We all know that advertising is increasingly getting ignored by consumers as they get smarter and tune out from all the messages than companies try to bombard them with on a daily basis. There has also been a move by agencies to create iPhone apps recently and for the most part I have been sceptical as most companies have blown huge budgets on creating apps that largely get ignored by the public. At the weekend I came across an app that changed all of my perceptions about how brands could and perhaps should be using the app store. The iFry Denny iPhone app is very simple but once it was recommended by a friend I simply had to download it. Once installed on your phone you have the ability to add sausages (Denny of course) to your virtual frying pan shaking to ensure they don’t overcook and adding or removing as they are done.

The game is incredibly simple yet highly addictive and you will be engrossed for a good 5 minutes as you aim to cook a pan full of perfect sausages. This really is taking user engagement with a brand to a whole new level and the developers of the app and Dennys themselves should be applauded for this innovative form of advertising.

I have no idea how much the app cost (I’d guess between 20k and 30k) but it is far more effective than any traditional campaign in my opinion. These days we flick channel when the ads are on TV, tune out on the radio and never click on banner ads. Here are some of the reasons why I think this ad from Denny is far more effective…

Why The Denny App Is Great Advertising

Brand Ambassadors

I will now be walking around for the next year with an advert for Denny in my pocket. I will take that advert out at parties, show friends and tell other people to get the free app. I have become an ambassador for Denny. Would I ever do that with a billboard ad?

User engagement

I may not play the game every single day but Denny got me to engage with their advert for over 5 minutes. I was staring at their logo and trying to fry one of their products perfectly while concentrating on their sausages for 5 minutes of my life. That blows looking at a 30 second clip of sausages frying on TV out of the water.

Press for being innovative

Would I ever write about a radio advert? How many people are going to pick this up online and write about it and create links back to Denny’s website. Using cutting edge innovative technology like this doesn’t just get your customers to engage with you through the app but also gets you noticed online and people talking about you through different channels. This post that will be read by over 1000 people and appear on the web for eternity is testament to that.

Brainwashing

I have spent 5 minutes trying to cook “The perfect Denny Sausage”. That sausage looks amazing on my little screen and I really really want one now. What do you think is going to happen next time I go in to the supermarket and am presented with a huge choice of sausages? I am going to reach out and grab the sausages that “I know” are perfect.

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