Fast food on trend in the new year
‘Tis the season to get skinny…and fast! The mother of all New Year’s resolutions didn’t disappoint in 2010, as “lose weight” tops the list again this year with 22 percent of consumers who made resolutions looking to shed some extra pounds.
Long on top of the weight-loss trend, fast food restaurants haven’t been shy about pushing lower-calorie/less-fat versions of their standard fare. This has been a boon for consumers who don’t want to make drastic changes to eating habits that may already include fast food indulgences. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, fast food diets can actually help some people lose weight, at least in the short term, if the products provide less fat, sugar, sodium and/or fewer calories.
The latest entrant into the fast-food diet wars is Taco Bell, who recently introduced its Drive-Thru Diet, featuring seven “Fresco” menu options with fewer than nine grams of fat. The campaign stars Christine, a woman who lost 54 lbs. in part by switching to Fresco menu items. Marketing is also supported by new media elements, including an online “Frescolution” pledge to eat less and exercise more, a Twitter contest and e-cards to invite friends to take the pledge. Taco Bell even joined forces with the NBA to promote the diet as part of a fit and healthy lifestyle.
The young campaign has already faced some harsh criticism, but by avoiding words like “healthy” or “weight loss,” Taco Bell is in the clear, at least from a legal standpoint. Marketing healthy foods or diets can be fraught with legal and ethical pitfalls. Below are some tips for authentically communicating your foods’ health messages:
- Provide the facts (even the less desirable ones): Your foods may be low in fat, but are they high in sodium? Let consumers know the whole health-related story. And be sure when using testimonials to provide your consumers with details about dietary and lifestyle habits outside of your diet.
- Avoid claims that aren’t substantiated with research: You could be opening yourself up to criticism, or even worse, liability if your claims are not founded on legitimate scientific research. Take the time to research your claims before slapping them on a Web site or billboard.
- Provide context: There’s no official definition of “health food,” so be careful if positioning foods as healthy vs. unhealthy. Instead, be upfront about the foods’ nutritional contents and how they vary from typical offerings.
- Engage a credible third party: Endorsement by a credible health expert can help communicate the real nutritional value of food offerings and convince skeptical consumers. Have a third-party expert serve as a spokesperson, or at least publicly sign-off on your products and promises, for your marketing campaign.
Tags: campaigns nutrition trend health food bestpractices
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What were they UNthinking?
By now, most of us are familiar with the buzz-worthy KFC stunt at the United Nations in New York a few weeks ago. As part of KFC’s “Grilled Nation” campaign to support its new grilled chicken line, the chain has been lobbying the United Nations Secretary General asking that the “Nation” receive a seat at the U.N. table.
Image Credit: ZDNet.com
According to the tongue-in-cheek letter written by KFC President Roger Eaton:
“As Secretary-General, you have pledged to build a ‘stronger United Nations for a better world.’ We at KFC are confident that recognizing Grilled Nation will strengthen your organization and satisfy the stomachs of your many Member States.
While we realize that incorporating Grilled Nation into the UN is a long shot, we hoped to possibly squeeze a chair in between Grenada and Guatemala. We promise to make sure the mashed potatoes get passed to folks from all Member States.”
Okay. Funny, but no real harm.
Until a lighthearted sampling event turned into a security breach when an actor dressed as Col. Sanders was invited into the U.N. for an impromptu photo opp. with new president of the General Assembly, Dr. Ali Treki of Libya. According to KFC, they were spontaneously invited inside by a U.N. staffer. The U.N. is currently investigating.
The reason stunts are tried-and-true PR vehicles is because, when done properly, they can generate a ton of talk-value and buzz. And, the chicken chain and its parent company Yum! Brands are no strangers to outrageous marketing campaigns.
So, what should your criteria be when planning and executing a PR stunt? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Harness the “wow” factor. Memorable events that break through the clutter are outrageous and unique. To create buzz and talk-value, don’t be afraid to think big and be bold.
- Connect the action/event to the brand. A unique, bold event can create a lot of buzz and excitement. But if there’s no brand connection (or a tenuous link), you’re going to lose awareness, create confusion and fail to generate value.
- Keep it simple. The most successful stunts communicate one strong message. Too many storylines dilute the message and leave consumers scratching their heads.
- Prepare, prepare, prepare. As they say, "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." No one wants to put the lives and safety of consumers in danger for the sake of publicity.
Tags: food bestpractices event marketing campaigns
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Digital Download
Your weekly glimpse into the world of new media
Social: Just because your company uses social media, doesn’t mean people are talking about it. Well, burger chain Red Robin and Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati are doing something about that. After taking a post-meal survey in-restaurant, Red Robin invites diners who opt-in to post recommendations on their Facebook pages, which Red Robin then posts on its own page. In a similar call-to-action, Ducati rewards fans who disseminate a branded quiz, found on its new social networking site, with points that can be redeemed at Amazon.com.
Video: Rather than rely on consumer-generated videos to promote its new Fresh Ideas pre-sliced deli meat, food brand Sara Lee went out and hired actresses and comediennes posing as over-worked moms who manage to fit the sandwich meats into their busy days. The three video spots, available on YouTube and Facebook, feature mini, day-in-the-life vignettes of crazed working moms.
Research: Looking to jump on the iPhone app bandwagon? A recent survey from Compete Smartphone Intelligence reports smartphone owners’ favorite types of apps are entertainment, games, music, social networking and weather. Want more good news? Nearly a third (30%) of all smartphone owners are comfortable receiving targeted marketing on their phones.
Mobile: Speaking of apps, Finnish cellphone maker Nokia is promoting its latest customizable phone, the N97, by allowing consumers to create their own apps. Creators of the top 10 apps will win a free phone pre-installed with their creation.
Misstep: New media are rapidly gaining in popularity, but it seems they’re missing the boat when it comes to being a source of daily news. According to the First Amendment Center, Americans still consider traditional media the top source for news. A VERY distant second are the Internet, Twitter and social networks.
Our favorite: Red Robin and Ducati. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Driving fans to your social network is only half the battle. So engage your consumers and put them to work as brand ambassadors.
Tags: digitaldownload socialmedia promotion moms research mobile food
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The Oprah-KFC effect
Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Offer him free fish, and hoards of people will overrun your restaurant so fast you’ll risk food shortages and riots. Or something like that…
It seems there’s no end to restaurants and food brands offering coupons for free meals and products. What’s surprising, however, is just how little the participating companies understand the power of the word “free.” In this economy – or any economy, really – you’ll find people hard-pressed to pass on free food, as any parents visiting their child at college can tell you. Offer to take the roommates to dinner, and suddenly you’re staring at a two-hour wait for a table for 10.
So, why do marketers continue to underestimate the demand? Didn’t the Oprah-KFC incident teach us anything? Apparently, we’re still waiting for the lesson to sink in. Just last week, restaurant chain TGI Friday’s had to face the ire of Facebookers everywhere when coupons for a free Jack Daniel’s burger or chicken sandwich ran out 24 days sooner than expected. To stem the groundswell of negative comments, TGIF hastily extended the promotion. What was initially an offer of free burgers for the first 500,000 Facebook followers of TGIF “fan” Woody, has been opened up to the first million. At the time of this post, Woody is closing in with 970,739 followers.
In a similar incident, Smucker’s launched a promotion offering 20,000 coupons for free packages of Uncrustables Sandwiches. Within hours of going live online, the coupons were gone. The program was slated to run through October, and it didn’t even make it out of September. According to a Smucker’s PR executive, it doesn’t look like the company will make any more coupons available. This hardly seems like a good move, especially as Smucker’s tries to drive moms to its Web site to submit tips on giving their kids and the whole family “a wholesome, satisfying and convenient snack.” Moms can still provide tips, but they shouldn’t expect free sandwiches.
The lesson here? Take a cue from the Oprah-KFC effect. Coupons for free food will inevitably run out – and faster than you think. So, take the time to prepare a contingency that won’t leave consumers feeling cheated. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.
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Tags: Facebook promotion planning economy food
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Give some, get some: The power of sampling
My father is a food broker and represents a new product called Bagel O’s. As brunch items, Bagel O’s are bite-sized, premium, kosher bagels filled with cream cheese. But if you were doing your weekly shopping and saw Bagel-O’s in the freezer section would you buy them? Maybe. Or, maybe not.
In a world where budgets are tight, people want proof before purchasing a new product – especially a new one that promises improvements on an old favorite, like Bagel O’s. Each time you purchase something new you risk hating it and therefore wasting your hard-earned money. Advertising helps and coupons are great, but they aren’t always enough to convince consumers. Sampling, on the other hand, takes the risk out of the equation. Like me, consumers will essentially try anything if it’s free!
But does sampling lead to sales? Is sampling a viable promotion tactic? Research and practical success stories say yes. A study by the Product Sampling Council of the Promotion Marketing Association found nine out of 10 consumers say they would purchase a good or service if they experienced it and were satisfied. And, for Bagel O’s, purchases have tripled during weeks with a four-hour sample campaign and increased sales have continued thereafter. This success isn’t exclusive to Bagel O’s, either. According to the “Report on In-store Sampling Effectiveness,” sampling programs drove a 475 percent sales lift the day of the event, and consumers who sampled an item were 11 percent more likely to purchase it again and six percent more likely to buy another item from the brand franchise.
This kind of sales and brand lift might be just what the doctor ordered as we head toward the holidays. A recent Wall Street Journal article on back-to-school sales indicates consumer confidence is low and individuals remain highly focused on necessities. As the holiday season nears, and consumers dig deep to give their families that little something extra, consider investing in sampling or experiential promotions to make consumers aware of new or re-launched products. Sometimes you really do have to give a little to get a lot.
-- Jillian Wilson Martin, Senior Account Executive
Tags: food branding event economy research
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A recipe for success
Today, everybody’s trying to save a buck, but a guy’s still got to eat. For fast-casual and fast-food chains, it would seem a no-brainer to slash prices on popular offerings and stand back as the crowds rush in. That’s the tact taken by Yum Brands Inc., but the low-priced fare didn’t quite pay off. Taco Bell’s and Pizza Hut’s second-quarter, same-store sales actually declined in spite of economically priced menu items.
So why weren’t consumers attracted to the cheaper eats? According to a recent Performics study, 69 percent of consumers surveyed said they are spending less money on eating out. This means consumers aren’t going to be swayed by low-priced promotions if they are already making a conscious decision to eat more meals at home. In fact, popular restaurant chains are looking to store-bought frozen meals as alternative income. California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks and Burger King are among the many chains with restaurant menu items for sale in supermarkets' frozen food aisles.
But, restaurants can’t rely on packaged foods for long. To woo customers away from their eat-in kitchens, some restaurant chains are looking to draw crowds with incentive programs. Denny’s introduced a Grand Slam Bahamas Vacation Getaway promotion. Customers can earn scratch-off game cards by purchasing special menu items. Prizes range from free food and beverages to a grand-prize Bahamian vacation for two. Or, for the truly daring, Chick-fil-A honored Cow Appreciation Day by offering a free meal to anyone who stopped by its franchises dressed like a cow.
Restaurants are quickly learning that consumers in this economy are changing their habits and saving at unprecedented levels. To move dinnertime out of the house, restaurant chains are going to have to learn to get creative. Price cuts can’t be the only answer. Give consumers a reason to spend their hard-earned money in your restaurant.
Tags: promotion economy food
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Would you like a side of PR with that salad?
You’ve seen the recent media hype around healthy eating, reaching as far as the White House lawn. From locavore Michelle Obama’s latest harvest and the sustainable farming craze, to restaurant calorie-count mandates, nutrition navigation in grocery stores and healthy eating in schools, nutrition trends are top-of-mind for everybody. And, there is no lack of media interest in health-related products, expert advice and educational tools to satiate an overweight America hungry for change.
Because consumers have been flooded with information and tools to make positive lifestyle changes, products making health and nutrition claims are under increased scrutiny and held to stricter standards by watchdog groups, public officials and the media. Any misstep in messaging could spur questions around authenticity and harm your brand image. So how do PR professionals leverage this healthy trend in an authentic and impactful way?
Here are some keys to success in health- and nutrition-related media outreach:
- Partner with a credible third-party spokesperson in the field of health and/or nutrition. If you’re considering a celebrity, be sure you look closely at products they have endorsed in the past to be sure there is no conflict of interest. For maximum impact and credibility, choose a spokesperson with scientific- and/or nutrition-related credentials who can easily answer tough health questions and bridge back to your product. (Oh, and message train, message train, message train!)
- Distinguish your fans from your critics, both in the media and within the industry. Before pitching reporters or influencers, research the articles they’ve recently written and determine if they have a positive or negative slant on either your product or brand, or on similar health claims or products. Unwittingly pitching a critic can result in negative publicity, so choose your battles carefully.
- Determine what differentiates your brand from your competitors. Make differentiating factors key highlights in your external messaging so you can shine where others fall short. When pitching reporters, pay close attention to how they position your competition and see where you can offer a better solution. (Be careful of your positioning though, nobody likes a mud-slinger!)
- Back your product claims with clear scientific data (published studies are preferred). There are many controversial products and services on the market that tout a health benefit but have been attacked in the media for lack of scientific evidence to support their claims. Avoid this fate by substantiating health claims with credible scientific evidence that proves the efficacy of your product. In addition, leverage new research and studies being published by your organization or by reputable stakeholders when pitching to add weight to your product’s claims.
- Remember, it’s all in the delivery. When it comes to nutrition, journalists aren’t focused on pedaling your product, but are looking for viable tips and tools that will truly help their readers live a healthier lifestyle. If your product doesn’t have them sold from the start, offer a less commercial approach through expert interviews or healthy eating tips, which lend support to your product and health message, but packages it in a more palatable way.
- Be as transparent as possible, and always be proactive. It is much easier to get in front of an issue relating to your brand and proactively present the facts than to react to harmful media coverage that misrepresents your brand. Perception is reality and this is particularly true in the healthy eating space.
-- Jordan Salvatoriello, Account Supervisor
Tags: clients nutrition food bestpractices health PR wellness
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What’s the most offensive ad of all time?
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Words to live by for the Burger King advertising folks. The latest entry in a long line of Burger King ads offending consumers takes aim at the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. She is featured sitting atop a ham sandwich in an in-store advertisement captioned, “a snack that is sacred.” Burger King quickly removed the ad after many complaints that it was offensive toward Hindus, many of whom are vegetarians.
But, Burger King is not new to the controversial advertising tactic. Anyone remember the “I like square butts” commercial? If you don’t, it’s probably because it was pulled from the air shortly after its debut, blamed for being sexually overt and targeted toward children. And, how could we overlook the recent BK Super Seven Incher ad?
All this talk of distasteful Burger King ads got us thinking. What’s the most offensive advertisement of all time? We took a quick office poll.
Here are some of our top picks:
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Carl’s Jr. “Paris Hilton Car Wash” commercial
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GM “Robot Suicide Dream” commercial
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GoDaddy.com “Congressional Wardrobe Malfunction” commercial
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Motrin “Mom” commercial
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Pepsi Max “Suicidal Calorie” ad
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Quizno’s “Toasty Torpedo” commercial
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Snickers “Mechanics Kiss” commercial
And, an oldie, but a goodie:
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Marlboro cigarettes baby ad
What’s your pick for most offensive advertisement of all time?
Tags: advertising campaigns food
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A Late-Night Snack Smackdown
In the battle for Millennials with the midnight munchies, who’s going to win out?
In one corner you have 56-year-old fast-casual heavyweight Denny’s. Standing opposite, at 47 years old, is Yum Brands’ fast-food stalwart Taco Bell. Odds-makers might give the nod to the Bell, as Denny’s continues to lose late-night customers who prefer to "think outside the bun."
But before you place your bets, check this out—Denny’s has a little star power for a cornerman. For the last year, the chain has run its "Allnighter" program, which adopts up-and-coming musicians, provides them with $1,000 in Denny’s gift cards and invites them to create special late-night menu options. Denny’s then uses its social media platforms to advertise the bands’ after-parties and menu items. Alumni include Rascal Flats, Katy Perry and Good Charlotte.
Not to be outdone, however, is the creator of the "Fourthmeal,"—for those who can’t face the foodless hours between dinner and breakfast. Taco Bell’s latest campaign features the video, "It’s All About the Roosevelts," which debuted in movie theaters last week airing before "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." With "Saturday Night Live"’s Andy Samberg and his "Digital Shorts" as its muse, the video features a rap star talking-up the chain’s late-night menu, which can be purchased for only a few "Roosevelts," or dimes.
Both campaigns are heavy on the social media—each features its own microsite—including video downloads, Twitter campaigns and mobile apps. So, this is sure to be a tough bout. Denny’s has the celebrities, but Taco Bell has the reputation. Only time, and the much sought-after youth market, will tell.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
Tags: celebrity socialmedia Millennials campaigns food
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Health, Wellness and Sustainability
More than ever before, consumers are concerned about the foods they choose for themselves and their families, and are savvier about nutrition and the effect of foods on their health and well-being. But today’s consumers are not only making food choices based upon nutritional attributes and benefits, they are also increasingly focused on a diet that is “good for you” and for the planet. The “green movement” is impacting the purchasing decisions of a growing population and will have a tremendous impact on the future of the food environment—for consumers and the food industry alike. Now is the time for brands to assess their practices and identify opportunities for greening their business.
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Tags: sustainability nutrition food health wellness
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