Firehouse Subs’ ‘Hook & Ladder’ jingle pushes firefighters to sing faster & faster

The brand launched a new national advertising campaign today centered around its popular Hook & Ladder sub, featuring real-life firefighters in a fun, fast-paced commercial.

In the spot, three firefighters — Captain Jake Stuart from Baltimore, Firefighter Carlos David Drouet from Jersey City and Firefighter Gloria B. Smith from Los Angeles — step into a recording studio to sing a jingle that’s just as packed as the sandwich in question.

But there’s a comedic catch — as they sing, the list of ingredients keeps growing, forcing them to sing faster and faster to keep up with lines like, “Warm that smoky turkey and that thin-sliced honey ham, please” and “Melty cheese and toasty bread, mustard, mayo—perfect spread.”

“If you think about it, every great icon has a jingle associated with it, a catchy earworm of a tune that inspires a smile every time you hear it,” Dena Vonwerssowetz, chief marketing officer of Firehouse Subs, said in a statement shared with The Drum.

“The Hook & Ladder – our best-selling, crave-worthy and most popular menu item at Firehouse Subs – is no different, so we strived to create a campaign that we hope will become just as iconic as the sandwich itself. Given our brand heritage, it was imperative that we work with real heroes to bring this spot to life, and not only did our four incredible firefighters proudly represent their battalions – from coast to coast, Baltimore to Los Angeles – but they sang live on set, as well. Now, that is true talent.”

Along with the commercial, Firehouse Subs is rolling out a “Sing the Hook, Get a Hook (and Ladder)” promotion from August 16 to 18, 2024. Guests who belt out the tongue-twisting tune at checkout can earn a buy-one-get-one offer on the Hook & Ladder sub. Fans can also share their own versions of the jingle on social media using the hashtag #HotTastesBetter to receive a promo code.

The creative marks the inaugural work for Firehouse subs from the ad agency, Orchard Creative, which partnered with the brand last year.

“We couldn’t be more excited to launch our first work for Firehouse Subs,” added David Kolbusz, chief creative officer of Orchard. “Every ad in this re-targetable campaign chronicles the plight of four brave firefighters and their attempt to fit all the ingredients of a huge sandwich into a short ad. Although they fail, we get to enjoy the hijinks that ensue and so, ultimately, everyone wins.”

The multi-channel campaign will run through the end of September across various paid media channels, including linear and connected TV, YouTube, social media, streaming audio, display and paid search.

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