Challenge

Dairy Queen set out to elevate national awareness and strengthen its position as a top choice for frozen treats during a critical seasonal window. The campaign needed to:

• Reach consumers in proximity to DQ locations while achieving the required 60% national store coverage within budget.

• Boost familiarity and consideration of signature products—specifically Blizzards—during peak warm-weather demand.

• Cut through a crowded QSR landscape with messaging timed to behaviors, moments, and daily mobility patterns.

Solution

To meet these goals, Dairy Queen deployed a proximity-driven OOH strategy supported by market analysis and creative optimization. The campaign delivered by:

• Using a 2.5 km proximity-based planning model to map every DQ store nationwide and rank the most eicient boards across Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

• Activating high-impact billboards and transit shelters in high-traffic corridors that aligned with consumer movement patterns while adhering to all placement restrictions, including distance from schools.

• Leveraging seasonal relevance with sustained visibility during warmer months, ensuring DQ remained top-of-mind when consumers were most likely to be in-market for frozen treats.

Results

The campaign delivered meaningful improvements in brand equity, perception, and behavioral intent across key markets.

Highlights included:

• Stronger Advocacy & Familiarity: +16% lift in “very familiar” responses, building a growing base of super-users who drive haloeffects for the brand.

• Category Impact: +23% lift in ad recall, +25% lift in brand perception (AB), +14% lift in brand perception (BC), and +15% lift in brand consideration—solidifying DQ’s leadership in frozen treats.

• Incremental Behavior: +0.29% visitation lift, supported by stronger purchase likelihood (35% AB, 36% BC) after exposure to campaign creative.