Red Lobster is enlisting its own grill master chefs and fishermen in a new national advertising campaign that aims to broaden the brand’s appeal and drive more traffic to its 698 casual-dining seafood restaurants around the United States.
Red Lobster, owned by Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants, tapped ad firm Grey New York for the “Sea Food Differently” campaign. The marketing push spotlights actual Red Lobster employees and other workers linked to the brand, who share unscripted stories.
The first 30-second television spot aired July 25 in the U.S. and Canada and promoted Red Lobster's limited-time "Crabfest" special, which features three crab offerings under $20. The ad features Red Lobster fisherman Jon Forsythe in a scenic Alaskan setting.
In the ad, Forsythe, wearing a fisherman’s orange bib, works on a fishing boat and catches crabs as upbeat music plays in the background. “My name is Jon Forsythe and I ‘Sea Food Differently,” he says.
In another 30-second commercial that aired July 25 in the U.S., Red Lobster employee Charles Himple says he is proud to be a grill master, amid images of oak wood-grilled shrimp and happy customers. Himple, who works in a Red Lobster in the Bronx, N.Y., talks about how the oak wood grilling process “locks in flavor” and “seals in juices.”
Darden president Drew Madsen hinted at a new Red Lobster ad campaign that would include the wood-fire grill during a fourth-quarter earnings conference call with analysts on July 1.
“[Red Lobster will] increase frequency among light and lapsed users of the brand by launching a new ad campaign that more effectively lets these guests know that Red Lobster offers a range of fresh seafood choices expertly prepared on a wood-fire grill,” Madsen told analysts at the time.
The new ads also extend into the digital space, including activities to further engage customers on the brand's Facebook page, YouTube channel and website.
The new ad campaign is part of an overall revamped marketing program that includes updating restaurants’ décor and building exteriors with a New England theme.
The owner of a Tampa ad agency applauded Red Lobster’s new campaign for portraying workers and images that allow customers to engage with the brand.
“The new campaign is fantastic,” said Collen Chappell, a partner in ChappellRoberts. “Using real people versus actors is a powerful way to get people to emotionally connect to a brand.”
Chappell cited the spot featuring Himple as a prime example.
“When you follow the social media you hear more, that he started washing dishes at Red Lobster and someone believed in him and helped him build a career,” Chapell said. “The more emotionally connected the customer, the more valuable the brand.”
Chappell also noted that Forsythe’s crab fishing scene reminded her of the Discovery Channel’s popular television show “Deadliest Catch.”
“The Jon Forsythe story ties into a really hot show right now, and the message feels very relevant and timely,” she said. “That’s what good branding does.”
Salli Setta, Red Lobster’s executive vice president of marketing, said in a statement that the company’s own employees were the best people to tell the company’s message.
"At Red Lobster, we've made some exciting changes, but have yet to communicate everything that's new and different to our guests," Setta said. "Who better to tell this story than our own people, who bring to life the warmth, vitality and genuineness of our brand."
Chappell also liked the ad campaign’s moniker — Sea Food Differently — because the play on words conveys both the brand’s passion for seafood and the message of relating to the product in a new way.
"There are a lot of amazing changes going on at Red Lobster," Tor Myhren, Grey New York's president and chief creative officer, said in a statement. "We want people to see how far they've actually come. The campaign brings the new Red Lobster dining experience — all these surprising, fresh changes, from the decor to the menu to the service — to life."
The new ad campaign follows a successful four-course limited-time offer for a $15 Seafood Feast that began May 31 and ended Monday. Darden executives said during the July 1 conference call that they are considering making that offer permanent.
Watch Red Lobster’s new commercials
Sea Food Differently: Crabfest
Sea Food Differently: Grill Master
Contact Alan Snel at [email protected].
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