Article

Checkers/Rally’s unveils new digital campaigns

January 20, 2011 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. has launched a robust digital campaign that includes new websites for both its Checkers and Rally’s brands, a mobile web companion and franchise sales components.

The site’s design highlights national promotions with rotating vignettes, and features an interactive food story and menu, a restaurant locator, and market-specific pages that allow franchisee groups to control their own content and promotions.

With this digital launch, the company also has finally jumped on the Facebook bandwagon. Prior to this launch, there were two Checkers-based pages, but they were created and managed by fans.

“Thanks to these fans, the brand has had a social presence. However, it wasn’t until the recent digital campaign launch that Checkers started to communicate directly with consumers via social media,” said Terri Snyder, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Checkers. “The fans agreed to hand over the Facebook page and we had a great head start when it came time to launch this month.”

That “great head start” equates to 75,000 fans within the first couple of weeks.

The new campaign aims to tap directly into this growing customer base. For example, the Checkers/Rally’s Facebook page features a new promotional game, “Fry Love,” in which fans can receive a free french fry coupon simply by “liking” the brand.

In addition to Facebook, the company’s new media strategy includes Twitter, YouTube and Foursqure.

Also, a digital campaign wouldn’t be complete without a mobile component. Users who visit Checkers or Rally’s pages on their mobile phones will receive a tailored experience designed for their device. The component allows them to quickly access nearby restaurants, menu items and current promotions.

Another Checkers/Rally’s promotion being leveraged by its new digital campaign is the “Flavorhood,” a communication platform that was established to keep consumers informed on the latest promotions coupons, news and contests via e-mail and text messaging and social media vehicles.

Act now, or get left behind

Checkers has been planning to beef up its digital efforts for some time now; however it wasn’t until the company conducted a large scale, web-based survey of its consumers when it realized the sooner it could bring these efforts to fruition, the better.

“We learned that if we didn’t act now, we’d be left behind,” Snyder said. “The survey results proved that our consumers are heavily engrossed in digital, social and mobile mediums. The data made it easy to sell-in the idea internally, as well as provide a roadmap for our campaign planning.”

The survey was conducted by Checkers’ digital agency, MODE, based out of Charlotte, N.C., which also created the entire platform – from the franchise component on the website to the mobile locator. Checkers named MODE as its digital agency in March 2010 and began getting the ball rolling on this initiative shortly thereafter.

“The new campaign we’ve created for Checkers and Rally’s has established a unique digital presence for the brand that truly resonates with fans,” said Tyler Hawes, partner and interactive director for MODE. “Digital proved to be the perfect medium to execute the company’s localized marketing strategies and we’ve already received an extremely positive response from the thousands of fans.”

Part of the bigger plan

The company’s initial objective with the digital rollout is simple: to grow. But, as Snyder points out, not doing so at a pace that waters down quality conversations.

“We want to learn about what our consumers want before setting any major goals,” Snyder said. “We will look to our other communication touch points to help attract additional fans once we fully grasp what our consumers are looking for from us.”

The new media growth will complement Checkers’ overall strategy to expand its footprint by 25 percent through 2013.

Currently, there are more than 800 Checkers units throughout the U.S. The company plans to add several new development agreements to the New York, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, N.C., Providence, R.I., and Orlando, Fla., markets.

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