Sonic Drive-In has launched a new summer campaign centered around pickles, marking a collaboration with Grillo’s Pickles. This partnership introduces a range of limited-time menu items, including the pickle-themed Sonic Smasher burger, pickle-seasoned fries and tater tots, and the Picklerita Slush.
Developed by creative agency Mother, “Pickle the World” features Sonic’s CIO character alongside Sam-Sam in an imaginative scenario that includes a dramatic “pickle rain,” achieved using over 2,000 real pickles for practical effects.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the spot.
The Details:
- While a dill pickle themed meal did not, as expected, appeal easily to a large audience, viewers 21-35 were the best audience for both ads behind the Big Dill Meal:
- The visuals and characters were very clearly the best part of the concept execution for viewers of the :30 “Pickle Everything.”
- The :30 creative featuring Sam-Sam and live action visuals elicited a wider range of emotional response, with Funny reactions stronger and Gross responses more tempered vs the :15 “Work of Art”:
- Both ads saw viewers Incredulous at the Surreal concept with Dislike expressed (and expected)—as well as Yummy response. About 18% of all sentiment leaned negative while just over half was positive on the new :30.
- Viewer comments isolated the pickles themselves as a source of sentiment that leaned negative but also showed positive response to the over-the-top (and on-brand) approach. While it might have confused some, it was also unexpected and highly entertaining to those who like pickles (at least). The Picklerita Slush drink seemed to be the link that took it over the top (of gross) for a set of viewers.
- Both ads saw viewers Incredulous at the Surreal concept with Dislike expressed (and expected)—as well as Yummy response. About 18% of all sentiment leaned negative while just over half was positive on the new :30.
Sample comments on “Pickle Everything” :30 (a sampling of the 630 received on the spot)
“I love when brands get weird with their advertisements. I love when things make me confused as to what I’m watching because it makes me laugh. Plus, I love pickles, and I genuinely want to drive down to Sonic right now and try some of these new items.”
Male 21-35
“I think this ad is great! I love the pickles they offer, and I love ALL of everything turning into pickles in the commercial! Totally great, I would watch it a million times! Go SONIC.”
Female 50+
“I felt a little weirded out by the ad, but that is mostly because I don’t like pickles mixed in with things. But it is a creative way to get a new product out!”
Female 16-20
“This ad is so confusing and makes no sense. It’s just all over the place. I really like pickles and it seems to be a lot about pickles, but I just really didn’t understand exactly what it was getting at. Also, the pickle lemonade thing looked really gross.”
Female 36-49
“This ad reminds me of a Rick & Morty episode with the pickle. I think the pickle was an awesome time traveling premise.”
Male 21-35
“Was a weird way to display the product. A green dog to make it look like the pickle made it look sick and like a sick dog, plus the food doesn’t make me want to necessarily eat it or want it.”
Female 16-20
“I thought the ad was pretty cool and animated. However, it was a bit confusing, like too much was going on and a bit silly with the pickle theme, which was a bit excessive. I do think that pickle burger looks pretty delicious though.”
Male 36-49
“It was a great way to distract someone from the disturbing taste that a pickle slushy may give. That takes extra pickle to the max. I feel like it’d be good on its own with fries on the side but with a meal, I’d want a coke. I laughed though. Love it.”
Female 21-35
“This ad does bring up some memories for me. The ad and the energy it gives, it’s the very essence of Sonic.”
Male 36-49
“The story/setting made no sense; it was weird and off putting. Definitely didn’t make me want Sonic.”
Female 16-20
“I love Sonic and the creativity behind this ad. It grabbed my attention and honestly made me want to go eat at Sonic.”
Female 16-20
“The advertisement was amazing. I loved everything about it. It was funny etc.”
Male 21-35
- Overall, the Big Dill Meal ads did not drive consumer intent above the QSR norm (past 90 days) given the lack of universal pickle love; in fact, the ads turned off 12%-15% of viewers:
- Second-by-second trace for the :30 reflects engagement increases at some of the live action scenes while the :15 trace zeroes in on the strong reactions to the Slush.
- Although the Big Dill Meal spots fell short of the typical QSR ad vs 90-day benchmarks (after all, the product is not ‘typical’), the strongest aspects of each were found in the ability to grab Attention, inform, and convey Change:
- Viewer preferences obviously influenced Likeability, Relevance, and Desire which tempered the overall Ace Score as a result.
- Regardless of preferences, viewers were reminded of Sonic more successfully than the average category ad.
- Viewer preferences obviously influenced Likeability, Relevance, and Desire which tempered the overall Ace Score as a result.
- Since launch on 6/30/25 (through July 17, 2025), brand Impression activity has focused largely on the :15 “Work of Art” (English language):
- Below-norm Attention Indices in-market suggest opportunity for media plan optimization across networks, shows, and dayparts for Sonic.
- Relative to brand ads released over the past year, the Sonic Big Dill Meals ads reported a consumer consideration rate that only slightly trailed several ads for other, less divisive flavors/products:
Ineffective creative, even if delivered to the right audience, results in missed opportunity and performance shortfalls. Great creative delivered poorly also results in failed campaigns.
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Creative Agency: Mother