick in Scandia, MN. Fans of FX’s “Fargo” series might start to realize what’s going on here, but for the uninitiated (or those of us who aren’t caught up on the new season yet) Bisquick plays some sort of role in the new season, and to celebrate, General Mills made a special box that used the character Dot’s apron pattern, and released fewer than 100 boxes at one grocery store in the Minnesota town that served as the anthology series’ most recent setting.
Don’t worry, this article is safe from spoilers because we haven’t caught up yet, but Adweek assures us that Bisquick somehow fits into Dot’s character arc in the new season, so the popular food brand wanted to capitalize on the hype of the acclaimed new season.
Bisquick and agency Pereira O’Dell launched a Fargo-inspired campaign and limited-time product drop, aiming to superserve the loyalists and build buzz around the legacy Betty Crocker brand. https://t.co/GEVh0nIpkM
— ADWEEK (@Adweek) February 23, 2024
“Tapping into that intense [audience] love, even if it’s because we got lucky, was an opportunity we couldn’t miss,” Jason Apaliski, executive creative director at agency Pereira O’Dell, told Adweek. “This collaboration is dedicated to the ‘Fargo’ fandom.”
This is the kind of thing that comes about organically. Much like a sports moment that teams take advantage of through merchandise, whenever a brand plays a role in a TV show or movie, it’s wise for that brand to bring that moment to the tangible world. Even if Bisquick’s involvement in the show is nefarious, that just makes it all the more fun.
Honestly, what makes this even more fun is the fact that the brand tapped into the remote nature of “Fargo” by bringing the promotion to a small town of less than 4,000 people. It captures the spirit better than it would if this were in New York, Los Angeles, or even widespread throughout the country.
There’s only one place to score ‘Fargo’-themed Bisquick boxes. In Scandia, of course. https://t.co/OTvIvVBEWd
— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) February 22, 2024
“General Mills has big ambitions to embed its brands into pop culture in interesting ways that are meaningful and authentic to customers,” Apaliski added. “Seeing Bisquick in one of your favorite shows is proof that General Mills brands already have a place in culture—they are a natural part of America’s past and present.”
The promotion itself is understated, too. General Mills and Bisquick could’ve gone with something bigger, but that would also take away from the wink-wink nature of this tie-in. Using something simple like the packaging, and incorporating a design element that feels familiar did the trick here.
