The chain has launched its most comprehensive marketing campaign ever, called “Forget the Fork,” in support of its new Country Bagels & Gravy Egg Sandwich
Einstein Bros Bagels is ready to conquer the breakfast daypart and is putting its marketing dollars behind the effort.
The company has launched the Country Bagels & Gravy Egg Sandwich, available now for a limited time at bakeries nationwide and supported by an original single and music video, “Forget the Fork.” The country ballad — performed by comedy duo Avery Pearson and Jeremiah Watkins of Thousand Percent Productions — “showcases the struggle biscuits and gravy presents in our busy lifestyles and the hope that the new Country Bagels & Gravy Egg Sandwich brings,” according to the company. In other words, Einstein Bros Bagels is offering the ability to enjoy biscuits and gravy without a fork.
This Southern-inspired breakfast sandwich starts with a Country Sausage Gourmet Bagel, and is layered with eggs, bacon, pork sausage, melted cheddar cheese, and a shmear of Country Pepper Cream Cheese. It is available for $7.29.
According to chief executive officer Jessica DePetro, this is the brand’s most comprehensive marketing campaign ever and it was created because, “we’re really trying hard to penetrate the breakfast conversation.”
“We have an innovative take on a classic breakfast meal, but it’s complemented by our first foray into music videos. The song parody really tells the story of ‘country meets New York,’” she said during a recent interview. “This is a great way to showcase the quirkiness and fun energy of the brand.”
DePetro said the company has never advertised on platforms like Spotify or Netflix before, but that is changing now as it positions itself for growth. Last year, Einstein Bros opened just shy of 40 locations and it is targeting 60 this year.
“As we grow units, it’s really important to grow awareness and trial,” she said. “That’s the push on marketing.”
The “push” is also to win the morning daypart. DePetro said Einstein Bros has a unique advantage in breakfast because the company intentionally cut its other dayparts during the pandemic and has kept those shortened hours since.
“The changes made during the pandemic structurally changed the unit economics of the business. We went down to a single shift. Sixty percent of sales happened between 7 and 11 in the morning, so there were a bunch of unprofitable hours in the afternoon,” she said. “It’s hard to get rid of those, but the pandemic was the great reset. When they went down to a single shift, it allowed us to simplify the labor model and it has been an incredible value proposition to our team members.”
It also allowed Einstein Bros to reduce SKUs by about 40%, which has bolstered unit economics.
“This reset allowed us to come back to our core,” she said, adding that sales jumped from single digits to high double digits. “It significantly changed the business, which gave the company the right to grow.”
Even as Einstein Bros grows, it will continue to maintain its focus on the breakfast daypart. DePetro said that focus puts the company at an advantage versus other companies that serve not only breakfast, but also lunch and dinner.
“They have much more to focus on and that helps us shine,” she said. “There are very few that focus only on the breakfast daypart.”
Notably, the Country Bagels & Gravy Egg Sandwich is just Einstein Bros' second LTO introduction in three years and DePetro likes that slower pace to ensure simplicity.
“This LTO has no new SKUs and that’s been the thing — how do we introduce LTOs without overcomplicating operations or adding too many SKUs? It’s a beautiful thing,” she said. “We want to add things that add value for our guests but don’t add complexity for our employees.”
As for winning that competitive morning daypart, DePetro said Einstein Bros sits in a comfortable position as a “category of one.”
“We serve a premium, quality product. We have coffee forward competitors, where food is secondary. We have QSR competitors that offer speed and convenience but not the same quality, and then we have casual sit-down breakfast competitors, which have great quality but without the convenience,” she said. “So, we’re at this beautiful intersection which translates into a great value for our guests.”
The intersection, however, wouldn’t exist had it not been for the pandemic-inspired “reset.”
“I loved the bravery around going after the changes in the business model and that has set the course for the future of us and our place in the breakfast category,” DePetro said.
“Forget the Fork” is available to stream on Spotify, alongside curated playlists, while the full music video can also be found on the brand’s website. Einstein Bros. is also inviting fans to share their own “Country Bagel Moments” on social media using the hashtag #ForgetTheFork, with a chance to be featured in future content.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
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