Daybreak’s Sean Campaigns

Background

It all began with a clever bit of St Patrick's Day wordplay. Our 'Sean on the Shelf' campaign in 2022 featured a charming leprechaun plushie hidden in Daybreak stores across the Republic of Ireland.

The playful posts and antics struck a chord with our social audience, propelling Sean's popularity and paving the way for an enhanced character to feature in future campaigns. This project involved a mix of puppeteering, music and video production, and the creation of a plethora of assets for web and social platforms.

Our Approach

Building on Sean's success, we gave him a spooky makeover for Halloween 2023 with our 'Sean of the Dead' campaign. We crafted a series of movie-inspired videos and digital media to promote Daybreak's seasonal offers.

In 2024, we aimed to bring Sean's presence to new heights. We designed a bespoke puppet version of Sean with articulated features, infusing him with bucketloads of charm through witty voice-overs - complete with his own spin on famous rap tunes!

We took Sean on a whirlwind Daybreak tour, filming him rapping his way through the stores, showcasing products and sub-brands in his own inimitable style. Dubbed 'Rap'n Rainbows', this series struck a chord with the Daybreak audience. By involving staff and encouraging customer interaction, we elevated the character's appeal to new levels. Our videos, shot in portrait mode, had just the right energy to captivate scrollers instantly.

Results

Our "Sean of the Dead" campaign leveraged short-form videos to boost brand awareness and engagement for Daybreak's Halloween offerings. We optimised ads for reach and video views across various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. We also maintained consistent cost-per-results despite longer video lengths.

To maximise exposure, we employed a broad targeting approach while also incorporating geo-targeted ads and custom audiences based on previous engagement. Additionally, a meticulous audience building strategy ensured viewers were served subsequent videos based on their prior interaction with the campaigns, both current and historic.

Our campaigns featuring Sean have not only delivered impressive results across the board, as evidenced by the data, but have also garnered recognition from our industry peers. We're proud to share that Sean's charm has helped us secure several prestigious accolades:

1. Sockies: Won gold for Facebook for a Brand. Won bronze for Best Video Campaign ("Sean of the Dead" Halloween activation)
2. Digital Business Ireland National Digital Awards 2024: Winner of Social Media Campaign of the Year
3. Spiders: Best in Social Media – Shortlisted

Through Sean, we've not only created a lovable brand mascot but also a powerful tool for engaging our audience and driving measurable results. Sean's journey from a St Patrick's Day gimmick to a year-round brand influencer showcases the power of creative, character-driven marketing in the digital age.