Making Sheetz Part of the Michigan Conversation

The launch needed more than a store tour

Sheetz was expanding into Michigan and needed to introduce a distinctive made-to-order experience to people near Detroit. A standard walkthrough could show the store, but it would not necessarily give the audience a reason to remember the brand or send the content to somebody else.

I recommended a two-Reel package because Reels are my strongest tool for discovery. That gave the launch two creative chances to reach people who had not encountered Sheetz yet, with Stories supporting the work through polls, questions, and direct links to find a location.

A familiar joke made a new brand easier to understand

I integrated Sheetz into my Better Than Everyone series. The format turns an ordinary behavior into absurd self-importance, so the product could drive the joke instead of interrupting it.

The first Reel used a mock journal entry to introduce the Michigan arrival and the freedom of made-to-order food. The second made the order itself the flex. That let the audience understand the store through a performance, a food spread, and a repeated phrase they could quote back in the comments.

I designed the production around the content

The opening event was useful for launch Stories, but I knew the main Reels needed a quieter visit where I could control sound, pacing, and the food setup. I separated those production needs before filming, captured several concepts on location, and used commercially cleared music so approvals could stay simple.

That preparation mattered. The agency approved the second-round drafts without edits and said the final campaign looked great.

Participation extended the launch

The campaign generated more than 54,000 impressions and 5,800 engagements, but the clearest sign of relevance was how people used it. Viewers shared the work 892 times, spent more than 70 hours watching, debated the food, recalled their own Sheetz orders, and asked when the brand had arrived in Michigan.

The comments read like conversation material instead of ad responses. People quoted the made-to-order premise, requested the staff’s point of view, tagged friends, and named products they wanted to try. That participation gave Sheetz more than awareness. It made the expansion feel like something the audience had discovered together.

What the partnership demonstrated

When a product is essential to the premise, the brand does not need to compete with the entertainment. Sheetz supplied the customization, scale, and visual payoff that made the format work. I supplied a recognizable point of view and an audience ready to participate in it.

The result was a launch story people could understand quickly, enjoy as content, and pass along in their own conversations.

Explore my food and grocery creator work for related public stories, recipes, and paid partnership examples.