Restaurants have been using very specific promotional products to advertise their menu items recently. The most recent example is when Hot Pockets collaborated with a streetwear brand to create a pair of shorts that kept your Hot Pockets warm in literal hot pockets.
Making a product that highlights a particular item does more than just show off a brand — it tells a story.
Panera is telling its own brand story by selling a specially designed bag made to carry its new Toasted Baguette sandwich. It’s certainly a step above a run-of-the-mill paper bag.
The bag has a luxury look and feel, with embossed P’s over the “Panera green” bag, reminiscent of other luxury bag brands. It also has gold hardware featuring the “P” logo in a gold rectangle, pretty much directly spoofing Fendi; and a magnetic closure.
“Our new Toasted Baguettes mark the first time that Panera has crafted a delicious sandwich in celebration of our iconic baguette – and this is certainly the first time we have created a purse,” said Drayton Martin, vice president of brand building for Panera, in a press release. “Both of these creations are amazing celebrations of not only our expertise in all things bread, but also the generous touches that make each Panera experience special.”
Panera calls it “the ultimate accessory designed for both the fashion aficionado and the foodie, crafted with a generous extra touch to sit at the intersection of style and function.”
Only 500 were made.
It was listed at $39.50 on Panera’s website, and preorders are already sold out.
Panera made headlines in 2021 when it released a summer line of pool-ready products, including bathing suits and a pool float modeled after its famous bread bowls.
This bag, however, is a little more upscale, at least at first glance. There’s a good chance someone would field questions about who designed their bag if they wore it out.
“Panera,” they’d respond. And then they’d both start thinking of Panera food, and maybe they’d even go get some.
And that, friends, is a successful promotional item.
It’s also a fun answer to the ongoing single-use revolution, where companies are phasing out single-use plastic bags. In some cities, states, and countries, they are fully outlawed.
So, rather than just join the masses with a tote bag, Panera went the extra mile. And you have to appreciate that.
