HEY, I'M SHELBY
FOOD NETWORK
The Problem
While the Food Network has many devoted and consistent fans, it lacks event television: a show that draws eyeballs at a specific time in a world of DVR and binge-watching.
Brand Truth
Food Network today serves up more than just food – it serves up entertainment. Fans get their adrenaline pumping while watching a competitor on Chopped try to make a vinaigrette with five seconds left on the clock – exactly like a sports fan watching their favorite team.
The Solve
Create the Super Bowl of cooking shows:
a weekend-long event that pits all the Food Network star chefs head to head in a bracket-style competition.
CONCEPT:
The Show
Ever wondered if Guy Fieri could beat Paula Deen? Chef Ultimate will pit famous Food Network chefs head to head in a bracket-style cooking competition – with one ultimate winner. Fans will be able to fill out a bracket and follow their picks throughout the competition.
Filling out a bracket enters you to win “Dinner with the Winner”:
If you manage to make a perfect bracket, you and your guests
will be flown out to experience an incredible meal prepared for you by the winner of Chef Ultimate.
To introduce the competitors, we’ll create sports-inspired posters of the Food Network stars that will be facing off against each other.
PROMOTING
CHEF ULTIMATE
Pop-up Bar
In the months leading up to the premiere of Chef Ultimate, Food Network will create a pop-up “sports bar”. Decorated with memorabilia from the network, this bar will show Food Network competition shows and host watch parties for fans.
Merch
Jerseys sporting the names of Chef Ultimate competitors will be mailed as a surprise to select fans who picked that competitor to win in their bracket.
Chef Ultimate branded oven mitts
Baseball cards featuring the competitors will be used as Instagram posts and as tags on the merch.
Chef Ultimate App
To keep the excitement going, Food Network will launch a Chef Ultimate app. This app will allow users to play Food Network competition shows in their own homes and using the ingredients already in their kitchens. The app will allow the user to play Chopped, for example,
by generating challenge ingredients that the user must include in their dish. Users can compete head to head with a friend or challenge users around the world.