OUR WORK Denny’s x Mache “Sticky Kicks”
Drip Meets Diner: How Denny’s Turned Maple Syrup into a Viral Gen Z Fashion Icon
Founded in the 1950s, Denny’s had evolved from a pop-culture icon to a value-driven utility. To reverse this, FINN moved the brand beyond the breakfast plate and into the heart of modern “drip” culture, effectively spinning syrup into PR gold.
GOAL
Drive brand sentiment and loyalty among Gen Z by creating an exclusive, high-heat cultural moment leveraging “National Maple Syrup Day” to position Denny’s as an in-culture brand.
SECTOR EXPERTISE
Consumer & Lifestyle
2 Billion+
earned media impressions across national outlets.
254 Million
social media impressions.
60 Seconds
to a complete sell-out of the limited-edition drop.
$1,500+
current resale value for the collector’s item.
50+
national news features, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and GMA.
#1 Industry SOV,
marking a 100% year-over-year increase.
9,000+ New Leads
driven to the Denny’s Rewards program.
The Work
To bridge the gap between diner heritage and modern style, Denny’s partnered with renowned footwear artist Mache to create “Sticky Kicks” – a limited-edition high-top sneaker featuring real maple syrup sealed within transparent panels. This “over-the-top” design transformed a signature condiment into a literal fashion statement, blurring the lines between corporate promotion and performance art. The campaign successfully shifted the narrative from “value meals” to “cultural currency,” capturing the attention of a demographic that values authenticity and scarcity.
The activation was anchored by a strategic digital drop on a dedicated microsite, DinerDrip.com. To incentivize long-term engagement, the release utilized a tiered access model where Denny’s Rewards members were granted early entry to the shop. This scarcity strategy fueled a viral frenzy that saw the shoes disappear in one minute and drove thousands of new loyalty program sign-ups, successfully converting fleeting social media “hype” into measurable brand growth and lifestyle reach. Through a combination of earned media, organic influencer seeding, and organic social buzz, Denny’s successfully converted cultural relevance into a massive boost in brand sentiment.
