The month of June marks 20 years since The LOOMIS Agency rolled out its advertising campaign for Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council featuring the iconic tagline sing-out, “DQ, That’s What I Like About Texas™.” For the 20th anniversary of the campaign, DQ® restaurants in Texas are introducing a fresh new face and voice behind the music. Country music star Josh Abbott is taking the stage, and his band is driving the beat for the brand with an updated rendition of a jingle that’s become famous in The Lone Star State.
“As a native Texan, I am very familiar with the brand. As a kid, Dairy Queen was the place I went for a sweet treat or a Hungr-Buster or my favorite, Steak Fingers,” said Abbott. “When I think of DQ restaurants in Texas, obviously I think of the jingle. When I first got the call about recording the iconic jingle, I thought that was cool. There’s a big responsibility to staying true to the roots, but also invoke the sound of our band. You will hear my voice as well as the banjo and fiddle in this new version. We are excited for Texans to hear it and maybe we’ll run into DQ fans grabbing a Blizzard while we are on tour.”
“It feels like we planted an oak tree 20 years ago with this campaign,” said Mike Sullivan, LOOMIS president & CEO. “The campaign perfectly captures the soul of the DQ brand in Texas, which is why it’s been such a strong and durable performer all these years. Adding Josh to the mix helps us move the campaign forward and connect with customers in a whole new way.”
Updated television commercials featuring monthly food and treat promotions signing off with Josh Abbott’s sing-out are the foundation of the campaign. Digital support, including robust social media from DQ® restaurants in Texas with contributions from Josh Abbott on his social platforms, extends campaign reach as do radio flights and select print features. LOOMIS functions as the region’s out-sourced marketing department, and the agency is also heavily involved with initiatives like menu design and optimization, product development and testing, packaging, and POP material development and production. Public relations are handled by Aardvark Communications.
When LOOMIS began working with the Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council in 2002, the 592-unit chain was struggling with poor systemwide sales performance and store closures across the state. In the ensuing years, the agency helped reverse sales declines and revitalize the system, taking the Texas region from lagging to leading the American Dairy Queen system in sales performance.
