Dietz & Watson's Legendary Gabaghoul Returns with Halloween Hotdogs

Spooky season is here again and it’s more haunting than ever! And of course that means, the beloved Philly favourite, Dietz & Watson is back with their annual Halloween entertainment to ring in the spirit(s) of the season. 

As the ghostly holiday draws near, the meat and cheese purveyors tapped their long-time partner Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners (RTO+P - a ModOp Company) once again, to make a comeback with one of the fan favourites – the legendary Gabaghoul. 

Staying true to their ‘Right Way’ philosophy, Dietz & Watson prides themselves on commitment to quality and transparency. The campaign will highlight Dietz & Watson’s premium uncured Dietz Dogs. Found in brand-new packaging, they’re the same dogs with a new look, and come in tasty flavours like Jumbo Beef, Beef Hot, Jalapeno Cheddar, and Bacon Cheddar. 

Being the only deli brand to go big on entertainment during spooky season, (recognising the previous year’s creepy classics, such as the SandWitch Sisters) Dietz & Watson has brought back the classic ghastly gourmand character that was first introduced in 2021 played by iconic mafioso salvatore, Vincent Pastore. However, this time around rings in a new Gabaghoul (and a pal of the last) – the Sopranos’ Italian Stallion, Steve Schirripa to kick off the campaign and live activation. 

In four spookily comedic spots, Mummy Dog, Ghosts, Hoagie Dog, and Not Now Ma, Schirripa is captured in his most ghoulie of character, each video taking place on a street corner at dusk in his Gabaghoul hot dog cart where he’s hard at work slinging Dietz Dogs to all of the adults and kids out and about for Halloween. 

To continue the spirit, the campaign will also feature foodie/recipe creators and influencers, such as New-York based foodie and sandwich connoisseur, Cugine. 

”Dietz has uniquely owned the Halloween season and we’re excited to bring Dietz Dogs into the ghoulish fun this year,” said Steve Red of RTO+P (ModOp). “And The Gabaghoul who has enjoyed so much brand love, makes his triumphant return, but in a different way – the iconic role, too big for just one actor, goes from one Soprano, Vincent Pastore, to his very own pal, Steve Schirripa.”

At Dietz & Watson, we’re committed to bringing the nostalgia of our products to consumers year round,” said Lauren Eni Canseco of Dietz & Watson. “Building on the momentum from season to season, we’re always excited to carry the energy into the fall with our annual Halloween campaign. Our goal this year is to inform consumers of our flavour variety and attributes of our Dietz Dogs, and who better to do that than the Gabaghoul?”

The campaign will also include local Philly pop ups with a Gabaghoul who will be giving away free Dietz Dogs and merch to parents and their kids as they Trick or Treat on Halloween. 

The campaign launches nationally online on October 3rd, running organically and on paid social – featuring four videos that will run across Snapchat, Reddit, Pinterest, Meta, TikTok and OLV (YouTube).