Advertising

LOOMIS Refreshes Golden Chick Ad Campaign as Restaurant Brand Thrives

Written by The Loomis Agency

In the world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), the numbers don’t get much better than they are right now for Golden Chick. With double-digit same-store sales increases and a big boost in average unit volume pushing system growth past 200 units, the Golden Chick brand has found its way to the top half of Restaurant Business’s Top 500 list and was named a Next Gen brand by Nation’s Restaurant News.

Golden Chick CMO Howard Terry credits the strength and efficiency of the company’s operational response to the pandemic, along with marketing and advertising efforts, as key drivers of the brand’s growth in 2020, 2021, and the first half of 2022. Terry notes that the brand’s surge in sales began with the launch of its award-winning man-on-the-street-style campaign called “One Taste and You’re Golden.”

Since 2018, the campaign had focused on capturing authentic experiences of first-timers as they discovered Golden Chick’s taste and quality, something research showed overwhelmingly created instant Golden Chick fans and repeat customers. “Our campaign has been highly effective at differentiating Golden Chick from our larger competition,” said Terry, “but coming out of the pandemic, we knew it was time to dial it up.”

Health guidelines during 2020 and 2021 forced a shift in production, but now it was time to refocus on taking Golden Chick back out to the people. Research confirmed the consumer appeal of the campaign’s interviewer, Marty. Originally cast for his personable, friendly approach and improvisational abilities, Marty continues to riff off the customers’ comments but is now accompanied by brand ambassador sidekicks. “Marty is known for his crowd work. We wanted to give him an even greater chance to bring the funny in this new round of spots,” said Group Creative Director Kim Smith. “Putting him back out on the street and pairing him with the sidekicks changed things up, giving him more opportunity to do just that. He knew we wanted to breathe new life into this already strong concept, and he delivered.”

“This campaign has always been about capturing authentic responses to that delicious first bite and sharing those reactions with a smile and laugh. We just needed to do that in a new way.” — Julia Proctor, Group Account Director

LOOMIS partnered with Brian Bain and Jake Springfield of Tempt Films to infuse a new visual energy, capturing a more organic, on-the-street spontaneity. Filming took place in historic Downtown McKinney and Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park.

According to LOOMIS Group Account Director Julia Proctor, the first-taste surprise and delight at the heart of the concept works so well because it rings true. “People just don’t know how incredibly tasty Golden Chick really is,” Proctor said. “This campaign has always been about capturing authentic responses to that delicious first bite and sharing those reactions with a smile and a laugh. We just needed to do that in a new way.”

The spots will run in 19 DMAs in TX, OK, LA and FL on network, connected, and cable.

About Golden Chick
Founded in Texas in 1967, Golden Chick is a family-oriented, quick-service restaurant that prides itself on perfecting its Golden Fried Chicken, Golden Roast Chicken, Big & Golden™ Chicken Sandwich and Golden Tenders®, along with offering a variety of other chef-inspired menu items. The brand was ranked the #4 chicken franchise by Entrepreneur, included in Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 200 Restaurants in 2019 and is ranked in the top 200 of Restaurant Businesses’ Top 500 Chains for 2020. With dine-in, drive-thru, catering and home delivery service capabilities, the Golden Chick restaurant chain has more than 200 locations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

original content

About the author

The Loomis Agency

LOOMIS is an award-winning full-service Dallas advertising agency specializing in defining and leveraging strategic advantages for challenger brands. Helping our client partners reach their business goals for more than 35 years, LOOMIS offers marketing communications strategy, creative, media, and production expertise across all digital marketing and traditional advertising platforms and channels. Check out the agency’s “Voice of the Underdog” podcast, read the BARK! blog, and learn more at theloomisagency.com.