Dietz & Watson Sends Sad Bengals Fans Free 'Emotional Support Hot Dogs'

Seeing their team succeed in reaching the championship game only to lose can be an intense experience for devoted sports fans. Many Cincinnati Bengals fans are now living through this emotional rollercoaster following their loss in Superbowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams.

Deli brand Dietz & Watson wants to provide a little comfort to crestfallen Bengals fans with some meaty solace in the form of hot dogs. The Philadelphia-based brand gave away over 2,000 hot dogs in six US cities—Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Los Angeles—inviting sad fans via Twitter giveaway using the hashtag #DietzSupportDogs. The free pair of dogs were delivered the Monday following the Superbowl, complete with condiments and napkins, all packed in a white and red box with Dietz & Watson labeled “Emotional Support Hot Dogs.” The package includes copy up top reading “your team lost, but a hot dog is always a winner,” and a clever graphic depicting a foam finger emblazoned with “#2” appears on one of the box’s panels.

Dietz & Watson’s Emotional Support Hotdog promotion was designed with creative agency Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners (RTO+P), following previous Super Bowl “hack” promotions Dietz Nuts and the medieval-themed “Deli Deli!” promotion, a play on Bud Light’s “Dilly Dilly!” advertising campaign.

“As we were developing ideas, we noticed that not a lot is done around the losing team or its fans. The idea of highlighting one of D&W’s top-selling products as “Emotional Support Dogs”—and coming to the rescue for the fan family who’ve just been through one of the biggest letdowns in sports—seemed like the perfect idea for a brand that’s all about family,” Steve O’Connell, partner, and co-chief creative officer at RTO+P, said via press release. “The past few years have been challenging for everyone. We can’t solve every problem, but we can brighten someone’s day with a free hot dog.”

While Dietz & Watson provides the hot dogs, Bengals fans will have to supply their own Skyline chili.