Hulu Turned Food Trucks and Comedy Shows Into Ads to Promote the Show Deli Boys

Hulu is a bringing a taste of Pakistani American culture and comedy to audiences.

The streaming service premiered its new series, Deli Boys, this week. The half-hour show centers on a pair of Pakistani American brothers whose family owns a convenience store. When their magnate father unexpectedly dies, the two are forced to reckon with his secret criminal life as they attempt to clean up his mess in the underworld.

The 10-episode comedy and crime show was created by Abdullah Saeed and stars Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Poorna Jagannathan.

Ahead of the premiere, produced by 20th Television, Onyx Collective launched a U.S. marketing campaign including digital, experimental, and traditional media with social activations, OOH advertisement like 3D billboards, influencers, and partnerships with Kolkata Chai and Yeastie Boys. The campaign also includes a traveling deli and a comedy tour.

“Deli Boys is truly anything but expected, and our campaign had to follow suit,” Joe Ortiz, svp of marketing at Onyx Collective, said in a statement. “We created a bold, in-your-face campaign that was disruptive and above all, fun.”

The Kolkata Chai partnership included a takeover and block party with a branded storefront in New York with free chai and appearances from the cast. Meanwhile, Los Angeles bagel shop Yeastie Boys had a Deli Boys food truck with show-themed bagels.

The campaign officially launched at the end of last month, and it will continue to roll out through March. A 40-foot Barricade Billboard can currently be spotted on Sunset Boulevard, and a 3D billboard will be advertised in Penn Station beginning March 10.

The traveling deli made its first stop in New York at Union Square on Feb. 26 and will be at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks and Philadelphia Sixers game. It will also be making a stop by South by Southwest in Austin, Tex. on March 8 and 9 before ending in Chicago on March 16 for the St. Patrick’s Day River dying festival. The deli features exclusive merchandise, specialty drinks, and photo opportunities.

The Don’t Tell Comedy tour kicked off on March 1 in Los Angeles and has been making its way through New York City, Austin, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Atlanta with secret shows.

Ortiz added that because of the show’s focus on a mix of genres as well as South Asian culture, the campaign is aimed at representing different cultures.

“Beyond its sharp humor and high stakes energy, its cultural richness makes this show truly stand out,” Ortiz said. “The campaign was designed to mix crime, comedy, and culture in a way never seen before. It allowed for bold creative grounded in cultural relevance that endeared audiences broadly and represent community authentically.”

All 10 episodes of the first season of Deli Boys are currently available to stream on Hulu.