A.1. Steak Sauce Takes on Sauce Shaming at Fancy Steakhouses

From celebrity fans like Nicki Minaj or passionate fans on Reddit, A.1. Steak Sauce enthusiasts have had enough of being judged for wanting their favorite sauce at even the fanciest steakhouses. Starting Dec. 10th, A.1., the quintessential sauce for steak lovers since 1824, is addressing this common conflict head-on during the holiday season when steakhouse meals spike in popularity. In its latest campaign, 'BYO A.1.,' the brand will cover the cost of fans’ steakhouse dinners if they bring their own A.1. Sauce bottle with them to consume their meal exactly the way they want - judgment-free. 

Dreamt up by creative agency The Kitchen, A.1. knows today’s diners reject being told how to enjoy their food, so the brand decided to turn a source of judgement to a movement of empowerment, rewarding its most loyal fans while reclaiming its status as unapologetically rich & timeless for any great steak. BYO A.1. aims to spark cultural conversation and re-steak A.1.’s claim with red meat by rallying fans with influencers, social content, paid editorial and an opportunity to get their meals comped. 

How it Comes to Life:

• 63% of people already plan to dine out at traditional steakhouses with family, friends or colleagues this holiday season, one proving a ripe opportunity to encourage fans to proudly enjoy their meals just the way they like it.
• A.1. lovers can bring their own sauce bottle with them to their steakhouse reservation to use to their heart’s content. When they snap a pic of their steak alongside their A.1. bottle and submit it to BYO-A1.com, select participants will get the opportunity to have their meal comped by A.1.(up to $100) - while supplies last.

“It’s no secret some consider A.1. on a fancy steak a faux pas. But many love it. We even discovered some fans actually avoid steakhouses that don’t serve A.1. So we decided to empower them to steak it to the steakhouses this holiday season by bringing their own bottle. Or BYO A.1. The reward for this act of defiance? The chance to win dinner on us. Working closely with the team at Kraft Heinz and our partners at Nectar and Zeno, we couldn’t be prouder to bring this red meat movement to life.” said Simon Au, executive creative director The Kitchen North America.

“A.1. has always been about celebrating steak lovers and their unique preferences. With the BYO A.1. campaign, we’re not just embracing our fans’ passion for our sauce, we’re starting a movement and empowering them to enjoy their steak exactly how they want. This is about reclaiming the steakhouse experience and making sure our loyal fans know that A.1. will always be a part of it, no matter where they are.” said Holland Robinson, brand manager, A.1. 

The campaign will also come to life via DOOH, OLV and an influencer partnership with the internet’s biggest steak lovers.