CHICK-FIL-A
THE PROBLEM: How do you convince consumers to try a “healthier” tastey chicken sandwich instead of buying “fast food?” SOLUTION: Cause a spectacle
Background
Chick-fil-A’s signature product is the chicken sandwich, served primarily during the lunchtime daypart. This means the restaurant chain competes on one of the fiercest battlegrounds – the fast food restaurant market. When compared to giants such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s, Chick-filA is outnumbered in store count nearly 4 to 1 and outspent in media tenfold. Moreover, each of these chains has already etched distinct images in the minds of consumers. The vast majority of fast food outlets sell hamburgers as their primary food product, and usually resort to price promotions and movie tie-ins to attract customers. This competition has had a profound effect on business. Industry-wide flat pricing and rapid store growth have held average sales increases to under 2% a store for several years running. In contrast, Chick-fil-A’s attraction is not price or convenience, but the taste of their chicken sandwiches – a “healthier” alternative to hamburgers. In test research surveys, consumers spoke quite favorably about the chain’s product during aided brand awareness. Faced with these “David vs. Goliath” odds, Chick-fil-A gave its advertising agency, The Richards Group, a tough assignment – develop an integrated advertising and marketing campaign that clearly positions Chick-fil-A as a preferred alternative …show more content…
The market for chicken is skewed slightly adult, more female, and with a higher level of education and income than the hamburger market. Customers have a more active lifestyle and are likely to be in white-collar jobs. Mindful of these demographics, Chick-fil-A avoided the usual fast food locations to build its restaurants. Instead it chose to operate in suburban malls and neighborhoods with a high concentration of its target customers.
Results
And how were the results? As the Chikin’s copywriter might say – Stewpendus! During the Eat Mor Chikin campaign, same store sales were up four times over the industry average: Chick-fil-A vs. Industry Same Store Sales Chick-fil-A Stores Fast Food Industry +6.31% +1.0% Even more important, this rate of growth was three times greater than the rate Chick-fil-A stores had experienced immediately prior to the campaign: Chick-fil-A Same Store Sales July-August (campaign) January-June (pre-campaign) +6.31% +1.67% In addition, awareness and trial exceeded the marketing goals.
Creative
THE PROBLEM: How do you convince consumers to try a “healthier” tastey chicken sandwich instead of buying “fast food?” SOLUTION: Cause a spectacle
Background
Chick-fil-A’s signature product is the chicken sandwich, served primarily during the lunchtime daypart. This means the restaurant chain competes on one of the fiercest battlegrounds – the fast food restaurant market. When compared to giants such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s, Chick-filA is outnumbered in store count nearly 4 to 1 and outspent in media tenfold. Moreover, each of these chains has already etched distinct images in the minds of consumers. The vast majority of fast food outlets sell hamburgers as their primary food product, and usually resort to price promotions and movie tie-ins to attract customers. This competition has had a profound effect on business. Industry-wide flat pricing and rapid store growth have held average sales increases to under 2% a store for several years running. In contrast, Chick-fil-A’s attraction is not price or convenience, but the taste of their chicken sandwiches – a “healthier” alternative to hamburgers. In test research surveys, consumers spoke quite favorably about the chain’s product during aided brand awareness. Faced with these “David vs. Goliath” odds, Chick-fil-A gave its advertising agency, The Richards Group, a tough assignment – develop an integrated advertising and marketing campaign that clearly positions Chick-fil-A as a preferred alternative …show more content…
The market for chicken is skewed slightly adult, more female, and with a higher level of education and income than the hamburger market. Customers have a more active lifestyle and are likely to be in white-collar jobs. Mindful of these demographics, Chick-fil-A avoided the usual fast food locations to build its restaurants. Instead it chose to operate in suburban malls and neighborhoods with a high concentration of its target customers.
Results
And how were the results? As the Chikin’s copywriter might say – Stewpendus! During the Eat Mor Chikin campaign, same store sales were up four times over the industry average: Chick-fil-A vs. Industry Same Store Sales Chick-fil-A Stores Fast Food Industry +6.31% +1.0% Even more important, this rate of growth was three times greater than the rate Chick-fil-A stores had experienced immediately prior to the campaign: Chick-fil-A Same Store Sales July-August (campaign) January-June (pre-campaign) +6.31% +1.67% In addition, awareness and trial exceeded the marketing goals.
Creative