Impossible Foods said today that its flagship product, the plant-based meat alternative, the Impossible Burger, will be available in 777 additional markets across California, Nevada and the greater Chicago area this week. While the food-tech company had planned an aggressive retail expansion in 2020, Impossible said it fast-tracked the schedule after widespread shelter-in-place orders due…
Potbelly was on its way to a new era. The sandwich chain had found a new CMO in Brandon Rhoten, the digital marketing pioneer who’d turned Wendy’s into one of the most dominant social media voices in the brand universe. He had led an extensive research project that uncovered a key growth opportunity, and new…
Dust off those thinking caps, students, and solve some algebraic equations or fill in the blanks of Shakespearean soliloquies-because there’s a free Whopper in it for you if you do. Burger King, which recently tweaked its nickname to be the “Stay Home of the Whopper” to encourage fans to order delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic,…
For many, a trip to the grocery store–formerly routine, carried out mindlessly–has become an anxiety-inducing experience due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Shoppers are concerned about maintaining social distance in crowded aisles and whether those cans of peas have been properly disinfected. That’s if they can find what they need, as panic buyers have left…
Processed Philly cheesesteak filler doesn’t normally exude an aura of clarity, reason or truthfulness, but this is 2020, and normalcy has temporarily ceased to exist. Instead, our timeline has been disrupted by a global pandemic, to which we’ve responded with a collective groan. Steak-umm emerging as a woke beacon of light in an online sea…
It’s your civic duty to take up semi-permanent residence on your sofa and eat fast food. Binge watching is optional. This message doesn’t come from the White House or your local elected officials (and certainly not your doctor). It’s from Burger King, whose new spot puts a cheeky spin on the current shelter-in-place mandates and…
Like other businesses, the fast-casual sector is being challenged right now as public policy around COVID-19 has dining rooms closed. As of this writing, according to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry as a whole may lose out on $225 billion in sales, and there could be several million job losses over the next…
In an open letter released today, Restaurant Brands International CEO Jose Cil laid out how the company’s three restaurant chains–Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Hortons–would respond to the coronavirus epidemic. For U.S.-based chains Popeyes and Burger King, employees at corporate-owned restaurants in North America will get 14 days of paid sick leave if they are…
Advertising in the quarantine era is no simple task. Many companies are simply closed for business, meaning there’s not much to advertise anyway. And those that do still have things to promote have to walk a delicate line of sensitivity, with tremendous brand risk for those who botch their messaging during these unprecedented times. Burger…
Paloma Azulay was quietly appointed Popeyes global chief marketing officer in January, and stepped into the role last month. Prior to that, she was global CMO for another of Restaurant Brands International’s iconic chains: Tim Hortons, the beloved Canada-based coffee-centric fast-food chain. In her relatively new role, Azulay is reporting directly to Fernando Machado, who…
With pretty much every live sport canceled for now, AB InBev is shifting its sponsorship strategy. The world’s largest brewer is also the United States’ biggest sponsor of sports and entertainment, and with everything gone dark or digital, the company made a quick pivot. Channeling the same we’re-all-in-it-together energy that Budweiser brought to this year’s…
The praise for Guinness was effusive and abundant. The brand had created a flawless marketing move aimed at keeping people quarantined at home rather than out spreading the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Just one problem: The brand had nothing to do with it. The digital poster, which creates a negative-space outline of a pint glass…
The world’s largest beer and spirits companies have both announced they’ll be pivoting some of their production and logistics to produce millions of bottles of hand sanitizer around the world. The moves come as many brands look at ways to mobilize their extensive resources to help battle the global spread of the coronavirus that causes…
While the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act signed into law on Wednesday contains provisions that help small businesses, the International Franchise Association said it also exacerbates their cash flow problems during this trying period. The trade association is asking the government for $300 billion in liquidity for small businesses–of which eateries constitute the largest number–to…
When New York City ordered bars and restaurants to close or solely offer takeout and delivery starting last Sunday, executive chef Diego Moya of Tribeca bistro Racines NY faced a tough decision. He and his team decided a to-go model wasn’t viable and posed potential health risks, so the restaurant has gone into “hibernation”–it’s closed…
As most states have instituted various COVID-19 containment measures, restaurants and bars have consistently been some of the first businesses to be hit hard. In some states, they’ve been closed entirely, while others have eased liquor laws to allow takeout sales. In areas where service continues, bar and restaurant staff face are seeing half-sized crowds…
Sometimes you want to soak in the artisanally crafted ambience of a barista-curated caffeine experience. But sometimes you just want coffee. In its newest spot from Leo Burnett London, McDonald’s McCaf? brand once again takes some shots at gourmet coffee shops, where it’s shockingly easy to spend more than $5 (or in this case 5.30…
In my view, a good CMO needs to be doing two things at the same time. First, you need to drive sales. I doubt any CMO will last too long if the brand is tanking in sales. Second, you need to make your brand “future-proof.” The general rule is that the pressure you will get…
You really should watch this ad from Burger King France. Or don’t. It’s entirely up to you, because, as the fast food giant says in 45 thoroughly relatable seconds, there’s far too much unsolicited advice coming at you on any given day. Take the star of this commercial, for instance. A constant drumbeat of “helpful”…
Jimmy John’s today announced that Darin Dugan will be the sandwich chain’s new chief marketing officer. Dugan brings a wide range of experience in food marketing to the brand. Most recently, he served as vice president of marketing for Sonic Drive-In. Prior to that, Dugan held a senior position at Applebee’s and spent more than…
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
