Casual-dining chain The Greene Turtle has launched a media campaign to promote its repositioning, including two television ads and a radio spot intended to indicate to its customers in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware that it’s more than a traditional sports bar.
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One television ad, “Team,” features parents bringing groups of kids into the restaurant after a game to enjoy The Greene Turtle’s food and drinks.
Another commercial, “Compete,” highlights the bar scene, with adults jocularly arguing and otherwise being boisterous as upscale-looking appetizers and entrées are being served.
Both spots end with the 33-unit chain’s new tagline: “Feed your passion.”
So does the radio spot, promoting new items and a two-for-$14.99 special that allows customers to buy burgers, sandwiches and entrées at that price.
“Last November we started the process of brand repositioning, and this is the culmination of all that work,” said Chris Janush, The Greene Turtle’s vice president of marketing.
David Melnick, vice president and director of account management of Siquis, the agency that spearheaded the rebranding effort and produced the commercials, said The Greene Turtle’s repositioning was intended to define it as a sports bar not only for spectators, but also for participants, including little league or junior soccer teams as well as recreational adult teams. “This really becomes your gathering place or your clubhouse,” he said.
“We often talk about the daytime Turtle and the nighttime Turtle,” Melnick added. “We wanted to have two different spots that capture those specific audiences."
“Team” is intended to convey the chain’s daytime vibe as a place for lunch, dessert or a snack, and “Compete” is going after the nighttime bar scene crowd.
Janush said the brand repositioning also involved the launching of a new menu this month, adding that the commercials were meant to show activity in the kitchen as well as the bar and to show more than guys in a bar watching a game.
About 75 percent of the items have been reworked or are new, he added. “We really redid our entrées especially," Janush said. "They hadn’t been big sellers for us.”
New items include grilled fish tacos; a Caprese salad of fresh mozzarella, basil and roasted tomatoes; and Eastern Shore Mac & Cheese topped with crab and bacon.
The chain also permanently added two of four stuffed burgers that it introduced earlier as limited-time offers connected with a contest. For the contest, customers voted on which burgers would become permanent menu items, and the Bacon and Cheddar Stuffed Burger and the Spicy Jack Stuffed Burger won.
Janush said the physical menu also has been reformatted, from a book to a trifold, so customers can see the entrées before settling on just having appetizers.
Contact Bret Thorn at bret.thorn@penton.com.
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