The “New” Bennigan’s

How to transform a legacy brand into a model that resonates with today’s consumer

Challenge: Develop and execute a strategic marketing plan to turnaround a 35-year restaurant icon that had been in a tailspin and then filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy (closing all company restaurants and leaving a small base of weak franchise locations).

Solution: Refine the brand positioning, develop new corporate identity, re-engineer a new menu with simplified operations and everyday value-driven offerings, and launch marketing programs with system-wide franchisee support that focuses on consumers that live convenient to open locations.

Rationale: Having a clearly defined target market, frame of reference and point(s) of difference allowed us to create for the brand a viable reason for being. By making bold and quick (but strategically sound and consumer validated) moves that reflect the brand’s positioning, we were able to communicate this new compelling story directly to consumers within restaurant trade areas.

Results: Reversal of negative guest counts. Endorsement and participation from the complete franchise base. A well received revamped menu with the new “Ultimate PubPourium™ Burger reaching more than 25% of menu mix. Redemption rates three to five times industry averages from mailers. Launched new prototype and the first new location post bankruptcy.

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