Chick-fil-A's Time Shop is a magical idea

Chick-fil-A created something brilliant and magical - and it has not a thing to do with a chicken sandwich. In fact, it’s virtually brand-less. Visit The Time Shop this holiday season, because it just might be our favorite piece of brand marketing yet.

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Damn, I love this. For so many reasons…

At the heart of it all, I’m inspired by what always inspires me. The insight and idea sitting at the center. Usually, the insight whets my appetite with the creative playing the part of delightful sundae topping. This time, it’s the other way around.

One of my favorite things to do is imagine the hypothetical room where an idea came to life - and celebrate the brave souls that helped ensure the thing lived. In this case, the idea was a “time shop.” What if there was a place where you could shop for time? Even better, what if it could get the best kind of time (“together time”)? What if anyone could could grab it off the shelf and gift it freely to friends and families, so it would be protected? Even if only a few precious hours?

That’s the part we love most. The insight they may have led there…sure, technology is a distraction. Less time, more competing interests. Blah, blah, blah. It’s real, yes, but not new. The Time Shop, though. Someone took a trip down a fantastical rabbit hole…and everyone came along for the ride.

What we may love even more is that the team kept running with it. The clear payoff for the viewer/content consumer is the opportunity to gift time. You can create your invitation here and Chick-fil-A will make sure your time card is delivered to its intended recipient(s) free-of-charge. Since its launch late last month, over 124,178 days worth of time has been gifted.

The campaign follows all the way through to a physical Time Shop that opened last week in New York City. I know, I know. Who needs another pop-up? I hear you. But it’s kind of refreshing that this particular “brand activation” is about magic, whimsy and playful fun - far from any politics, chicken wars or other sordid stuff the brand has a tendency to get involved with and talked about.

You’ll also notice something refreshingly quiet about this effort: the brand and its product. Sure, there’s a logo here and there, but it’s designed to be background. Subtle. And it undoubtedly lends to the authenticity and approachability of the whole thing.

Now, it just needs a little more news and buzz (we’re always here to help). In the interim, I’ve got some meaningful time commitments to make. Might I suggest you do the same? ‘Tis the Season.