Hey, Jim! Since 1999, our team has helped establish several new and growing restaurant brands from local burrito joints to international steakhouses and a lot of cool concepts in between. We have even been fortunate enough to work with a few food and beverage start-ups that went on to become national brands such as PhillySwirl Italian Ice, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, and Firehouse Subs. I look forward to learning more about Foodie Labs and exploring ways we could help you and your partners.

The following is a sampling of our restaurant work.

- Brian Arndt

SMOKEY BONES

BRAND CREATIVE EVOLUTION | IDENTITY, ADVERTISING, DIGITAL, SOCIAL, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE, ACTIVATIONS, PACKAGING

In December 2019, we were contracted by another agency to lead the brand evolution of Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill. I worked on-site and remotely with their creative team to develop an award-winning, loyalty building, revenue generating 360 campaign based upon the brand position and tagline I authored, Meat Is What We Do.™

The Challenge

Smokey Bones was lacking a unique value proposition, giving consumers no reason to go there when weighing their options. Industry, consumer and community research spoke the same truth – they were trying too hard to be everything to everyone.

The Solution

We created a distinctive identity “Meat Is What We Do.” based upon the core of their essence, Masters of Meat, and leaned into it with everything we had.

The Components

Logo • Tagline • Manifesto • Digital • Social • Video • Website • Email • Point-of-Sale • Menus • Collateral • Swag • Activations

The Results

The campaign launched weeks before the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. The authenticity of the brand remained, but retail efforts quickly shifted from “We’re different now.” to “We’re in this together.” The combination of authenticity and ingenuity helped rebuild brand trust and loyalty that paid off then and now in the forms of increased sales, brand preference, and a feast of national branding and advertising awards.

FIREHOUSE SUBS

BRAND STRATEGY + CREATIVE EVOLUTION | IDENTITY, ADVERTISING, DIGITAL, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE, VIDEO, ACTIVATIONS, PACKAGING

The Firehouse Subs story is simple, authentic and appealing. Two sons of a fireman – who became firemen themselves – created their concept on their two areas of personal expertise. Firefighting. And eating.

The Challenge

Firehouse Subs opened their first location in 2001, and successfully rode the wave of patriotic support of firefighters following 9/11. In 2003, their four-walls marketing strategy was losing momentum. Customer word-of-mouth was no longer enough to raise awareness and generate interest.

The Components

OOH • Video • Radio • Website • Email • Point-of-Sale • Menus • Packaging • Swag • Activations

The Solution

We developed strategic marketing plan including creative that leveraged the owners’ / brothers' personalities – fun, proud and a bit smart-alecky. Then, we brought the brand outside, online, on the air, and throughout the southeastern U.S. market. We even produced a documentary originally produced as a franchisee education element that became a customer giveaway item, and eventually won multiple national awards.

The Results

The campaign helped raise their awareness, ROI, comp sales year over year, grow them from 30 to 100 stores in less than two years, and established a brand foundation that has helped them expand to more than 1,000 stores nationwide.

BURRITO BOARDER

BRAND STRATEGY + CREATIVE EVOLUTION | ADVERTISING, DIGITAL, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE, ACTIVATIONS, PACKAGING, SWAG, SPONSORSHIPS

Burrito Boarder was an action-sports themed quick serve burrito joint concept created by Giorgio and Lisa Bertrand, and formerly located in the current Black Cattle Burger location.

The Challenge

The owners launched Burrito Boarder – an all-natural, action-sports themed version of Chipotle – in arguably the worst time of year in Florida (June, 2008) and the worst economic climate in 30 years. As a result, their sales were below projection and remained flat for the first six months of business.

The Solution

Leveraging Burrito Boarder’s two key unique selling points - all natural mexican food in a cool, young, hip atmosphere - we developed a new branding platform, retail strategy, and deployed neighborhood campaigns utilizing in-store signage, sidewalk boards, neighborhood business swag bags, eblasts, Creative Loafing, and social media to spread the word.

The Results

A 40% increase in business during our tenure January 2009 - January 2010. We developed a local following and established lunch and late-night loyalty. Taco Tuesday sales increased 250% within one month of the campaing launch.

SAIGON BLONDE

BRAND STRATEGY + CREATIVE EVOLUTION | ADVERTISING, SOCIAL, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE

TAMPA BAY BREWING COMPANY

BRAND + PRODUCT CREATIVE | ADVERTISING, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE

In 1997, shortly after we moved here from Detroit, I partnered with art director and avid brewer, Kyle Williams, to create a handful of posters, ads, coasters, and swag for the Tampa Bay Brewing Company. Our work helped establish their brand voice and personality which is now legendary throughout Tampa Bay. “Beer is Your Friend” is one of the longest running brand taglines I’ve ever written, and is still present on their gear today.

CARLOS ‘n CHARLIES

BRAND STRATEGY + CREATIVE EVOLUTION | ADVERTISING, SOCIAL, WEBSITE, POINT-OF-SALE

BONEHEAD’S

BRAND STRATEGY + CONCEPTS | PRINT • DIGITAL • SOCIAL • POS

ADDITIONAL RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse • The Palm • Outback Steakhouse • Shell’s • The Melting Pot • Ruby Tuesday • Cafe Alma • DeSanto Latin American Bistro