Case Study: Pillsbury™ Doughboy’s 60th Birthday Holiday Merch Shop

For Pillsbury’s 60th anniversary of their beloved Doughboy, the brand invited fans to celebrate with a nostalgic, multi-channel campaign that blended digital innovation with real-world charm. Zagwear partnered with Pillsbury™ to create a limited-edition merch shop filled with collectible holiday items that captured the joy and warmth of baking together, past and present.

Background

For six decades, the Pillsbury Doughboy™ has been a household icon, synonymous with family, fun, and fresh-from-the-oven memories. To mark this milestone birthday, Pillsbury developed a heartwarming “Dough Place Like Home” campaign: a playful celebration of nostalgia and comfort. The experience centered around an immersive augmented reality (AR) activation where fans could step inside the Doughboy’s home and shop for themed merchandise.

Challenge

Pillsbury wanted to create an unforgettable anniversary moment that appealed to lifelong fans and new audiences alike. The goal was to merge holiday nostalgia with modern digital engagement, driving both emotional connection and product sales. The challenge? Bringing the Doughboy’s world to life in a way that felt authentic, collectible, and seamlessly connected across physical and virtual touchpoints.

Strategy

Zagwear’s strategy was to extend the storytelling from the digital AR experience into tangible keepsakes fans could own and cherish. By curating limited-edition merchandise inspired by the Doughboy’s iconic charm and holiday traditions, we helped Pillsbury create an experience that lived both online and offline, evoking cozy, festive memories of baking during the holidays.

Execution

Zagwear designed and produced the official Pillsbury Merch Shop, featuring three exclusive items that tied into the holiday theme and the AR campaign:

• Pillsbury Doughboy Cookie Jar: Vault Edition – A nostalgic centerpiece for any kitchen.

• Holiday Pillsbury Shape™ Cookie Glass Set: Limited Edition – A charming throwback to milk-and-cookie moments.

• Holiday Pillsbury Shape Cookie Slippers: Limited Edition – A cozy nod to holiday mornings spent baking.

Each collectible reflected the brand’s timeless appeal while tapping into demand for nostalgic, limited-run merchandise. Fans could explore the Doughboy’s world through the “Dough Place Like Home” AR experience, which linked directly to the shop, and the campaign extended into the real world with a themed hotel suite created in partnership with Club Wyndham New York.

Results

The campaign brought the Doughboy’s world to life in a fresh, immersive way, blending nostalgia, technology, and tangible engagement. The merch shop generated strong buzz across media and social channels, reinforcing Pillsbury’s reputation for creative, heartwarming storytelling. Fans loved the festive collectibles, especially the Cookie Jar, which quickly sold out, and the combined merch, AR experience, and brand activations created a cohesive celebration that resonated across every touchpoint.

Conclusion

Pillsbury’s 60th birthday celebration proved that timeless icons can still innovate while staying true to their roots. Through a combination of AR technology, clever storytelling, and exclusive branded merchandise, the “Dough Place Like Home” campaign invited fans to celebrate six decades of smiles in a new, unforgettable way. Zagwear’s partnership helped translate digital delight into physical keepsakes, creating a cohesive experience that honored tradition, sparked joy, and made the Doughboy’s milestone moment truly special.