In a world where duct-taped bananas are considered art and billionaires trade memes like stocks, Walmart saw an opportunity to bring its beloved rotisserie chicken to the frontlines of social media absurdity in real-time.
The Game Plan (or lack thereof): Capitalize on the internet’s obsession with Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous duct-taped banana called “Comedian,” fueled by its sale at a Sotheby’s auction for a whopping $6.2MM.
How? By injecting Walmart’s unique brand of social humor and reminding the world that while high art can be expensive, good taste is still available at an everyday low price.
Walmart’s rotisserie chicken has long held a cult-like status among its fans (Don’t Take Our Word For It). Known for its unbeatable value, savory flavor and its unmistakable aroma that fills the store, the chicken has become a Walmart mascot in its own right. In short, Walmart’s rotisserie chicken isn’t just feeding families — it fuels a nationwide fowl fanbase.
So, when Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana became a headline-making moment and sparked endless conversations across social media, Walmart recognized an opportunity to enter the chat – with a more ownable version that fans would appreciate, a Walmart rotisserie chicken duct-taped to the wall. The move was both a playful commentary on the absurdity of art culture and a love letter to Walmart shoppers who have long celebrated the chicken’s legendary status.
The internet didn’t just bite—it devoured...
Not only did Walmart’s Duct-Taped Rotisserie Chicken exceed performance benchmarks, it caught media coverage from AdAge and garnered @replies from Sotheby’s Auction House and Justin Sun – the original banana buyer, who offered to buy chicken as well. As a result, we successfully reignited our rotisserie chicken enthusiasts and inspired an entirely new fowl fandom alike:
IMPRESSIONS
1MM+ Organic Impressions
ENGAGEMENT
Shattered Walmart Engagement metrics by 358% on X
EVEN...FINANCIAL FANDOM
Inspired unprecedented fan activity with an entirely organic, community-made crypto token that, within 24 hours:
Traded at a Volume as high as 3.68M
Hit total market cap value of $700k in just about 2 hours
One timely social post, some duct tape, and a rotisserie chicken were all it took for Walmart to spark a global meme frenzy, garner millions of impressions and inadvertently cause a 100% grassroots-led cryptocurrency. It proved that a dash of absurdity mixed with trend quickness remains a recipe for success on social.
