The restaurant industry was struggling at the end of 2017, and a number of chicken-focused brands had entered, crowding the already competitive QSR market. Golden Chick was ready to do something different to stand out in a sea of discounts and promotional messages.
Despite 50 years of consistent brand growth, our research revealed that less than 10 percent of the regional brand’s customers were first time guests. The good news: once someone tried Golden Chick, they were highly likely to come back. Qualitative and quantitative research showed the chain scored high marks relating to both quality and healthy, versus several other chicken restaurant brands.
We encouraged the client to shift focus to their top two drivers — Golden Chick’s Original Golden Tenders (made with 100% pure tenderloin and marinated for 24 hours), and their fresh-baked rolls — and lean in to their commitment to quality. We knew if we could get people to try Golden Chick, the product would sell itself.
We needed creative that would take this quality message to the masses. Enter the Golden Chick food trailer and our stand-up interviewer, Marty. The One Taste and You’re Golden campaign used humor and mouth-watering food photography to introduce Golden Chick to new customers and remind lapsed customers why they loved the brand. With the help of our man on the street, the spots captured authentic, in-the-moment reactions of people tasting Golden Chick for the first time, as well as brand fans trying out new menu items. An updated music track from our own Luminous Sound repackaged our established brand jingle.
The update included new packaging to emulate the look and feel of the One Taste and You’re Golden food trailer, calling out the tagline and quality cues.
Today, system-wide sales have never been higher. Approaching their 200th store, the brand recently ranked in the top half of Restaurant Business’ Top 500 and was named a Next Gen brand by Nation’s Restaurant News.
– Howard Terry, Chief Marketing Officer, Golden Chick
We challenge underdog brands to think differently. We help them find their voice, and urge them to blaze new trails to make sure they stand out from the pack. Whether you need an agency of record or support on a project, we are here to help you win.
