The Activation

Paris Baguette is leaning hard into entertainment marketing for fall 2026, launching a multi-platform sponsorship with Disney Advertising tied to Season 35 of "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC and Disney+. The partnership centers on two limited-time dispensed beverages hitting cafés nationwide on Sept. 14 — the Mirrorball Iced Croissant Latte, made with Lavazza espresso, and the Mirrorball Iced Croissant Matcha, both topped with a mini croissant and served with a custom branded sleeve and a sparkling Mirrorball accent.

The push goes well beyond an LTO menu drop. Paris Baguette secured live show mentions, custom in-show content, a sponsored "Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast," and a dedicated TV spot featuring show talent airing during each live episode throughout the season — a level of media integration that puts the bakery café chain in direct competition with QSR brands that have historically dominated entertainment co-promotions.

Loyalty at the Center

The program's loyalty hook lands on National Dance Day, Saturday, Sept. 19, when PB Rewards members can redeem a BOGO free offer on either Mirrorball beverage. New enrollees who sign up via the Paris Baguette mobile app receive a free pastry with any purchase — a standard but effective trial driver for growing the brand's loyalty base. Select locations in New York City and Los Angeles will also distribute a free limited-edition collector's cup that day, while supplies last.

Cathy Chavanet, Chief Marketing Officer of Paris Baguette North America, framed the tie-in around shared brand values rather than pure reach: "There's a shared artistry in the passion, precision, and creativity behind a beautifully crafted pastry or beverage and a captivating dance performance."

Sweepstakes and Scale

Starting Oct. 1, Paris Baguette will run an Instagram sweepstakes through Oct. 31 offering a grand-prize trip to the Season 35 finale in Los Angeles — two tickets, round-trip airfare, two-night hotel, branded swag, and a $100 Paris Baguette gift card. The sweepstakes format is a proven tool for driving social follows and app downloads without requiring a purchase, keeping the entry barrier low for casual fans.

The entertainment tie-in fits a broader growth narrative for the chain. Paris Baguette has projected a network of 1,000 cafés in North America by 2030, and partnerships that drive trial and loyalty enrollment are central to hitting that unit-count target. For franchise operators, the corporate media spend — live TV placements, podcast sponsorship, social content — translates directly to forecourt-level foot traffic without incremental local marketing cost. The two LTO beverages also give café crews a defined upsell story at the point of sale during what is historically a competitive fall beverage season, when chains across the foodservice and bakery-café segment fight for share against pumpkin-spice-heavy QSR programs.

The activation is a textbook example of how emerging bakery-café chains are using loyalty programs and co-branded media buys to punch above their weight in a segment long dominated by Panera Bread and Starbucks.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.