Award sponsored by Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc.

When SKYY Spirits approached the Tampa, Fla.-based Cheeseburger in Paradise chain looking to partner on a drink made with its X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, it probably didn’t envision pink flamingo lawn ornaments being involved. Good thing the marketing team at the 34-location chain did.

The drink—the Pink Flamingo Margarita—challenged customers to “Get Flocked,” and spawned the “Check Me Out” promotion, featuring Molly, a plastic pink flamingo. The Pink Flamingo Margarita, $7.50, is made with Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila, X-Rated Liqueur, Margarita mix and strawberry purée.

“We created a character and personality around the Pink Flamingo Margarita,” says Monica Tary, director of beverage and training. “Customers could literally ‘check out’ the bird and take a photo of themselves with ‘Molly’ having good, clean fun.”

“The promo ensured customers came back to the restaurants at least twice—once to pick her up and a second time to bring her back and get a special code that they needed to upload the pictures to our Web site,” explains Tary. The promotion was so popular that people were put on waiting lists to hang with Molly.

Each location had 15 birds that people would sign out for one week or more (depending on where they were going). The customers would receive a code upon returning the bird that gave them the ability to upload their photo with Molly to a section on the company’s Web site.

The winners were picked by an internal panel of judges, and the top five pictures received awards. The top prize went to a photo titled “Diva-licious” featuring a dolled-up Molly in front of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The first prize winner received a five-day, four-night cruise for two, while second and third place winners won dinner at the restaurant and a prize pack to create a home party.

Customers were engaged on-premise with POS merchandising, on the internet with a section of the web site dedicated to Molly’s adventures featuring photos of the week, and on Facebook, where Molly racked up some 1,300 fans. More than 500 photos were submitted chronicling the pink flamingo’s world travels—everywhere from Africa to China to Chicago to Greece and back again.

And Molly proved she could sell drinks!  During the hugely successful 10-week program, which ran from May 18th through July 31st, the chain sold more than 28,000 of the featured cocktails. For theses sales figures and creativity the group has won Cheers Best Chain Drink Program, sponsored by Beam Global Spirits & Wine. “The Pink Flamingo Margarita was our No. 1 drink for the entire promotion, and it’s our most expensive drink,” notes Tary. The drink was cross-promoted with Sam Adams Summer Ale, which saw more than 11,400 sold during the promotion.

It was so successful that the chain plans another Molly promotion for Spring Break. Keep an eye out for where Molly may pop up next.