What is in this article?:
- Top 5 restaurant marketing campaigns of 2012
- Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme leverage quality
- KFC grows up, Olive Garden eyes younger market
This article is part of the 2012: Year in Review series from Nation's Restaurant News, which recaps notable news from the restaurant industry over the past year. This article can also be found in the Dec. 17 issue of Nation's Restaurant News. Subscribe here.
Even as some restaurant brands broke their most forward-looking marketing campaigns in the digital and mobile space in 2012, several of the industry’s largest chains proved the enduring power of television advertising as an effective medium. Here's a look at some of the year’s top campaigns, from Burger King, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, KFC and Olive Garden.
Burger King’s ‘exciting’ commercials
When Burger King launched its overhauled menu in April, the Miami-based chain sought to make a big splash with new television commercials developed around a tagline, “Exciting things are happening at Burger King.” But assuming that viewers would not take the slogan at face value from the spots’ fictional manager, Burger King enlisted celebrity endorsers, including soccer star David Beckham, comedian Jay Leno and Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler. Actresses Salma Hayek and Sofia Vergara starred in Spanish-language versions. While famous spokespeople drive up the costs for ad campaigns, they appeared to pay dividends for Burger King, whose same-store sales rose all year.
