Subway's giant sandwich sleeping bag taps into Gen Z's cosy festival era

Some campaigns land in our inbox and make us collectively groan. So obvious is their mission to go viral that we almost delete them, refusing to give another big brand free publicity for its cheesy PR stunt. That was certainly the case with Subway and its giant 'Sleeping Bag-uette' – a large sleeping bag shaped like a massive sandwich. And yet, annoyingly, we couldn't resist sharing it because it's actually pretty clever.

Festival season is upon us, and Subway conducted new research into the habits of younger festivalgoers. It was discovered that Gen Z are prioritising sleep, comfort and quiet camping this summer over the traditional chaos of muddy fields, warm cider and all-nighters, with four in 10 saying they'd be willing to miss a headline act if it meant getting enough rest. Good lord, what happened to surviving on two hours' sleep and peeing into a biscuit tin in your tent? Bring back the '90s, I say.

Leaning into this shift, Subway has unveiled a giant sleeping bag inspired by its Italian B.M.T. sub, designed for exhausted festivalgoers in need of a proper recharge of the old batteries between sets. It's layered with some of the sandwich chain's fan-favourite toppings, such as cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and salami.

A comfy sleeping bag is considered a festival essential for over half of UK adults, while Gen Z say an uncomfortable set-up is the thing that most affects sleep at a festival. Whatever happened to passing out in the dance tent to Leftfield? These youngsters don't even know they were born.

"We know festival season is all about making unforgettable memories – but we don't want fans running on empty, whether it's their stomachs or lack of sleep," says Kirstey Elston from Subway. "We wanted to bring the comfort of Subway to the fields, giving fans a way to recharge without missing a beat!"

This year, Brits are expecting to average just 4.8 hours of sleep per night at festivals, with noisy surroundings, uncomfortable sleeping set-ups, and extreme temperatures ranked as the biggest disruptors. Luckily, they won't have to sacrifice sleep or their cash (I can't believe I'm writing this), because the novelty 'Sleeping Bag-uette' will be available for a limited time only through an exclusive giveaway on Subway's Instagram. To enter, fans simply need to comment 'Snug in a Sub'.

My Catholic Nana would probably say, "God love them for trying". But if I'm totally honest, I fear this stunt is going to be wildly popular.