Marketing

Match.com Releases Hysterical Ad with Satan Dating the Year 2020 + Follow up Spot | More Ryan Reynold’s Creations

AdChat DFW Posted On December 4, 2020

Dallas-based Match.com released a new ad created by Ryan Reynolds’ content studio Maximum Effort, that personifies the year 2020 and pairs her with a “Match Made in Hell,” Satan. No matter how Satan angles his online dating profile, who on earth could measure up to “match” his wickedness. Apparently the year 2020 could.

It’s a love story that borrows a scene from “When Harry Met Sally” under a Central Park bridge, where the Satan and 2020 discover that they are both from the same place, hell. Their dates take advantage of all the freedoms Coronavirus took away from the world: empty cinemas, an abandoned gym and football field, 2020 trying to drag Satan into a church and having fun stealing toilet paper, all with Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” playing in the background. The singer let Reynolds use a new version of the song as she rerecords her masters. At the end of the spot, they muse they don’t want the year to end as they watch meteors head to earth. The closing tagline “Make 2020 Your Year” explodes the numbers 2020 to reveal the year 2021.

And for the follow up…

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Marketing

Motel 6 Names Barkley as Agency of Record | Shines a Fresh New Light

AdChat DFW Posted On December 2, 2020

Motel 6 has officially replaced The Richards Group with a new advertising company, inking a deal to work with Kansas City-based independent agency Barkley.

Motel 6′s Adam Cannon, who took on the role of vice president of brand management a year ago, will manage the relationship with Barkley, according to the company. Barkley will work on marketing initiatives for Motel 6 in 2021, including a “return to travel” campaign as the COVID-19 pandemic drags out.

“As an iconic and beloved symbol of travel, we’re excited to partner with Motel 6 on the next chapter in the brand’s trajectory,” Barkley chief growth officer Jason Parks said in a statement. “We’re excited to build on their rich history and strong foundation to bring bold new ideas to build an even stronger, whole brand designed for the modern consumer.”

“Motel 6 is an iconic brand with a 58-year history leading the economy lodging segment. A large part of that success has been our commitment to keeping the light on for our guests and being there when and where they need us—and that has been a considerable advantage for us in a year like 2020,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO of G6 Hospitality, a holding group managing the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. “Still, you can’t continue to lead a category in today’s environment without evolving, which is why we are excited to be partnering with Barkley to advance our strategic vision for the brand and shine a fresh, new light on a legacy brand.”,/p>

Barkley will be responsible for working with Motel 6 on a number of initiatives for 2020, including a campaign around returning to travel, expanding the chain’s guest outreach and aligning messaging across multichannel marketing efforts.

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Marketing / QSR

How Wingstop Benefited During Pandemic | Technology for Digital Ordering Already in Place

AdChat DFW Posted On November 19, 2020

Charlie Morrison | CEO, Winstop

Mid-March of 2020 will forever be seen as the point at which life fundamentally changed, especially for the restaurant industry. For the leadership team at Dallas-based Wingstop, it wasn’t just a stressful period of communicating with franchisees, assembling a COVID taskforce, implementing new sanitation measures, and shuttering the company’s headquarters. It was also a moment of truth. The brand’s big bets on high-tech innovations to power its fairly simple business of serving chicken wings, fries, and drinks were about to be put to the test.

Those bets were placed by Charlie Morrison, Wingstop’s CEO. Since arriving in 2012, he’d implemented a strategy centered on making access to the company easier for guests, primarily through new ordering solutions. “Quite frankly, if we didn’t provide that efficiency and that access, we may not be as successful as we are,” he says. “And I think the pandemic has proven that, for our brand in particular; it was available, it was understood and well known, and it was easy to adapt to. Whereas some other brands were not as ready or as advanced, and so it’s been a challenge to catch up on the curve.”

The pandemic has proven that and then some. In a season when industry sales are contracting by hundreds of billions of dollars, Wingstop reported domestic same-store sales gains of over 25 percent for 2020’s third quarter. The big bets have paid off handsomely. And even more than in prior years, Wingstop has become the model of what is possible in the limited-service industry.

THE BUILDING BLOCKS

While nobody could have predicted that a pandemic would drastically reshuffle the restaurant industry this year, it quickly became apparent that the so-called winners of the COVID-19 crisis were those that had already invested in digital ordering and a robust off-premises strategy.

Indeed, Wingstop seemed almost prophetic for already working toward a goal of having 100 percent of its sales be placed digitally. That work started when Morrison came over to the company from RAVE Restaurant Group—parent to Pizza Inn and Pie Five—in 2012. At the time, he says, Wingstop was strong in executing its operation, but lacked discipline in areas like marketing, supply chain, and technology—“fundamental building blocks,” he says, that were necessary to scaling the concept aggressively.

“When I first got to the brand, we actually had an online ordering mechanism,” he says. “It was poorly and loosely constructed, as you could imagine, but it worked. You had an app, you could go on your phone, you could order wings. But that was where the technology stopped and the analog process began.”

It was then that Morrison’s experience in the pizza category became an advantage, as he says he recognized the opportunity to simplify that ordering process. And simplification started with consistency across the system so that the company’s franchisees—“brand partners”—could be on the same page and trust that the investments would be sound. So Wingstop standardized its POS system and its menu, then rolled out an integrated, enterprise-grade online-ordering system.

Wingstop’s executive team

Stacy Peterson, Wingstop’s chief technology officer, says these fundamental technology tools gave the brand partners the confidence they needed to believe in the power of online ordering. “It wasn’t until the brand partners could rely on the systems that we put in place [that] they started promoting it to their guests,” she says. “And once they started promoting it to our guests, we saw our digital adoption increase, and we increased organically every year [by] 4 or 5 percent year over year.”

Wingstop has since doubled down on digital ordering capabilities; guests today can order via the company’s app or website, as well as via DoorDash. By early March, Wingstop’s digital mix was about 40 percent of sales; the pandemic has since pushed it to over 60 percent, which Morrison says is two years ahead of schedule.

Because all of these digital orders are integrated into the back end, Peterson says, it eliminates any complexities for the brand partners. “If they bring it up with the guest standing in front of them, or the guest is on a myriad of accessible channels where they could place their order, they all come in the exact same way, exact same ticket, exact same make line,” she says.

The benefits of these digital solutions were evident: Not only did they streamline operations, but they also boosted the top line. Average checks for digital orders are $5 higher than those through non-digital channels.

AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

The COVID-19 outbreak forced one word into every restaurant operator’s everyday lexicon: pivot. Brands had to scramble to adopt contactless operations, enhance store sanitation, and roll out additional access points to keep sales flowing.

But at Wingstop, no grand pivot was necessary; the tech stack already ensured efficient digital ordering, and business was about 80 percent off-premises even before the word coronavirus became a household term. Mahesh Sadarangani, Wingstop’s COO, says the company chose to close dining rooms before it was mandated by legislation, ensured stringent sanitation measures, invested in employee safety strategies, and implemented additional precautions like tamper-evident stickers to its delivery packaging.

Messaging became another area that demanded a quick pivot across the industry. Many restaurant companies—especially wing and pizza brands—were heavily marketing March Madness, which was only days away from starting when COVID-19 grounded public activities to a halt. And the fact that, early in the pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty around how COVID-19 spread, companies had to communicate with guests in such a way that gave them confidence in the experience.

Christina Clarke, CMO, says that even in messaging, there was no need for Wingstop to make sweeping changes. She says the brand had already tailored its messaging to the fact that wings are very social but also highly individualized; Wingstop’s 11 flavors allowed for menu personalization, and its combo meals helped make wings more of a center-of-the-plate item rather than just a shareable. The company had filmed commercials in late 2019, she says, that focused on online ordering, delivery, and bringing families together with variety—three favorable messages for the quarantine era—and once the pandemic hit, the objective became showing up where consumers were.

“We saw where the eyeballs were going. … They were going to streaming, they were going to digital, online activities,” Clarke says. “And that’s exactly where we moved our messaging and made some minor modifications to make sure that delivery was coming through loud and clear, as it was originally intended.” That included free-delivery promotions early in the pandemic, and digital campaigns like the 24-hour virtual DJ festival it hosted on National Chicken Wing Day, July 29.

Of course, pivoting couldn’t staunch the hemorrhaging sales at most restaurants. Industry sales dropped precipitously once dining rooms closed, and at many brands, they still haven’t recovered. Those companies that were able to quickly rebound were the ones that regained customer trust and offered a seamless and safe ordering experience—an unfair advantage for 26-year-old Wingstop.

“We had created a trustworthy platform for our guests to enjoy our product without having to come into the restaurants,” Morrison says. “That’s built over a long period of time, and developing that trust is really important. If you look at a lot of consumer research that’s been done since the pandemic started, the things that are now most important to consumers are trustworthy brands.”

BUILDING TRUST

Developing that trust isn’t something that happened by accident. Morrison credits Wingstop’s core values—being service-minded, authentic, fun, and entrepreneurial—for guiding the brand’s decisions during the COVID-19 crisis.

Donnie Upshaw is Wingstop’s senior vice president of people, tasked with building and maintaining that bond that the wings brand has established with its 241 corporate team members and about 300 brand partners who own all but 31 of the 1,450-plus worldwide locations. “From a cultural perspective, the fun that you see, the entrepreneurial spirit, the service mindedness, all those things come to life in different ways based on your role,” he says. “But every single team member is held to that accountability to live our values.”

In normal times, Wingstop invests in its corporate team through opportunities for advancement, unlimited paid time off, participation in community outreach, and all-hands meetings that Upshaw says prevent the “NETMA” problem (“nobody ever tells me anything”).

As it has for most businesses, the pandemic has forced Wingstop to get more creative with its corporate outreach, as the headquarters is closed and the team is working from home. Wingstop gave employees a stipend to set up a home office, allowed for flexible schedules so they could navigate around home issues, and hosted weekly all-hands calls via Zoom.

The pandemic wasn’t the only crisis to stress-test the culture in 2020; so, too, did the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May and the proceeding Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Upshaw says the company recognized the role it needed to play for its diverse team, and it wasn’t just to offer thoughts and prayers.

“We can’t just write a check and we can’t just send out a tweet. We have to make this scalable. We have to make this impact be felt across our 1,400-plus restaurants,” he says. “We can’t just be cool when it’s convenient. And I think that is one thing that we’re learning through all of this: It is going to be hard. It’s heavy lifting, but it is our responsibility.”

To start, Wingstop chose to listen to its employees. While the team usually stays on mute during the weekly all-hands videos, Morrison says he invited the more than 250 people on a call in late May to unmute so they could voice their feelings—a “raw” and “highly emotional” experience, he says. From there, Wingstop created a task force charged with creating actionable insights for the entire system.

“We as leaders are given the responsibility and the authority to make decisions and do things that can impact not only our organizations, but the world around us,” Morrison says. “What we need to do is listen, open the conversation with our people. As a white man, I don’t understand everything that a Black person goes through in this world today, but I want to learn and understand that so that I can affect change in whatever way I can.”

Wingstop is targeting 6,000 total locations, with half of them overseas.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

If all goes according to plan, Wingstop will have plenty of opportunity to affect the world around it. At the close of Q3, the company had 1,479 locations, 1,308 of which were domestic. In its ambitions to become a top 10 global restaurant brand, Wingstop hopes to have 3,000 units in the states and another 3,000 overseas.

Where many brands slammed the brakes on expansion during the pandemic, Wingstop has managed to plow ahead with its store openings, even if projections for the year have been scaled back just a bit. The brand opened 28 net new locations in Q1, 23 in Q2, and 43 in Q3, and Madison Jobe, Wingstop’s chief development officer, says momentum continues to build for brand partners looking for expansion opportunities, particularly as vacancy rates go up. Some 80–90 percent of domestic development is with existing partners, he adds.

Jobe says one silver lining to the pandemic has been the company’s ability to quickly jump through hoops in permitting. “We have municipalities that, a year ago, it might have taken us 90 or 120 days to get a permit, and now we’re getting it in 30 or 45 days because of the lack of demand for that particular part of what a city or county provides in permits,” he says.

In conjunction with traditional store openings, Wingstop is exploring new opportunities like ghost kitchens. It opened its first ghost-kitchen operation in Dallas in June, and Morrison says he sees them working very well for urban locations like New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. CTO Peterson says Wingstop was also working on ordering kiosks and pickup lockers before the pandemic, but has put those tests on hold for now.

As for drive thru, that’s likely not in the cards unless it’s a pickup window for digital orders. COO Sadarangani says he’s seen the new prototypes introduced by brands like Burger King and Shake Shack, but doesn’t believe that kind of evolution is necessary for Wingstop.

“What does that restaurant of the future look like? For us, I would say we’re in it. I’m not tempted by what all these other restaurants are doing, like the drive-thru lanes,” he says. “We’re in that category of one. We were set up nicely with our digital business prior to the pandemic, and that only accelerated. So I feel like others are playing catch-up while we’re just continuing to operate and execute our plan as we had in place well ahead of the pandemic.”

Indeed, having such a great position in the market today has given Wingstop the luxury of focusing on another key strategy for growth: international expansion. Since it’s targeting 6,000 total locations and half of them overseas, most of the growth ahead of it will be in international markets. Morrison says Wingstop’s potential globally is limitless; chicken is the No. 1 protein in the world, he says, and even though Americans prefer boneless chicken breast, the rest of the world opts for bone-in chicken. Already the concept has thrived in Mexico, where it has nearly 100 locations, and Indonesia, where it has more than 30.

“We are a highly entrepreneurial brand,” says Marisa Carona, vice president of strategy and chief of staff for Wingstop. “So even as we continue to grow rapidly and in size, as well as our average unit volumes, we maintain a lot of our entrepreneurial roots, and that allows us to act swiftly, act with decision.”

Nicolas Boudet, Wingstop’s president of international, says that in the next five to 10 years, Wingstop’s international growth will be very precise and focus on markets where digital sales and off-premises business are very strong, like in Western Europe.

“We found that we operate better in what we call a developed type of economy, where there is that higher disposable income from the consumer side, where the ability to operate a small concept or concept that is very efficient and very focused around chicken wings allows us to not have to have a significant labor pool for us to be able to operate stores,” he says.

INTENTIONALLY AGILE

In a year when there’s been so much upheaval in the restaurant industry, you’d be forgiven for thinking Wingstop wasn’t experiencing the same global pandemic as the rest of us. COVID-19 didn’t slow it down on its crash course to becoming a top 10 global brand, but in fact may have sped it up.

Still, the company isn’t resting on its laurels. Morrison says there’s a commonly held theory in the restaurant industry that at 2,000 locations, there’s a chasm the company must cross, and in crossing that chasm, the company either creates a sustainable platform for long-term success or starts to make mistakes. With that milestone in spitting distance, he says, the company is doing several things in preparation.

“One is continuing to invest in our team and our people to make sure that we have the resources, the people, the infrastructure we need to be able to cross that chasm effectively,” he says. “Second, even though we’ve built a very robust technology platform, we still believe there is a way to make it even more scalable so that it becomes a global platform.”

It’s one of those core values that should help Wingstop along the way: being entrepreneurial. The company hopes that even as it gets bigger, it can maintain the ability of being “intentionally agile, not reactively agile,” as CMO Clarke puts it.

Technology is clearly one field where Wingstop asserts that entrepreneurialism. And CTO Peterson says the company will continue to push the envelope with technological innovations; no matter if new innovations work or don’t work, she says, the company will learn something from it. As an example, in its quest to make 100 percent of transactions digital, Wingstop has tested automated voice orders by phone using natural language processing.

“The first time we did it, we weren’t happy with the results, so it never came out of test, and we kind of put that on the shelf for a little bit,” she says. “And now we’re back at it again, and we have it running in about half of our corporate restaurants. We’re much more encouraged by where the technology has progressed since our first time.”

Surely everyone is happy with the bigger results that Wingstop is seeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis has validated eight years’ worth of work and supercharged its path toward achieving its goal.

But Morrison isn’t ready to take his foot off the accelerator just yet.

“It was nice for us to have a head start, but if we want to maintain that leadership position, then we’ve got to continue to enhance our platform and be out on the leading edge and making sure that we have the best guest experience possible,” he says. “There’s always competition out there. While we don’t feel like we have a direct competitor in the product we sell, we have a lot of competition just in terms of the choices that are out there for consumers. And so we’re always going to stay on top of it.”

Original article here.

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Marketing / QSR

It’s True! Corner Bakery is Serving Up ‘Free Coffee at the Corner’ | November 16 -December 31st

AdChat DFW Posted On November 16, 2020

Corner Bakery is securing its spot on the nice list this holiday season by gifting its guests FREE coffee!

In the spirit of giving, from Nov. 16 through Dec. 31, Corner Bakery is serving anyone who walks through its doors a free coffee of any size, no strings attached! Guests can even order their free coffee online at cornerbakery.com.

There is no purchase, subscription or app download necessary to redeem the offer, either. It’s available in-cafe or online for pickup or delivery. When ordering in the cafe, simply mention that you would like a free cup of coffee. Then, sit back and enjoy! Or redeem the offer online by entering the code: FREECOFFEE.

This exciting free coffee promotion is the brainchild of Corner Bakery’s new Owner Jay Pandya who acquired the company in October 2020.

“In light of the times, I could not think of a better way to welcome customers into our cafes than with a hot cup of coffee on the house,” Pandya said. “It has been a tough year for everyone and if we can be a bright spot in a world full of uncertainty – the complimentary, delicious, hand-roasted cup of coffee you can count on – then I’m all for it.”

“We know, it sounds too good to be true,” said Donna Josephson, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Corner Bakery. “But we assure you that it’s true! Hurry into your nearest Corner Bakery, ask for a cup of coffee and it is yours. We look forward to serving millions of guests our quality coffee this holiday season!”

So mark your calendars and remember, the next time you need a caffeine kick … there’s Free Coffee at the Corner*. To view offer details and a list of participating locations, visit
cornerbakery.com/offers.

Guests and team members’ safety is top priority at Corner Bakery. All employees are required to wear a mask and gloves throughout their shifts. Social distancing is enforced through markers on the floors, and where dine-in is allowed, seating is appropriately distanced. Many cafes have patio seating and/or offer curbside pickup, and all offer takeout, delivery, and catering.

*Valid for one free hand-roasted coffee for a limited-time at participating locations. No purchase required. Available for dine-in (where applicable), to-go, pickup or delivery via www.cornerbakery.com. Not valid on third party delivery sites or catering orders.

About Corner Bakery
Corner Bakery is a fast-casual restaurant serving kitchen-crafted breakfast, lunch, dinner and catering to guests in 23 states and Washington, D.C. Its restaurants have been a neighborhood favorite since the brand was established in 1991. The original American Italian bakery cafe was founded on a philosophy of creating a warm and comfortable place for people to relax with friends, family and neighbors. The restaurant features artisan-inspired, seasonal menu options made with fresh ingredients, while delivering a premier bakery cafe experience in the heart of neighborhoods everywhere. Guest favorites include the crave-worthy Anaheim Scrambler for breakfast, the grilled-to-perfection Chicken Pomodori Panini for lunch, the kitchen-crafted Pesto Cavatappi pasta for dinner and a slice of rich, flavorful Cinnamon Creme Cake for a sweet treat. The catering menu includes freshly scrambled eggs and Berry & Almond Overnight Oats, baskets of assorted specialty sandwiches, hot signature pastas, homemade soups and perfect additions. Corner Bakery was recently recognized by TripAdvisor as a “Top U.S. Restaurant Chain” for 2019 and ranked one of Franchise Times’ “Top 200” brands in the franchise space. Corner Bakery restaurants are owned and operated by Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands, LLC with nearly 200 company-owned and franchised locations around the country. For more information, visit cornerbakery.com, or follow Corner Bakery on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

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AdChat Interviews / Consumer Research / Editor's Spotlight / Marketing

Know What Your Customers are Really Thinking | AdChat Interviews Michelle Adams with Marketing Brainology

AdChat DFW Posted On November 3, 2020

Do This BEFORE You Launch a New Product

Marketers spend a lot of money trying to figure out what their customers are thinking and feeling about goods and services. Many companies have pre-conceived notions stemming from historical data or past performance, but can they climb inside the heads of consumers to scientifically know for sure? Well, yes.

In an AdChat DFW ZOOM interview, Michelle Adams, President of Marketing Brainology, told us there is a process to understand the art and science of the decision-making process. She believes the most valuable thing you can learn from consumers is what they can’t tell you.

On the low side, the average person has over 50,000 thoughts per day, many of them negative. Traditional marketing research methods normally measure what consumers can put into words. But what about all those unconscious thoughts and feelings?

Marketing Brainology measures conscious and nonconscious data to understand how the consumer truly feels about a product and provides invaluable insights so that marketers may make informed strategic business decisions.

Watch this very interesting interview to learn more. And if you are getting ready to launch a new product, you may want to give Marketing Brainology a call before spending money on a campaign that may fall of deaf ears.

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Marketing

Is it Holiday Time Yet? Michaels Partners with Pinterest | Creates 360-Degree Shopping Experience

AdChat DFW Posted On November 2, 2020

Dallas-based arts and craft retailer Michaels teamed up with R/GA to bring three virtual holiday shopping experiences to Pinterest. Pinners explore virtual, 360-degree experiences in three themes: Peppermint Lane, Silver and Snow, and Winter Wonderland.

Each virtual room includes do-it-yourself projects and shoppable products with DIY gift boxes, gift wrapping and holiday wreaths, and decorative products including advent calendars, ornaments and Santas.

The virtual rooms enable Michaels’ customers to feel confident about holiday shopping without actually going to physical locations during the pandemic.

*Quote from Adweek article.

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CPG / Marketing

Cheetos and Bad Bunny Rally Fans for Deja Tu Huella (Leave Your Mark) Campaign | Donating $500,000 to Hispanic Community

AdChat DFW Posted On October 28, 2020

In Latino culture, there is a phrase that embraces the action of pushing boundaries with your unique individuality: deja tu huella, “leave your mark” in English. With this sentiment as the inspiration, Cheetos today announced a new multi-platform initiative designed to rally the next generation to leave their mark on culture — whether through music, fashion, entertainment or more.

Cheetos is using this program to encourage and celebrate the playfulness and spontaneity so many fans display every day — while shining a light on the community that first embraced deja tu huella. Hispanic culture has shaped American pop-culture, and Cheetos wants to celebrate and help lift up this community.

Cheetos is collaborating with global Latin superstar Bad Bunny to develop content to serve as the anthem behind this cultural movement. The first-ever collaboration will be unveiled during the “2020 American Music Awards” (AMAs) on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST on ABC. As part of the AMAs partnership, Cheetos will continue to support artists who are leaving their mark by sponsoring the expansion of the Latin award categories including Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Album and Favorite Song.

“I’ve been so fortunate to be able to embrace my roots and culture and express it through music and entertainment,” said Bad Bunny, from Puerto Rico and the first Latin music artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. “I want to encourage others to be passionate in whatever they set their mind to. DEJA TU HUELLA!”

Cheetos is giving back to the Hispanic community with a $500,000 commitment, in collaboration with Bad Bunny’s Good Bunny Foundation. Cheetos’ activity complements the recently announced PepsiCo and PepsiCo Foundation commitment to the Latino community, with $170 million in support over five years to further build on its long-standing efforts to address racial inequality and create opportunity.

“It’s undeniable that Hispanic culture has shaped American pop culture. And it’s that culture that has inspired much of Cheetos initiatives in food, fashion and entertainment,” said Marissa Solis, SVP of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. “On the heels of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re proud to kick off a campaign that pays tribute to the Latinos who are pushing boundaries and rewriting the rules. And, we’ll have a lot of fun along the way when we see what Mr. Bunny and Mr. Chester have in store for fans this November.”

For more information about Cheetos and Deja Tu Huella, visit www.cheetos.com. Or follow us @Cheetos on Instagram and Facebook and @ChesterCheetah on Twitter.

About Cheetos
Cheetos is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $17 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $64 billion in net revenue in 2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny is proclaimed as one of the most popular artists in the world. The multi-platinum artist, winner of the Latin GRAMMY and nominated for the GRAMMY, constantly manages to break language and stereotype barriers around the globe, becoming an international culture and entertainment icon. Following the huge impact he has had on mass audiences, Bad Bunny became the first Latin Reggaeton artist in history to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. He is also the second male personality to appear alone on the cover of Playboy magazine, after its founder, Hugh Hefner. His leadership within the Reggaeton and Trap genres has led him to dominate large stages during prominent music festivals and international concert tours.

His most recent album, “Las Que No Iban A Salir” debuted #1 on Billboard’s “Top Latin Albums,” dethroning himself over his previous albums, with “YHLQMDLG” at #2 and “X 100PRE” at #3. Bad Bunny is one of the Latin artists with the most entries to the global “Hot 100” list, with a total of 24 hits. In addition, with his album “YHLQMDLG,” he became the first Latino artist in history to achieve the position #2 on the global list “Billboard 200.” Each of Bad Bunny’s releases has left their forceful mark on the history of Latin music. His artistic power and leadership in the entertainment world demonstrate his character as one of the most impactful artists of the moment and reaffirm his expansive position in the music industry.

Read original press release here.

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Marketing

Mod Op Receives Two 2020 AMA DFW Marketer of the Year Awards

Mod Op Posted On September 30, 2020

Mod Op, a marketing communications agency with offices across the U.S. and an office in Latin America, has been named the winner for the 2020 American Marketing Association (AMA) Dallas-Fort Worth Marketer of the Year Awards in the categories of energy marketing and business to business social media for its work with clients based out of the agency’s Dallas office.

“We are honored to receive these prestigious awards for the great results of two innovative marketing campaigns,” said Eric J. Bertrand, CEO, Mod Op. “It is a true testament to our agency’s breadth of capabilities, and our team’s commitment to creative excellence and success for our clients.”

Mod Op’s work launching ExxonMobil’s first-ever Power Play Awards to recognize women and the men who support them in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry won the agency best overall strategy, design and implementation of a marketing program within the energy sector. The agency launched this global awards program in four months, including multiple promotional campaigns and creative materials to raise awareness for the awards, nomination developments and judge recruitment. The awards ceremony was hosted during an industry event in September 2019, during which Mod Op assisted with supplemental public relations and social media.

In the category of business to business social media, Mod Op won for the agency’s work with Stream Data Centers, where Mod Op streamlined the company’s organic and paid social media efforts. The agency’s social media efforts for the client have resulted in a significant increase in impressions, engagements and follower counts on Stream’s Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. It also worked to produce quality leads by focusing on key decision makers within Stream’s key target prospects.

The AMA is one of the largest and most trusted marketing associations working to educate, support and enhance the performance of its members and marketing professionals around the world. The Marketer of the Year Awards are designed to recognize excellence in marketing and innovation in various categories. Award winners were announced during the 2020 AMA DFW Marketer of the Year Virtual Event on Sept. 23, 2020.

The tangible results from these clients showcase Mod Op’s range of services. To learn how Mod Op can help you, visit https://www.modop.com/.

About Mod Op
Mod Op is a full-service marketing communications agency focused on using the right methods to help our clients capitalize on their opportunities. Mod Op services for both B2C and B2B markets include brand strategy, advertising, digital marketing and public relations. In addition, through the agency’s technology group, Mod Op offers web and app UX/UI, development and maintenance. With offices in New York, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland and Panama City, Panama, Mod Op pairs data and innovation with expertise to best serve clients across the U.S. and Latin America. For additional information, please visit Mod Op’s website.

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Marketing

Smiles for Miles of Aisles: Returns to Stores via Lay’s® Potato Chip Bags Benefiting Operation Smile

Patty H Posted On September 14, 2020

Real Grins of 30 People are Stars of the Snack Aisle as Lay’s Donates $1 Million to Operation Smile and Brings Back Fan-Favorite Flavors Fried Pickles with Ranch, Hot Sauce and Kettle Cooked Beer Cheese.

While shoppers’ smiles are currently hidden behind their masks, they’ll soon spot plenty of friendly faces in the snack aisle thanks to Lay’s, which is converting millions of potato chip bags to feature the real smiles of 30 “ordinary” people doing extraordinary things in their communities.

During a time when joy is needed more than ever, the new Lay’s bags continue the brand’s mission to inspire even more smiles in 2020, with up to $1 million in proceeds benefitting Operation Smile. The Lay’s Smiles packaging and brand’s digital media channels will also spotlight the unique stories of these 30 “Everyday Smilers” whose impact includes helping the homeless, veterans, youth, elderly and more – in hopes that their inspiring work will bring smiles to the faces of people across the country.

And another reason to smile? The return of three fan-favorite limited-time-only Lay’s potato chip flavors: Lay’s Fried Pickles with Ranch, Lay’s Hot Sauce (in partnership with Frank’s RedHot) and Lay’s Kettle Cooked Beer Cheese.

While this is the third year for the Lay’s Smiles bags in-store, savvy potato chip fans may notice they look a little different than previous versions. The more than 70 different bag designs were created using CGI technology after COVID-19 concerns required cancelling the in-person production that would have brought all the “Everyday Smilers” to Dallas for a VIP photo and video shoot experience. To quickly pivot, each “Everyday Smiler” was instead sent detailed instructions to capture self-portraits using their phones – and the resulting amateur photos were professionally enhanced for transferring on to the Lay’s bags.

“Having poured through thousands of nominations and already being personally committed to these Smiles ourselves, particularly now when people are looking for more reasons to smile than ever before, we knew we couldn’t let a cancelled photo shoot keep Lay’s from sharing these inspiring stories with the world,” said Sadira Furlow, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. “Across stores and within households, Lay’s has the power to reach millions of Americans every day. We already know that what’s inside the bag brings joy, but turning the Lay’s bag into a canvas to multiply that happiness factor is what makes the Smiles program so special.”

Last year, more than 71,000 people scanned the Lay’s Smiles QR codes to hear the unique stories behind each “Everyday Smiler” and 2020 offers even more inspiration from around the country, including:

April S., Fairview, Texas: April and her organization, Breast Cancer Can Stick It!, have raised awareness and nearly $300,000 in funds to fight breast cancer through music-minded events that were fueled by her experience as a breast cancer survivor and professional drummer.
Bola I., Plano, Texas: A self-proclaimed “youth enthusiast,” Bola has turned her passion into action, encouraging the entrepreneurial spirits of 800 young women and providing over 150 underserved students with passports and travel grants to help them expand their horizons.
Brady H., Kinnelon, N.J.: Born with a bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate, Brady credits the support he received through Operation Smile for making him the man he is today — which is why he’s working with them to raise funds and take part in medical missions to help children like him across the world.
Chad H., Dallas: Chad is the founder and CEO of Momentum Advisory Co. and Café Momentum, an award-winning restaurant that also serves as a 12-month internship program for juvenile offenders, helping over 900 young men and women achieve their full potential.
Charolette T., Fort Smith, Ark.: After retiring from a lifelong nursing career, Charolette did anything but slow down. Instead, she chose to start a nonprofit where she spends her time combating her hometown’s hunger crisis, serving more than 18,000 people in need each month.
Dr. Dane, Dallas: Inspired by her own immigrant story, Dr. Dane has a passion for giving back. She is creating smiles in her community and abroad through local philanthropy and providing dental care for children around the world with Operation Smile.
Hoan D., Seattle.: Overcoming adversity in life has allowed Hoan to connect with others in a powerful way. Traveling the world as an inspirational speaker, he sends messages of hope and positivity to more than 250,000 students and professionals.
Jack G., Suwanee, Ga.: Jack is tapping into technology that everyone uses — mobile phones — to help people find their closest food pantry through his free website and app, FoodFinder. With his nonprofit, Jack has connected more than 350,000 people to food relief across America.
Jean Paul L., New York: After seeing the toll of the 2010 earthquake on his native Haiti, Jean Paul wanted to give back. His organization, Unspoken Smiles, has provided dental care and created smiles for more than 7,000 kids in eight countries across four continents.
Dr. Jen, West Hollywood, Calif.: Using her experience as the first female coach in the NFL, Dr. Jen continues to be a catalyst for change, empowering thousands of girls across America to follow their dreams and challenge stereotypes through her Grrridiron Girls Football Camps.
Kathy M., Norfolk, Va.: As the President and Co-Founder of Operation Smile, Kathy has helped more than 300,000 people with cleft lip and cleft palate around the world receive life-changing surgery and care.
Kendra R., San Francisco: In 2005, Kendra left her job as a lawyer to focus on helping the youngest victims of homelessness. Her organization, Project Night Night, has distributed more than 250,000 books and comfort items to homeless and underserved children.
Khali S., Detroit: Coach Khali founded the Downtown Boxing Gym, a free after-school academic and athletic program in Detroit that has a 100 percent high school graduation rate.
Lewis S., Jersey City, N.J.: From the projects to prestigious universities, Lewis has always understood the power of motivation. Through his organization, Kismet of Kings, he is providing new opportunities, resources and life skills education to dozens of young men.
Luke M., Kimberly, Idaho: Luke and his organization, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, provide stability and comfort around the world by building beds for children in need. They’ve built over 50,000 so far!
Mona P., San Antonio: As founder of the San Antonio Amputee Foundation, Mona helps to better the lives of amputees — from campaigning for better prosthetic insurance coverage to leading a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mike F., Brooklyn, N.Y.: Through their organization, Blankets of Hope, Mike and his brother Nick are helping students practice empathy and kindness by donating blankets — each paired with an inspirational handwritten note — to those experiencing homelessness. They’ve donated over 31,000 blankets so far!
Najah B., Canton, Mich.: Inspired by her experience as a nurse, Najah and Zaman International are providing basic needs assistance and vocational training to women, children and refugee families — empowering over two million people worldwide to break the cycle of poverty.
Nick. F., Brooklyn, N.Y.: Through their organization, Blankets of Hope, Nick and his brother Mike are helping students practice empathy and kindness by donating blankets — each paired with an inspirational handwritten note — to those experiencing homelessness. They’ve donated over 31,000 blankets so far!
Nosa E., Chicago: Once a professional athlete himself, Nosa is now using his experience to help others transition out of the sports world by serving as a youth advocate and mentor, promoting joy and helping thousands of kids realize their potential.
Pollyanna N., Concord, N.C.: Pollyanna believes strongly that knowledge is power, and she uses that knowledge to help those around her. Through her organization, Active Veterans With Answers, she is helping fellow veterans become educated and access the important benefits they have so rightfully earned.
Rachel S., Lexington, Mass.: A proud mother herself, Rachel has helped families in the Boston area keep their babies clean and dry by distributing over 150,000 diapers through Beantown Baby Diaper Bank.
Rodney S., Madison, Ala.: Rodney and his organization, Raising Men Lawn Care Service, teach kindness and responsibility with the “50 Yard Challenge,” a call for kids to mow 50 lawns in their local communities. The challenge provides free lawn care for more than 33,000 people in need.
Ron T., Odessa, Fla.: Inspired by a visit to his grandmother, Ron is working with schools, organizations and companies to decorate and send loving greeting cards to senior communities across America. His organization sent over 71,000 cards last year!
Roy T., Reno, Nev.: Since experiencing his own life-changing fall, Roy has been working through his organization, High Fives, to keep the adventurous spirit alive for hundreds of athletes recovering from their own injuries.
Sandra N., Boston: Sandra knows that a soup kitchen provides more than just food. Through her organization, the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, she provides a safe, welcoming space that serves 275 meals every Tuesday.
Stephanie F., Middletown, R.I.: Through The Confetti Foundation, Stephanie is sharing smiles and throwing birthday parties, helping over 9,500 hospitalized children celebrate their birthdays in style.
Tia F., Pompano Beach, Fla.: Tia created No Limits Foundation Inc. to inspire purpose and build confidence in special needs children. Her fashion show events have helped many kids to dream bigger and even pursue modeling.
Tracy Q., Fulton, Md.: Tracy has a passion for creating sweet moments for children and families impacted by childhood illness. Through Icing Smiles, she has delivered tasty memories in the form of 44,000 custom cakes and cookies.
Veronica P., Reno, Nev.: Inspired by her dog Judge’s unique birthmark, Veronica started a campaign called The Remarkable Golden and left her law career to hit the road in an RV, empowering people around the country to celebrate their own unique traits.

For the third year in a row, the Smile with Lay’s campaign directly benefits Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides access to safe surgical care to those who have cleft conditions.

“The Smile with Lay’s program reflects the true power of how a smile can change the world, beginning with the one-on-one interaction you may have with a stranger to the life-changing surgeries and resources Operation Smile is able to provide thanks to our committed staff, generous donors, medical volunteers and longtime partners like Lay’s,” said Kristie Magee Porcaro, Chief Strategy Officer & Partnerships Operation Smile.

The Lay’s Smiles bags are available nationwide while supplies last. To learn more, visit www.Lays.com.

About Lay’s
Lay’s is one of the brands that makes up Frito-Lay North America, the $17 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/ and on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay. Learn more about Lay’s by visiting www.facebook.com/lays or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lays. You can also follow Lay’s on Instagram by visiting http://instagram.com/lays.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About Operation Smile
Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands safe surgeries for those born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial differences. With more than three decades of expertise, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver free surgery to people where it’s needed most.  As one of the largest medical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile has mobilized thousands of medical volunteers from a wide range of medical specialties from more than 80 countries. Operation Smile engages public-private partnerships to advance health care delivery, train local medical professionals to provide surgical care for patients in their communities, donate crucial medical equipment and supplies, and increase access to surgical care so that everyone living with cleft is treated. Visit www.operationsmile.org, and find us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Read original press release here.

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AMA Dallas / Marketing

AMA DFW Marketer of the Year Awards Virtual Ceremony Set for September 23rd | Charlotte Jones Awarded Lifetime Achievement | Register Now

AMA Dallas Posted On September 9, 2020

The DFW chapter of The American Marketing Association has a majestic event planned on September 23rd, 2020 to recognize top marketers in the DFW area.

You’re invited to join this virtual event as we crown the award winners across 20+ Marketer of the Year categories. Then, from amongst this group, we will bestow the ultimate glory and name the 2020 Marketer Of The Year!

During this action packed 60 minute livestream event we will also announce the Collegiate Marketer of the Year and CMO of the Year.

We are thrilled to be honoring our Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Charlotte Jones, EVP and Chief Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys.

Guiding us through the evening will be our Emcee, Tom Dennis. Tom is a familiar face around town in the marketing world as he is the President Emeritus of AMA DFW.

Finalists for Marketer of the Year

270B
Agency Entourage
Bob Moore Construction Inc
Clampitt Paper
Dallas Mavericks
de Boulle
FleishmanHillard
Fossil
GatherRound Agency
Keystone Aviation
Lennox Industries
Marketwave
MG Marketing
MindHandle
Mixed Media Creations
Mod Op
Mojo Media
Raze Media
Relevant Insights
Simple Media
Spire Agency
TAC – The Arnold Companies
TAC Air
TruePoint Communication

Finalists for CMO of the Year

Taylor Brewer | LD Lowe
Bill Watson | Consolidated Restaurant Operations
Joshua Garcia | de Boulle

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