Gogo's World
Gogo's World is an American television sitcom starring Gogo Williams and produced by Wendy's International, LLC as a part of a sweepstakes contest. The pilot episode was broadcast on CBS on October 5, 2003 and never aired again. Although the series was immediately canceled during the broadcast, more than thirty-two additional episodes had been produced on spec by MeMoreTV and Tracey Pictures in September of 2003. There are no surviving copies of any episode, including the pilot.
Synopsis
Set in Savannah, Georgia, standup comedian Gogo (Gogo Williams) balances life and work at the ToyPlayTech Doll Division, where he has a chance encounter with a talking doll named Mason. Gogo lives with his cousin Huckley, who's fixation with pranks leads the pair into a scheme to save Gogo's job and life.
Contest
The pilot was created as a part of fast food chain Wendy's "Make a TV Show With Wendy's" contest. The winners, eleven year-old Doug Bleichner and thirteen year-old Sam Wagstaff, were given full control over conceptualizing, writing, casting, and budgeting a pilot, though the contest winners never met and were placed in different buildings during production. CBS, partnered with Wendy's for the contest, brought on MeMoreTV and producer Max Tracey, who brought on his son Jorm Tracey to provide additional creative direction to the contest winners.
Promotion
Wendy's launched a substantial marketing campaign ahead of the broadcast of Gogo's World which included television, radio, print, billboard, aerial (blimp and banner), web, merchandise, and augmented reality. In August of 2003, QSR Magazine reported an untitled Gogo's World video game for the Xbox was in development. In spring of 2003, Wendy's replaced its kids meal with the "Mason Meal", which featured a miniature plastic version of Mason with an embedded RFID chip used for the "Wendy's Presents: Where in Gogo's World?" augmented reality campaign. The "Wendy's Presents: Where in Gogo's World?" augmented reality campaign involved actor Gogo Williams visiting several dozen Wendy's locations in disguise and eating alone. Players were encouraged to search for Williams at their local Wendy's. If located, they were to bring the Mason toy close enough to activate an alarm device embedded in Williams' belt, granting them special access to a series of digital interactive experiences and puzzles which formed the online component of the "Wendy's Presents: Where in Gogo's World?" augmented reality campaign.