Hat Creek Oranje Bus Party
The Challenge
As the World Cup buzz swept across the United States, Hat Creek Burger Company saw an opportunity to connect with fans in an authentic and meaningful way. However, standing out during a crowded sports and entertainment landscape required more than traditional advertising. The brand needed a creative activation that would capture attention, engage local communities, and position Hat Creek as a destination for fans gathering to celebrate the sport.
Hat Creek sought a strategic approach that would generate awareness across key Texas markets, foster community participation, and create a memorable brand experience that extended beyond the restaurant walls.
Deliverables
- - Strategic partnership activation with the Dutch Orange Bus
- - Event planning and execution support in Dallas and Houston
- - National and local media relations strategy
- - Broadcast media outreach and coordination
- - Influencer identification, recruitment, and management
- - Community outreach to local soccer clubs, youth teams, and organizations
- - Social media amplification and content support
- - Event recaps, performance reporting, and earned media tracking
The Solution
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Champion developed and executed an integrated communications strategy centered around Hat Creek’s partnership with the Dutch Orange Bus, a globally recognized fan activation celebrating soccer culture and community. The campaign brought the Orange Bus to Richardson and Houston, transforming Hat Creek locations into fan destinations complete with free burgers, live entertainment, giveaways, photo opportunities, and community engagement activities.
To maximize visibility, Champion implemented a multi-layered promotional strategy that combined proactive media outreach, influencer partnerships, local community engagement, and social amplification. The team secured coverage from television, radio, print, and digital outlets while simultaneously partnering with local content creators to build excitement before, during, and after each event.
By aligning Hat Creek with one of the world’s most passionate sports fanbases and creating an experience fans wanted to attend and share, the activation successfully connected the brand to a cultural moment that extended well beyond traditional restaurant marketing.
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The Outcome
The Dutch Orange Bus partnership delivered significant results across earned media, social engagement, influencer content, and community participation. Across the two Texas activations, the campaign generated more than 50 media placements, resulting in approximately 50M impressions and more than $1M in earned media value.
Influencer partnerships further amplified the campaign, generating more than 1M video views, over 733.3K impressions, and 32K engagements while helping introduce Hat Creek to new audiences across both markets.
Beyond the numbers, the activation successfully positioned Hat Creek Burgers at the center of a major cultural and sporting moment, creating meaningful community engagement and strengthening the brand’s connection with families, sports fans, and local communities throughout Texas. The campaign demonstrated how experiential marketing, strategic communications, and authentic community partnerships can work together to drive awareness, engagement, and lasting brand affinity.
Esther Huijsmans, a Dutch Orange Bus Member said, “What made the event special was seeing the Dallas community embrace the Dutch Orange Bus. There were families everywhere, children climbing aboard with huge smiles on their faces, and football fans sharing stories and taking photos. Thanks to Hat Creek, we were able to share a little piece of Dutch football culture and connect with so many people in the local community.”
“We noticed the iconic Dutch Bus was coming to America, and we wanted to be a part of history! The World Cup is the greatest opportunity for people all over the world to come and experience culture and sport in one setting. What better way to show our Dutch friends a warm Texas welcome than giving them a free Hat Creek Burger. Their bus embodies community and fellowship and that’s what Hat Creek is all about as well!”
Results
52.1M
Total Views
65K
Total Engagements
$1.2M
Est. Earned Media Value
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