Article

Whataburger's new campaign shows customer perspective

Chain's first new marketing message in nine years coincides with launch of All-Time Favorites menu.

October 11, 2011 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Texas-based Whataburger didn't create a Facebook page until April. The brand's devoted customers responded to the move immediately, with more than 200,000 followers "liking" the page within a month.

That loyalty provided the company with some confidence as it debuted a new marketing campaign this week for the first time in nine years, according to Rich Scheffler, group director of marketing.

The new, documentary-style campaign is a shift from Whataburger's longstanding message, which featured a Texas-accented commentator wittingly talking up the brand's signature menu items.

The footage, developed with the help of Austin, Texas-based McGarrah-Jessee, showcases questions posed to both employees and customers, such as "What makes Whataburger special to you?" In total, 138 hours of footage from 20 different locations needed to be sifted through.

"The documentary-style opens the door for us to have honest feedback. We went into this without any script and what we've come out with is really a mix of answers about everything that makes Whataburger special. We let customers and team members tell the story and it felt like a natural place to go," Scheffler said.

Even though the spots highlight customers' perspectives, food remains a strong focus. The ads provide a behind-the-counter look at employees working the grill and slicing vegetables, for example.

"Everything we do comes back to food. But this time it varies from person to person. So someone may come to Whataburger for breakfast, while others come for a burger or for the service because a team member may know their order by heart. There is a balance. It's not just us talking this time," Scheffler said.

Expanding the message across different platforms

Whataburger's new campaign will be communicated across TV, radio, outdoor and online advertising platforms, as well as public relations and social media. The message also grows the brand's presence in digital media and mobile marketing, with interactive ads on Hulu and Facebook.

"We've been in the digital and mobile spaces before, but now we're really focusing there and adapting to how consumers are getting their information today. This new approach has allowed us to shift as the market shifts," Scheffler said.

Whataburger is also expanding its reach into the Spanish-speaking demographic, with a separate TV and radio campaign created by San Antonio-based FPO Marketing. There are a total of eight ads in rotation for the English campaign and seven for the Spanish-language campaign.

The Spanish-language spots are also documentary-style. However, they are not a straight translation of the English campaign, but rather a parallel effort focusing on real Spanish-speaking customers and employees.

"We've done Spanish-language spots before, but they were adaptations of what we were doing on the English side and just on radio," Scheffler said. "The new campaign is an entirely dedicated Hispanic campaign. It's not an adaptation. It's truly culturally relevant."

Scheffler added that it was important for the company to have this separate campaign because the Spanish-speaking demographic is particularly prevalent in the 10 states Whataburger serves, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

"Considering the make up of our market, it is the right time to place a focus on the Spanish-speaking demographic. They really help drive our business and this documentary-style concept lends itself well to extending the campaign in such a way," he said.

Coinciding with the All-Time Favorite menu launch

Just a few days after Whataburger announced the new marketing campaign, the chain launched a new All-Time Favorites menu, featuring the Whataburger Patty Melt, the Chop House Cheddar Burger, the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich and the A.1. Thick & Hearty Burger.

Prior to this rollout, all four items were the chain's most popular limited-time offers. However, they never appeared on the menu at the same time. They are now available for an "unforeseeable amount of time," Scheffler said.

The marketing campaign and All-Time Favorites menu were purposefully introduced at the same time.

"We think the campaign and menu complemented each other very well and it was the right time to do both. These menu items generate our highest LTO sales and once their five to six weeks' time is up, our customers always request their return," Scheffler said. "This was happening long before Facebook and it's an example of what our fans find special about Whataburger. Their pride is evident. This new campaign is our way of bringing that pride to life."

Check out one of the ads in Whataburger's new campaigns here.

Read more about marketing campaigns.

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