Bring the Travel Flair Home with Red Lobster
This is a case study I worked on for a course I was taking at the Miami Ad School in Toronto. The problems are real, and I have discussed them with the strategist working with the client.
Summary
Ask: Find a way to make Red Lobster relevant again and restore its former glory.
Challenge: The casual dining industry, along with Red Lobster, is struggling. Their primary clientele is aging and being overshadowed by fast casual and fine dining restaurants.
Objectives: Increase the overall profits and sales of each restaurant.
Attract a younger, more experiential target audience and make them regular costumers of Red Lobster.
Increase awareness amongst the target group.
Change restaurant perception.
Insight: The target group is more diverse than it has ever been and is seeking experiences that would reflect their cultural identity.
Solution: Appeal to the target audience’s desire to explore the world by making them try different Lobster delicacies from around the world.
In-Depth Read
Background
Red Lobster is an American Seafood casual dining restaurant chain established in 1968. The restaurant is headquartered in the United States and operates in more than 11 countries, including Canada, which will be the focus of this case study.
How can we make Red Lobster relevant again ?
The Challenge
The casual dining industry, including Red Lobster, is struggling. Consumers have changed their eating habits. They are always on the go and prefer fine dining and fast-casual restaurants.
Red Lobster’s main clientele is aging. Therefore, it’s being perceived as a restaurant for the older generation.
The Research
The research I have conducted for this case study is mainly desktop research. The most interesting insights revolve around Red Lobster’s clientele. They can be divided into three subgroups: Experientials which currently make up around 25% of the restaurants’ costumer base. Traditionalists and Indulgents, which make up together almost 50% of Red Lobsters costumers. The remaining 25% are unique costumers and cannot be positioned into a specific category. To increase Red Lobster’s costumer base and change the restaurants perception as it being a restaurant for the older generation, I had to look at Experientals and understand their eating habits in depth. They are the group with the highest purchasing power and attracting more of them would be lucrative for the business and help change brand perception.
Target Group – Experientials:
They are between the ages of 25-35 and are willing to spend more on restaurants that provide them with a culinary experience. They are technologically literate ” will try a snack based solely on an online rating, a review, or a social media post. They are interested in new flavours that reflect their growing cultural diversity and have a particular interest in ethnic fusion cuisines.
The target group is more diverse than ever, seeking cultural experiences that reflect their identity. They are also interested in exploring the world.
The Insight
The Strategy
Appeal to the target group’s desire to experience different cultures and explore the world. Now that the pandemic is coming to an end and people want to travel more than ever. It is the best time to introduce a campaign that would bring that feeling to Red Lobster’s customers without them having to spend a fortune.
The Creative Idea
Bring the travel flair home by introducing a different country-specific Lobster Delicacy each month.
How exciting would it be to serve an Italian Lobster Risotto and have passionate food influencers try it out?
Tactics
Create a 360 campaign with a strong focus on social media and invite relevant food and travel influencers to visit the restaurant and try the delicacies out.
How I would measure the success:
Through a consistent increase in overall sales and profits.
Through an increase in earned media.
Through an increase in costumer visits, especially by the target group.
Through an increase in repeated visits and loyalty amongst that target group.