Kickoff Game

Brand

Chick-fil-A

Industry

Food

Background

In 2019, Chick-fil-A prepared to introduce Mac & Cheese as the brand’s first new permanent menu item in years. To generate excitement around the launch, the brand looked to one of college football’s biggest opening weekend moments, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.

With hundreds of thousands of fans traveling into the city for kickoff weekend, the opportunity was to introduce the new product in a way that felt natural to the culture of college football. Rather than relying solely on in-restaurant promotion, the goal was to meet fans where the energy already existed and turn the launch into a shared game-day experience.

The experience blended the atmosphere of a traditional college football tailgate with product discovery, anchored by large-scale sampling of Chick-fil-A’s new Mac & Cheese. To elevate the experience beyond food, we partnered with Coca-Cola to provide refreshments throughout the footprint, creating a seamless food and beverage moment for fans.

The partnership also extended into talent, with appearances and meet-and-greet moments featuring former players from Duke Blue Devils football and Alabama Crimson Tide football. These moments added credibility and excitement to the experience, giving fans the opportunity to connect with athletes tied directly to the teams and culture surrounding kickoff weekend.

Idea

To bring the launch to life, we transformed Centennial Olympic Park into a large-scale fan experience tailgate in the days leading up to kickoff. Located in the center of downtown Atlanta’s game day activity, the park became a gathering point for fans arriving for the weekend.

The environment was designed to keep fans engaged and onsite, featuring live DJs who brought energy to the space throughout the day, interactive games that encouraged participation, and life-size photo opportunities that turned the experience into shareable social moments. A dedicated recharge lounge gave fans a place to relax and charge their phones, while picnic-style seating areas created a comfortable space for groups to gather, eat, and extend their time within the activation.

By bringing together product sampling, strategic partnerships, culturally relevant talent, and a thoughtfully designed fan environment, the activation turned a menu launch into a high-energy destination. Chick-fil-A showed up in the heart of game day in a way that felt authentic, memorable, and built for college football.

Results

25,000+ fans engaged at Centennial Olympic Park during kickoff weekend
10,000+ Mac & Cheese samples distributed, driving immediate product trial
High-impact visibility across downtown Atlanta
Coca-Cola partnership and premium amenities increased dwell time and fan engagement
Athlete appearances from Alabama Crimson Tide football and Duke Blue Devils football elevated credibility and draw
Turned a product launch into a destination fan experience tied to college football culture