Potato Corner trades margins for viral marketing

The Bring Your Own Tub campaign generated 25 million TikTok impressions.

Potato Corner Singapore accepted losses on some oversized orders during its "Bring Your Own Tub" promotion, betting that viral social media exposure would generate more value than higher profit margins.

“We saw groups of friends turning up together, proudly showcasing their custom setups, and many went on to share their massive fry hauls with loved ones,” Sarah Tan, marketing manager at Potato Corner Singapore, told Retail Asia.

The promotion, held to mark the chain's eighth anniversary and National Fries Day, charged customers a flat $6.82 (S$8.80) to fill any container that could pass through a circular measuring board at the counter.

Customers arrived with protein tubs, snack containers, tiramisu trays, and even homemade containers, with videos of the promotion spreading widely across TikTok.

Tan said the company expected to break even but underestimated customers' creativity.

“For some of the more ‘ambitious’ custom tubs, we gladly took a loss, knowing that seeing that brand love in action was far more valuable in the long run,” she said in an emailed reply to questions.

The campaign generated 25 million TikTok impressions and drove a surge in store traffic. Tan said transaction volumes rose sharply, with some outlets recording double-digit percentage increases and others posting their highest sales for the week.

Potato Corner said the campaign relied mainly on in-store posters and limited social media advertising through its existing channels.

The biggest challenge was meeting demand. Some stores handled nearly three times their normal transaction volume, whilst queues at Jurong Point stretched beyond two hours. Staff worked continuously to replenish fries as some outlets faced temporary stock shortages.

“Our frontline crews were occasionally texting us photos of highly unusual, extra-long containers to ask, ‘Is this one acceptable?’” Tan said.

Potato Corner, a Philippine snack chain known for its flavoured fries, chicken snacks, and potato balls, operates 10 outlets in Singapore and is present in more than 15 markets.

Tan said the company plans to bring back a similar promotion, adding that another customer challenge is already being developed.