Category: Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR

NC Sweeps 2019 James Beard Nominations

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On February 27, 2019, the James Beard Foundation announced its coveted list of Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists for 2019. 

…and boy, did North Carolina talent make an appearance!

Occasionally dubbed the “Oscars” of the culinary realm, the James Beard Award program recognizes the outstanding achievements of food and beverage professionals throughout the United States. The awards present a cornerstone in the foundation’s mission to “celebrate, nurture and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse and sustainable for everyone.”

Here in North Carolina, we’re privileged, thrilled, jazzed, pumped, sha-zammed (you name it!) to enjoy a rich culinary scene — from fine dining to craft breweries to original concepts that blend ethnic fusions.

So we want to give a huge shout out to the shining list of North Carolina food and beverage stars who were named 2019 James Beard semifinalists!

Best Chef: Southeast

Best New Restaurant

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer

Outstanding Pastry Chef

From beer to BBQ, from fine dining to fish and seafood, the powerhouses run the gamut of mouthwatering cuisine. Congratulations to all of you! (And we’re already planning our next trips to your establishments!)

Written by Clairemont Intern Ru Wolle, a senior at NCSU. 
Photos from Canva.

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Best of 2018: Top 3 Marketing Campaigns

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As 2018 comes to a close, it’s important to highlight some of the most creative campaigns within the public relations, advertising and marketing industries. Perhaps this stems from my love of food, but my top three campaigns happen to be within the culinary industry.

1. IHOP

On June 4, 2018, IHOP told the world via Twitter it would be changing its name to IHOb. After one long week of speculation in regards to what the “b” would stand for, it released that the International House of Pancakes was now the International House of Burgers. IHOP, a haven for breakfast lovers with its fluffy buttermilk pancakes smothered in maple syrup, suggested that it would be parting ways with this fan-favorite.

IHOb later reassured concerned customers that pancakes wouldn’t be going anywhere, but that the company was firing up its grills and adding ultimate steakburgers to its menu. Little did we know that the name IHOb wasn’t here to stay. It was only a marketing ploy and a genius one at that.

This campaign is extremely memorable, even to someone like myself who hasn’t been to IHOP in several years, which is why I believe it ranks as the top marketing campaign of the year. Additionally, IHOP reached nearly 4 billion social media users by using Twitter to release this campaign, and its burger sales have quadrupled.

2. KFC

Believe it or not, some of the best marketing campaigns originate from mistakes. In the United Kingdom, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) experienced a chicken shortage. Yep, you read that right; a fast food company whose menu consists of all things chicken ran out of chicken. KFC’s crisis management team responded by rearranging its letters and released an advertisement that read “FCK, We’re Sorry.”

The chicken shortage was caused by issues with DHL, the company’s delivery service. As a result, hundreds of KFC locations shut down throughout the U.K., causing major backlash from hungry customers. The hashtag #KFCCrisis was trending on social media, and some KFC lovers even tried to get the police involved.

The chicken deficiency impacted stores for a week, which warranted an apology from the company. KFC decided to publish a full page print ad in The Sun and Metro, U.K.’s best-selling newspaper. KFC fans took the apology well and praised the company for its witty response to a serious matter.

3. McDonald’s 

For International Women’s Day on March 8, 2018, McDonald’s decided to flip its famous golden arches upside down to form a “W” to recognize women around the world for all of their hard work and accomplishments.

The fast food company also pushed out this campaign by changing its packaging from displaying the standard “M” to “W”, as well as its logo on employee uniforms in 100 stores across the United States. It used social media to engage its consumers and to generate awareness of the campaign and International Women’s Day as a whole.

This campaign reached 1.6 billion people and increased sales significantly. It received some repercussions, however, regarding whether it was intended to promote social justice or only to increase sales. Regardless, this campaign sparked conversation about International Women’s Day and gave women much needed recognition.

We’ve seen some of the best marketing campaigns so far in 2018, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for next year. Bring it on, 2019.

Written by Clairemont Intern Anna Ostrowski, a senior at UNC.
All photos from Unsplash.com

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Domino’s: Paving the Way?

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What does it take to really connect with your audience?

The pizza giant, Domino’s, announced a new initiative to smooth out the streets by filling potholes across the country. They dubbed it “Paving for Pizza,” and it has garnered massive attention. But is it merely a PR tactic?

Not necessarily. An organization can truly care about its customers.

Corporate social responsibility, or “CSR,” means that a company strives for ethical business practices, works with the local community and builds relationships with its employees and customers. There are teams of people that work long hours trying to build a relationship between an organization and their audience. That’s where PR takes the wheel.

CSR isn’t a new strategy. Think of McDonald’s Ronald McDonald House, TOMS and Warby Parker. They all contribute to the community through their business strategies. So what made this PR move by Domino’s so enticing to the country?

Here are a few things they did and you can do to craft your next successful CSR campaign.

1. Connect the business to a meaningful cause. 

Infrastructure has been a hot topic in politics for a long time. Deteriorating roads frustrate everyone, including the local pizza delivery boy. Domino’s strategically leveraged a common cause that relates to a wide audience, forging a connection, spotlighting its brand and sparking interest. 

2. Stay true to your brand.

Domino’s has offered cheeky “carryout insurance” since late last year, and if you peruse the company’s social media, you’ll see playful, emoji-heavy accounts. Even though it is a large corporation doing a public service, Domino’s is staying true to its playful and fun voice.

3. Make it interactive.

People don’t just want to know what’s happening; they want to be a part of the action. Domino’s has opened up an opportunity for customers to nominate their own city for a pothole makeover. They also developed an interactive Pothole Impact Meter so you can see first-hand just how ravaged the pizzas are by potholes. By engaging its audience, Domino’s is creating an opportunity to draw people in and and get them talking.

Photo by Domino’s Pizza

4. Be honest.

Don’t promise something you can’t or won’t do. It will backfire. Just days after announcing its campaign, Domino’s had already fixed potholes in Texas, Delaware, Georgia and California. Honesty is always the best policy and will ensure that your audience maintains trust in you and your brand.

What do you think of Domino’s creative CSR campaign? Was it half-baked or perfectly cooked?

Drop us a line if you’re looking for some creative juices for your organization!

Written by intern Yasmine Evans, a senior at NC State University.

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Burger King, the Humor King

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , , , Leave a Comment on Burger King, the Humor King

If ever there was a prize for a bait-and-switch in the restaurant industry, IHOP just took home the gold.

The breakfast joint ditched its famous Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity pancake meal in favor of a different kind of combo — burgers and fries. And this wasn’t just a small tweak in the menu. The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) revamped its entire identity to become the International House of Burgers, or IHOB.

Twitter raved over Wendy’s classic response to a new player in this fast-food fight. Certainly, IHOB’s new focus might pose a threat to “the real OG,” as one Twitter user dubbed Wendy’s. But another franchise stood more to lose by simple virtue of its name.

Burger King.

In many circumstances, sheer interest in a new restaurant might have threatened Burger King’s brand recognition. But with a little quick thinking, Burger King’s marketing team leveraged a bold response to secure its market share. Well hello, humor.

What can you learn for your own business?

The Magic of Brand Humor

Your brand isn’t a logo or slogan. As we’ve mentioned in other blogs, a brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It’s a feeling, an experience. And it springs from qualities resembling human characteristics, like “creative,” “tenacious,” “bold,” “playful” or “witty.” Just like people, every brand has a humorous streak in its “personality,”  albeit of different tones and varieties. And at the end of the day, people want to connect with people, not brands. So tap into your brand’s distinct flavor of wit to forge a deeper connection with your fans, customers and followers.

Finding Your Funny

Brainstorm qualities that unveil your brand’s lighthearted side. Are you the quiet, dry type? The bold jokester? The playful pal? Humor doesn’t necessarily need to tie directly to your product or service; it simply can identify you as a dynamic company with a witty, engaged staff unafraid to push the boundaries. Others feel welcome to interact and express themselves in your conversation. Explore voicing your sense of humor through a variety of mediums, from a parody video to — yes, indeed — even a quippy cat meme.

Wield Wit with Care

As Forbes points out, effective brand humor can be a fine line to walk. Heavy-handed jokes can easily backfire when they cross the line into demeaning sarcasm. Keep close tabs on the tenor of your communication and seek an inclusive rather than exclusive tone. While it feels lighthearted and spontaneous, well-honed brand humor requires significant thought and planning to craft a streamlined output. When in doubt, consult a communication professional as you develop your brand voice.

At Clairemont, we help our clients craft a compelling brand voice that connects with the personality — the hearts — of their audiences. Learn more about honing your brand!

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Clairemont Foodie Takes Charleston

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The landing page of the 2018 Charleston Wine and Food Festival captures it all.

Fueled by a contagious passion for the people and places that make Charleston worth celebrating, the annual festival infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, and food enthusiasts from around the globe for a five-day event that spans the first full weekend each March. 

That’s it exactly. The love of food, the talent and passion behind it is contagious … which is one of the reasons we love working the restaurant and hospitality industry.

This year, Clairemont CEO Dana Phelps Hughens will be one of our local ambassadors to the Charleston Wine and Food Festival (CWFF) on February 28 – March 4, 2018! She’ll be sampling flavors and fare, and meeting new friends and old at the festival’s five-day packed schedule. In addition to our favorite Charleston buddies like the Cocktail Bandits, we’re excited to support the stunning Triangle talent featured this year!

We’ll share all the behind-the-scenes goodies we can find! Check them out on our Facebook page!  

 

 

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