With temperatures climbing into the triple digits, the debut of Cold Stone Creamery’s new frozen yogurt was the week’s top story. The low-calorie, low-fat and probiotic dessert is available nationwide in traditional ice cream flavors like French vanilla and strawberry, as well as new varieties such as pink lemonade and blueberry-pomegranate.
Readers also clicked on stories that covered how restaurant brands are innovating for the future. After reporting disappointing domestic results for the second quarter, Yum! Brands targeted the marketing strategies of its three main brands — Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut — for a turnaround. In a multi-part series, NRN’s Mark Brandau looks at what learnings Yum may take from its robust international markets and translate to its U.S. division.
NRN investigated social media tactics at Taco Cabana and Applebee’s. Taco Cabana enlisted actress-comedienne Anjelah Johnson for a multiplatform campaign that spans television, blogs, Twitter and YouTube. And Applebee’s, along with other large restaurant chains, awaits the release of the upgraded Facebook Places feature, which will localize the tool and could change the game for restaurant deal offers.
Click through NRN’s Weekly Wrap slide show for the top 10 stories for the week of July 18, including Chipotle’s growth opportunities, how Fazoli’s restaurant remodeling paid off and the road ahead for food trucks.
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