For many young students, learning “Hot Cross Buns” on a recorder is a rite of passage. That’s why Cobs Bread encouraged Canadians to play the song in-store on March 1, which the bakery dubbed “Hot Cross Buns Day,” in exchange for a free bun.

“Hot cross buns are a beloved staple at Cobs Bread, and we wanted to find a fun way to celebrate them while embracing a little bit of nostalgia,“ Peter Furnish, VP of marketing at Cobs Bread, tells strategy. “We love seeing our customers bring joy into our bakeries, and what better way to do that than with some music, some fun and a free bun?”

Furnish adds that because hot cross buns are promoted at many bakeries during this time, the day was a good opportunity for Cobs to engage with both new and existing customers in-store. “Our Cobs Club loyalty platform is also a critical engagement platform for the program, with just under half our purchases coming from program members,” he says. “Our creative for this campaign captures the nostalgic ‘Hot Cross Buns’ audio every Canadian learned to play on the recorder in grade school while also showcasing the delicious looking product itself.”

With support from its its AOR, Rethink, the brand explored a mix of engagement tactics that included a mix of digital, audio, social, connected TV and live-radio remotes.

Cobs is also inviting customers to participate in its annual “Doughnation Day” fundraising campaign on April 5, during which $2 from every six-pack of hot cross buns will be donated to a local community charity.

Furnish also says Cobs’ recent entry into the bagel pronunciation debate generated conversations across the company’s social channels and that 85% of respondents chose “baygul” over “baggle.”