HBO Max celebrated the newest season of its hit show And Just Like That … by serving fans a taste of fashion, food and a different — more extreme — take on “man buns.”
This past weekend, the network and RQ Agency brought to life Hot Fellas Bakery, the fictional bread delivery service introduced in Season 2 of the Sex and the City spinoff. The operation is owned by Anthony Marantino, played by actor and comedian Mario Cantone, whose ludicrously lucrative business model consists of scantily clad men delivering baked goods and fantasy fulfillment to hot and bothered New Yorkers. In Season 3, Anthony opens a brick-and-mortar location to serve Manhattan’s attention- and carb-starved masses.
Intentionally timed during Pride month and coinciding with Father’s Day weekend — or as the team called it, Daddies’ Day — the “cheeky” activation took over the woman-owned, Bahraini-inspired Librae Bakery in New York’s East Village June 14–15. The space was fully decked out with the faux eatery’s hilariously suggestive signage and slogans, including a neon sign reading “Big Dough Energy,” napkins declaring “He made my sourdough rise in the workplace” and a wall proclaiming, “Our buns are guaranteed to leave you satisfied.”
“It’s surreal. It’s so fun. It’s exciting. It’s so nice to see everyone so engaged and having a good time,” Librae Bakery founder Dona Murad told Campaign of the transformation, which reportedly took 48 hours to execute. “I wish we’d thought of it first!”
“Our long-standing relationship with [HBO] Max and the And Just Like That … team means we’re acutely aware of the fan base’s loyalty and dedication to the franchise and world of the series,” said Carl Stevens, head of entertainment at RQ Agency. “As a result, the fans needed to be the cornerstone of building this bakery and come first at every stage of the decision-making process for the Hot Fellas experience.
“By following a promotional strategy that Anthony would use if opening his own bakery in our very real world, we were able to get a rise out of attendees with something that would resonate and leave them hungry to come back for more.”
Cantone and Sebastiano Pigazzi — who plays his partner and main Hot Fella, Giuseppe — were on hand to welcome hungry and excited fans who braved the cold, rainy conditions to meet the actors, take photos with the Fellas and enjoy a selection of bread, croissants and flourless chocolate cookies. They also scooped up branded Hot Fellas merch by THNK1994, including a denim tote bag establishing the shop’s birthplace as “Menhattan, NY” and a cap that read “Rye Curious.”
The pop-up full of Papas —which also included a virtual in-app Hot Fellas storefront through a partnership with Grubhub and Seamless for fans in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago who couldn’t make the IRL experience — culminated a month of in-person cultural moments surrounding the show.
Dana Flax, VP of originals marketing at HBO and HBO Max, told Campaign that the team had previously staged a month-long takeover of the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship location, featuring outfits worn by the series’ stars along with interactive components. They also wrapped a Mister Softee ice cream truck — a New York summer mainstay — and had Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays the show’s iconic leading lady Carrie Bradshaw, pass out free frozen treats named after the show’s characters in Bryant Park.
“The theme of our campaign this year is Summer in the City,” said Flax. “The timing of the premiere combined with the subject matter of the new season just felt like the perfect opportunity for us to execute all of these fun tactics. Because there truly is nothing better than summer in New York City.”
Flax noted Parker was equally excited to participate in the promotion. “She clearly has a lot of love for Mister Softee, and was such a great sport,” she said.
Carrie-ing on
Although the TV series is not as popular as its predecessor — which, to be fair, aired during a time when network competition was limited, shows discussing taboo subjects such as sex were rare and streamers and social media didn’t exist — And Just Like That … still has a loyal and fervent fan base. That’s especially true among Gen X viewers who identify with the lives of writer Carrie Bradshaw, her best friends Miranda and Charlotte, and their circle of friends, colleagues and family.
Through buzzworthy experiential activations, increased fan engagement on social media and strategic partnerships, the network looks to not only reintroduce the beloved characters to former SATC watchers, but also connect with new and younger viewers who might find inspiration from the show responsible for casual tutu wearing, the ubiquity of Manolo Blahnik stilettos and the reign of cosmopolitan cocktails.
To promote the Hot Fellas pop-up, Flax said the team worked with content creators who posted sponsored content on their social profiles. One of them was actor Taye Diggs, who Flax said was among several people to don the form-fitting costume.
“We are there [on the ground at activations] and engaged with the fans on social media,” said Flax. “It’s a very, very talk-worthy show, and people love to discuss and debate [what’s happening]. And so, throughout the season run, we’ll be having a lot of fun on our various social platforms with the fans and, who knows, maybe there will be a surprise or two coming up.”
She continued: “We really value the capabilities of experiential to bring our fans closer to our content in a way we can’t just do online. So, we’re really excited to see the looks on fans’ faces as they’re able to chat with a Hot Fella and eat some delicious pastries. It’s been amazing to see the fans turn up no matter rain or shine, just because they love the show so much.”
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