Smoothie King focuses on breakfastSmoothie King focuses on breakfast

Ron Ruggless

Smoothie King is emphasizing its breakfast offerings with a new “We power mornings” campaign that launches Tuesday.

The 600-unit New Orleans-based smoothie chain is highlighting its Get Lean, Get Strong, Get Healthy and Get Going menu in the “We power mornings” push, featuring a variety of smoothies that offer everything from additional protein to potassium to Vitamin D.

Capitalizing on National Karaoke Week, which coincides with the new campaign launch, Smoothie King is working to get its online community involved with a “Better Breakfast Beats” contest.

In partnership with Universal Music Group, Facebook fans will have the opportunity to submit their own breakfast jingle, and one may be selected to be part of a future Smoothie King radio campaign. All entrants will receive a product coupon and the winner will receive a guitar signed by Universal Music artist Colbie Caillat.

“Smoothie King is committed to providing healthy options to start the day off on the right foot — and the Better Breakfast Beats contest adds a bit of fun to the mix,” Cindy Kuhnau, co-founder and senior executive vice president of privately held Smoothie King, said in a statement.

Nation’s Restaurant News spoke with Smoothie King vice president of marketing Bobby Williams about the new campaign:

What is different about this Smoothie King breakfast campaign from earlier promotions?

Our menu focus has always been about providing guests healthy options at any time of day. Rather than focus on a new smoothies, we want to remind guests how important it is to start the day right by putting an emphasis on mornings. That crucial time that can either make or break your day — where you can choose a doughnut and set a precedent to feel sluggish, or choose a smoothie that satisfies your personal, nutritious needs and gives you the energy you need to power through. “We power mornings” is all about starting your day right — fueling your body with the vitamins and minerals you need to feel great. With 38 smoothies under 300 calories and dozens of other choices, we help guests do just that.

What time do Smoothie King locations open?

The majority of Smoothie King locations open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. Only those with special circumstances open a bit later, [for example, those in recreation centers]. Weekend hours vary, depending on location.

How does breakfast fit into the sales mix?

Between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., our locations see the most traffic: people on their way to work, parents taking their kids to school, before or after a workout. Since positioning Smoothie King as a “meal” destination, we have seen a significant increase in traffic — sales are up 20 percent in 2012. In the last three months the number of guest checks has doubled. We anticipate the “We Power Mornings” campaign to further the trend.

What are the marketing advantages of the “jingle submissions” via Facebook?

Better Breakfast Beats is an opportunity to give our guests a platform to let us and the rest of the world know how Smoothie King powers their day, to utilize their creativity to share how they personally benefit from Smoothie King products. It's a unique approach to garnering testimonials — allowing us to engage with our guests and hear from their voice and in turn, possibly feature them in a future campaign. Music gets people going in the morning — a lot of people rely on it to jumpstart their day, so whether you want to sing to us, or tell us through a few words — we are looking for something that speaks to our product but also gets us motivated.

Do all locations offer breakfast? What are the best-selling items?

Yes, all Smoothie King locations offer breakfast. Our top sellers include Lean1, Angel Food, Gladiator and Original High Protein [smoothies].

How much do smoothie add-ons cost? What percentage of customers add them?

The cost of our enhancers varies by location, ranging from 79 cents to 99 cents. Twenty-five percent of our guests add enhancers to their smoothies. Whether you choose “Probiotic,” “Antioxidant,” “Immune,” “Energy” or “Multi-Vitamin,” we have something that will suit your individual nutrition needs.

EARLIER: Smoothie King campaign aims to help customers get fit

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
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