Kimberly Paynter / WHYY
Green hot dogs for the win? Fans at the Linc in advance of Eagles-Giants will have a chance to snag free “Bird Dogs” to help power their playoff tailgate.
The Dietz & Watson Bird Dog truck will be popping up in the M/N Lot, just east of the stadium. In addition to the all-beef franks nestled in bright green buns, the truck will give out Kelly green swag, like beanie hats and shirts.
Reviews when the truck debuted in University City last weekend were positive — both of the food and of the vibe.
“The city could always use more morale boosting,” said fan Kate Michels, 25. “Build up the energy … I’m always happy if I’m eating something green.”
The Saturday plan at Lincoln Financial Field is for the truck to serve from 5 to 8 p.m., per Dietz & Watson content manager Katie Atchison — though things could start a little earlier, since fans will likely be there all day.
Even non diehard Birds fans have been loving the Bird Dogs, which are topped with long hots, provolone, and frizzled onions.
“It’s a feast for the eyes and for the mouth,” said Zach Hite, a 27-year-old who said he usually roots for the Minnesota Vikings.
But the Vikings lost in the Wild Card round to the NY Giants, who now face the Eagles at home. The Eagles defeated New York twice during the regular season, and are going into this game well-rested after a first-round bye.
The Bird Dog campaign was created by Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners, the agency responsible for previous D&W playoff ad campaigns like “Deli Deli!” and “Say Hello to Dietz Nuts.”
“Once they started to look like they were going to get into the playoffs, given our history with doing things around the Super Bowl, we were like, ‘Oh, we have to do something around the Eagles,’” said Steve Red, president and co-chief creative officer of RTO+P.
“Philly is a great sandwich town,” said Red. “So it’s kind of our homage to Philly sandwich superiority.”
Hot dogs aren’t exactly a Philly thing — except that they’re how Dietz & Watson got its start here, 83 years ago. “We started with the sausages and brats from an immigrant from Germany, Gottlieb Dietz,” D&W content manager Atchison said.
And the truck has been a hit, with lines around the block at each of its previous stops. Swoop and the Eagles cheerleaders even joined one of last week’s pop-ups, at the South Philly Acme.
The popularity and demand has already led one of the bread providers, Cacia’s Bakery, to commit to offering green rolls at their bakery locations on gameday.
Ad man Red said he could see it becoming a new tradition.
“I can see Bird Dogs living on as part of the game day ritual,” Red said. “Whether they go all the way and win the Super Bowl or not. And I’m certainly not going to say that they’re going to go all the way, because that would jinx it.”
