COM590 Let Maria Be Everyone's Grandma by Brittan Blair, Rosie Frank, Erika DeLeener

COM 590

LET MARIA BE EVERYONE’S GRANDMA BRITTAN BLAIR, ERIKA DELEENER, ROSIE FRANK

Meet the Team

Creative Director: Brittan Blair

CEO: Rosie Frank

COO: Erika De Leener

Table of Contents Introduction………...…………………………………………………………………..…....……..4 Maria's Story………………………………………………………..……………………..……......4 Maria’s Italian Kitchen…………………………………………………………….........……...5 Vision and Mission……………………………………………………………....…..…………...6 Environmental Scan…………………………………………………………….…..…………....8-13 Situation Analysis……………………………………………………………………….……...….14 Target Audience Analysis…….……………………………….………………….………...….15-16 Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility…………………………….………………….17 Research……..…………………………………………………….…………………...……...........18-21 Recommendations………..…………………………………………………….………………....22-24 IMC Strategy………..…………………………………………………….…………...…………......25-28 Creative Brief………..…………………………………………………….…………...……………..29 Appendix……….……..…………………………………………………….…………...……………..30-34 Bibliography……….……..…………………………………………………….………….…………..35 3

Introduction After careful and in-depth primary and secondary research, we are proposing the following campaign for Maria’s Italian Kitchen, “Let Maria Be Everyone’s Grandma”. This campaign is specially tailored to the needs of Maria’s Italian Kitchen, in order to satisfy its goals of targeting millennials and active adults. This would allow the continuation of the chain’s current success with younger clientele for generations to come.

Maria’s Story Maria’s Italian Kitchen is the true American success story. With Maria’s humble education of learning her family's recipes in the Italian quarter of Hoboken, New Jersey. Maria spent most of her time learning all that she could from her mother, Luisa. When her two older brother’s convinced Maria to move out to California, she was hesitant to leave her home of Hoboken behind. After her visit to California, she was transfixed with the California sun and lifestyle. She and her husband,Donald, packed up their belongings and moved across the country. With their five children, the Alfano’s decided on moving to the Brentwood Village in 1968. During her time in Brentwood, Maria helped her older brother’s create and perfect recipes that would later help them open up what is now known as the famous, Matteo’s restaurant. With Maria’s passion for cooking and her excitement of helping her brother, she and her husband purchased a tiny grocery store called the “Village Mart” in the Brentwood Village, off of Barrington Street and Sunset Blvd.

This led to the Alfano’s converting their one car garage into what is known as the first Maria’s Italian Kitchen in 1975. Maria’s success from her small enterprise was the start of a life-long family tradition of restaurants. In 1985, Maria’s daughter, Madelyn, opened the first table-service Maria’s Italian Kitchen in Sherman Oaks. The success from opening this first table-service restaurant led to rapid success. This risk of following in her mother’s, Maria, footsteps paid off and allowed Madelyn to successfully open eight more restaurants across Los Angeles.

Maria’s Italian Kitchen With the rich history of Maria’s Italian Kitchen, there are many implementations that this family owned restaurant prides itself on. These implementations have become standards in anything they do in anything related to the restaurant. Maria’s prides itself on having a local central kitchen that cooks it’s pastas, italian sausages and meatballs, bread, sauces, soups, and much more daily. After the central kitchen has prepared this food, it is sent out for delivery to it’s nine restaurant locations. This daily process allows for the use of the freshest ingredients and the authentic Hoboken Italian style food that Maria’s has prepared daily from the start of its first location. Only the finest, fresh ingredients can be paired with the customer service that each location gives to its clientele. Maria’s is known for making every customer

feel like they are automatically part of the family. From the host desk remembering who you are, even after only a few visits, to the waiters chatting with you as if you were lifelong friends and or family. This service is hard to find at any large scale restaurant, let alone at smaller restaurants in the Los Angeles area. The average price range for a meal at Maria’s Italian Kitchen is around $11-$30. When Maria is in town, she will walk around the restaurant and sit and chat with her guests. Maria and Madelyn are famously known for treating each guest as one of their own. It’s always a family party at Maria’s and this is what has largely made their restaurants so successful.

Vision & Mission Maria’s is a family owned restaurant with native roots in Hoboken, New Jersey. Maria’s also believes that everyone is family and when you visit each location and this is exactly what you are treated like when you come for a visit. With this in mind, it is important to Madelyn, Maria’s Italian Kitchen owner, that her mother’s authenticity and Hoboken roots are effectively shown in every aspect of the company from the food to the comfort of the clientele when dining at the restaurant. Maria’s is also much more than just a restaurant and believes that community involvement, good will, and philanthropy are musts when being such a large part of the Los Angeles community. Madelyn has taken the time to focus on these key aspects of her community and has donated to many charities, been the

President of the California Restaurant Association, and is on the board of Shane’s Inspiration, which focuses on creating accessible playgrounds at public parks for children with disabilities. These are just a few of the key things Madelyn is involved in and the list goes on and can be accessed at www.mariasitaliankitchen.com.

Client Meeting During a meeting between Maria’s Italian Kitchen and our team, Grey Orchid Agency, we discussed the multiple dimensions of the company and what Maria’s Italian Kitchen (MLK) wanted us to direct our campaign towards. Overall, MIK wants to maintain its authentic Italian family style feel while being able to attract a new and younger clientele that can continue to frequent the restaurants for generations to come.

Environmental Scan Legal The current legal environment, in regards to restaurant ownership, brings up topics and issues of insurance, damages and liabilities, and overall safety issues between the restaurant, it’s employees, and its clientele. Today, companies that are involved in providing a food service are working hard to assure clients that they use the best quality ingredients and have taken safely precautions necessary to run a healthy safe restaurant. With Trump being elected as our President, it is predicted that “stress related to restaurant operators have experienced in recent months may soon relax” (Nation’s Restaurant News). Some other legal concerns for restaurant owners are overtime, minimum wage increases, legalization of marijuana, joint-employer liability, predictive scheduling, health grades, wage disparity and the pay gap, and criminal history disclosure. These issues have caused many major concerns and financial, social, and economic dilemmas for restaurant owners. Technological Technology has helped evolve every facet of our lives. The restaurant industry isn’t immune to the technological shift that has created shifts in the way that the restaurant industry is able to operate. For restaurants, technology has allowed for the ability to bookkeep and gather employee information in one central location, allowed for POS (point of sale) systems to create cohesiveness in the inner

workings of the restaurant industry, ipads have helped customers read menus and order drinks, and so much more. Besides, the evolutions in the way a restaurant operates, it is also important to note that technology has also allowed for the ease to create a strong media presence all the way to allowing customers to review their meals on social media platforms. Social Media has also allowed for people to talk and be open about their thoughts on a restaurant and it’s food. This technological element is crucial to Maria’s marketing plan, as many people tend to make their purchasing decisions based on a brand’s paid and unpaid media presence. Competitions via Facebook are an increasingly popular way to gain exposure for brands through encouraging posts, and sharing in exchange for promotional discounts. The globalization of phones and devices that operate on applications (Apps) have created an interesting slew of apps that allow for the commercialization of access to online ordering, convenient food delivery, instant communication with clients over issues, and much more. Social The social climate of the restaurant industry is constantly adapting to consumer preferences. Currently, many restaurants tend to gravitate towards satisfying an ever growing trend of creating hipster restaurant aesthetics, such as edison-lighting, rustic looks, and minimalistic industrial feels. There has been a shift

of clients moving away from frequenting restaurants that are cluttered, cozy, and tacky in style and aesthetics. Restaurants have found that their clients have tastes that gravitate towards wanting fast and effective service that meet their aesthetic needs. Many restaurants are minimizing their menus, companies that once been known for their large menus, have become simple and limited in the items that they offer. Customer service has also become more of deal breaker for customers frequenting a place. Due to the availability, ease, and abundance of accessing many other restaurants at the touch of their fingertips, customer service has become more and more of an issue in keeping many customers happy and coming back. Creating a unique selling point for your restaurant is absolutely a must as customers want to categorize what your business is. To be authentic, original, and captivating is a must in food service as restaurants are a dime a dozen, especially in a heavily populated city like Los Angeles. Economic Many economic problems face the current restaurant industry as this industry is still very sensitive to changes in the overall economy. Many influences such as customer preference and the way they allocate their money is an important factor that creates economic issues. Some very pertinent issues are value vs. price, food inflation, and increasing labor and healthcare costs. Issues that have become extremely socialized have also become significant in economic meaning. When the cost of healthcare and labor are voted on to increase,

this puts businesses, especially restaurants in a position to figure out how to cut their labor down further. Labor is a huge expense for restaurants and makes providing lower priced quality food difficult without cutting into their margins of profit. Food inflation has become an increasing problem as it is one of the most expensive factors of owning a restaurant. When food prices go up and the desire to provide high quality ingredients is a restaurant's goal, it becomes challenging to maintain cost and and find the clients that are willing to pay a bit more for their meals that are significantly higher in quality and health. Competitive Maria’s Italian Kitchen is seen as a family style italian restaurant. Their food style is predominantly inline with large portions of savory, satisfying home cooked italian food. This is important to understand as Maria’s Italian Kitchen is more geared to casual family dining rather than trying to cater to high-end fancier serviced, smaller portioned, italian styled restaurants. Though Maria’s Italian Kitchen is more family based, smaller in company size, thus allowing better and more authentic service to be given, to guests who frequent Maria’s Italian Kitchen. Below are a list of Maria’s Italian Kitchen’s competitors in the restaurant industry: Olive Garden Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain that specialises in Italian-American cuisine. They are naturally a large competitor for Maria’s as they

pride themselves on being on authentic italian cuisine and a company that believes that family is everything. Their advertising in the past has often used family like slogans to attract all families. They have also offered unlimited salad before, as well as the ”never ending pasta bowl”, where customers could eat all the pasta they wanted for just $9.99. They center their adverts around their well known bread sticks. They often have promotions and deals that that are low priced, proving to be a large competitor in the pricing for Maria’s. They currently have 818 restaurants operating globally. Olive Garden believes in supporting their team members as well as serving their communities. They have a large charity called Darden Dimes, that supports it’s own team members in times of need. Philanthropy is important to Olive Garden and is largely advertised on their website. Buca di Beppo Buca di Beppo is also a chain restaurant specializing in Italian-American cuisine. They serve everything family style, which means that each order is large enough to share for two or more. Each room is themed differently as Buca di Beppo’s mission is to capture the fun and enthusiasm of an authentic Italian gathering along with delectable food (Bucadibeppo.com). They currently have restaurants in 100 different locations worldwide. Previously, Buca di Beppo has attempted to boost their sales by introducing less expensive meals that were meant for two. The chain is known for their vintage photographs hanging all over each wall, which is meant to feel like being at a family member’s home. Buca

believes that nothing brings food together like food. They are priced between $9-$14 for pasta’s and $9-$15 for other main dishes. Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant Maggiano’s is a chain Italian-American restaurant that originated in Chicago, Illinois. Maggiano’s is known for it’s reminiscences of a Sunday night visit to their grandmother’s house, where the portions are large. Maggiano’s success was due to their simple, authentic classics that create warmth and happiness to those who eat their food. Maggiano’s offers classic and contemporary dishes, while offering either family sharing style dishes or single portions. These dishes are priced between$13-$25 for. Their main goal is to make customers feel special and wanting to make sure to cater to the casual family informal dinner. 13

Situational Analysis Strengths - Family owned - Secret menu - Large menu - Active owner - Fresh food daily - Good reputation - Staff knows regular customers - Something for everyone (on menu)

Weaknesses - Not quite in a specific price range - Inconsistent social media - Social media not properly targeted - Yelp reviews are very mixed - Do not want to modernize their locations to appeal to newer style of restaurant decor

Opportunities - Target active adults and millennials - Target repeat customers with lunch offers - New technology used in restaurant sector - Healthy food option trends - Selling some restaurant products - Offer delivery/take-out through restaurant and third party services (Doordash)

Threats - Competitors - New restaurant opening in areas close to locations - Reputation hurt by reviews - Prices rising of food - Higher legal minimum wage in CA - Economic conditions that impede on growth in the restaurant sector

Target Audience Analysis In listening to what Maria’s Italian Kitchen’s goals were, we believed that the best audience to target would be millennials and active adults. In targeting these two groups, MIK would gain exposure to a younger crowd that would ideally replace its current customer base of older aging clientele. They also would be able to to generate repeat business during lunch and normally slower hours by targeting working active adults. Target Audience #1: Millennials- 21-35 years old and have some discretionary dollars Interests: ● Enjoy good food ● Prefer quality dining ● Enjoy a wide range of menu options ● Like their restaurants to fit multiple occasions i.e: date nights, family dinners, birthdays, work lunch Traits: ● Want to feel welcomed and recognized when frequenting a restaurant ● Aren’t too particular on having to be bothered with dressing up to eat out, but can if they choose to ● Want to feel that they can have healthy options without losing on taste or quality

● Don’t mind spending a little more for their food as long as they understand the added cost benefit Target Audience #2: Active adults- 25-59 years old and who have discretionary income Interests: ● Enjoy good food ● Prefer quality dining ● Enjoy a wide range of menu options ● Like their restaurants to fit multiple occasions i.e: date nights, family dinners, birthdays, work lunch Traits: ● Doesn’t want to feel rushed out of the restaurant and equally wants to feel like they are recognized (repeat) and valued as customers ● If the food is good, price isn’t a factor for them ● If service and atmosphere are good, price isn’t a factor or issue for them ● Eating out takes on many shapes and when they eat out, they recognize each restaurant has it’s own benefits, atmosphere, and category that it belongs in. ● Active adults have different expectations for different categories of restaurants ● Healthy food and organic local, farm to table style ingredients are important to this consumer

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Maria’s Italian Kitchen has ethical and corporate social responsibility to their employees, customers, local communities, and much more. This is an important topic that Maria’s Italian Kitchen should continue to focus on in their restaurants, local communities, and their commitment to their customers and employees. Maria’s Italian Kitchen is known for its philanthropy among its local communities, to charities that it supports, and to their long term employees. Some things that Maria’s Italian Kitchen should be aware of when keeping up with the ever changing social climate: Trustworthy This has become very important for millennials and for those that are going to be your future employee and guest. Current generation's factor in trustworthiness in their purchasing decision making process. Respect Respect as a consumer and as an employee of those who currently work for you, those who currently eat at your restaurants is very important and something that people pay attention to. This is also something that Maria’s Italian Kitchen does well when they answer Yelp comments and take the time to get involved and listen to their clients and employees.

Research Objectives Through Grey Orchid Agency’s primary and secondary research, the purpose is to meet Maria’s Italian Kitchen’s needs. MIK wants to continue to serve the needs of their current core adult clientele. While maintaining their current clientele, they also want to appeal to more millennials and work on the development of the brand and enticing repeat customers in order to increase sales. Research Implemented In order to determine if these objectives are realistic to accomplish, Grey Orchid Agency worked on conducting primary and secondary research. This research would help guide our team in how we wanted to develop the campaign for Maria’s Italian Kitchen. It was important to conduct secondary research first in order to understand what the restaurant industry is currently like. This also lead to the basic research of what Maria’s Italian Kitchen current brand perception. Secondary research was conducted via the internet. Our browsing scope went as far as researching competitor reviews, MIK reviews, competitor websites, restaurant 101 sites, and any written press about Maria’s Italian Kitchen. This data has helped us become well versed in what the restaurant industry is like. The next step was to conduct our primary research. This primary research was done through two small focus groups that had 4-6 people in each group that fit

our two target audiences. Both our targeted audiences are of different ages and we wanted to determine if appealing to both was viable for Maria’s Italian Kitchen. The first focus group was conducted with 5 millennials that were in our target age range. We asked what their food preferences were, how they liked to dine, were farm to table ingredients something that they would pay for, what their likes and dislikes were from seeing Maria’s Italian Kitchen current web presence. It is also important for us to understand if the millennials that we spoke to knew what Maria’s Italian Kitchen was. For our second focus group we asked 6 active adults for their opinions on the same topics as what we asked the millennial focus group. These questions were paired with what their likes and dislikes were of Maria’s Italian Kitchen, as more active adults were aware of Maria’s, and what their dislikes and likes were on their internet presence and brand perceptions. Primary research findings: ● Focus group of active adults ○ Would pay more for healthier food ○ Drawn to trendy social media ○ Wanted good customer service ○ Felt more attracted to restaurants that had personal elements ○ Many were not sure of Maria’s- some had heard or went to it because their family dragged them

● Focus group of millennials ○ Drawn to trendy social media ○ Make mealtime decisions based on familiarity ○ A restaraunt that they would frequent regularly ○ Most didn’t know about Maria’s at all Secondary research findings: ● The average income for millennials in California is $20-25k a year. Of that they tend to spend approximately $2900 on eating out annually. ● According to eMarketer, 73% of US millennials use Facebook daily, 54% use YouTube daily, 52% use Instagram daily, 49% use twitter daily, 41% use snapchat daily and only 21% use pinterest daily. ● Millennials eat out more than any other generation. 53% Go out at least once a week for a meal. ● According to the National Restaurant Association, Italian food remains the most popular ethnic food in America, with 61% of the population eating it at least once a month. ● 40% of millennials consider price to be extremely important when dining out and prefer cheaper prices. ● 59% of millennials said they review menu’s online before making a decision and the simpler the menu to access and understand the better.

As seen in the infographic 1 in the appendix provided at the end of this document, the US has a large number of Italian restaurants across the nation with California having the most of all states. Most of these Italian restaurants are casual dining and on average a person spends $12.29 total when eating at a pizzeria or Italian restaurant.

Recommendations What can be fixed Based on research there are a few things that need to be directly fixed. Firstly,the website has several links to social media platforms that are not working, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The mobile app download page states “download link here” however, there is no link. Furthermore, Pinterest is not a useful social media platform for the targeted audience and can be completely taken away, minimizing the number of platforms that need to be worked on. What can be improved Based on research Maria’s Italian Kitchen’s website needs to be made more user friendly and simpler. The website currently has a lot of tabs under each heading and has a lot of links to all kinds of menus, promotions, press releases, coupons and more. This makes the front page look cluttered rather than concise. Customers get confused as they click on different links and make their way through the website but do not know where they started. A simpler cleaner homepage is recommended along with less in general on the website. Only the main necessities should be on the website, such as menus, contact information, a press release page, “Maria Cares” and links to social media. Furthermore, “Maria Cares” is a very important part of the company and should be made a more integral part as it is easy to skip over.

Another recommendation is concerning the videos under “Maria Says”. The videos should be made shorter and much faster paced. They should be all filmed from a bird's eye view to keep all the videos cohesive a easy to watch. Maria should be used as the host/voice/face of the videos to also keep all the videos cohesive and similar. This would also allow the videos to be more relatable for customers and fits the main campaign idea. For inspiration BuzzFeed videos can be used. Furthermore, the videos should synced and uploaded simultaneously onto Instagram and facebook, to create a cohesive social media strategy. Furthermore, currently Maria’s Italian Kitchen has a private Instagram that has nine followers. The first recommendation for Instagram is to start using it. It is a trendy and actively used social media platform by millenia. On the Instagram page post trendy and appealing photos of food at Maria’s and different locations. Using hashtags will increase number of followers and gain exposure. Only one account is needed, as trying to manage different accounts for all different locations would be a large time commitment and it is easier to keep everything cohesive on one account. Having giveaways on the posts that include tagging friends to enter will increase exposure and number of followers. Currently, the Facebook page is consistently being used which is good. However, more use of promotions on the page will increase exposure and interaction with consumers online. Although posts are consistent, they are not getting a lot of attention. Capitalizing on holidays and major events by promoting accordingly will also increase interaction with customers online.

General Improvements Overall, Maria’s needs to keep their overall social media cohesive by posting on all platforms but also by keeping the aesthetics of all the photos and videos consistent and clean. Furthermore, using a hashtag that can be used across all platforms would be beneficial in keeping their campaign cohesive. The hashtag can be changed according to different seasons or events.

IMC Strategy: “Let Maria Be Everyone’s Grandma” Problem Definition Problems that we discovered Maria’s Italian Kitchen having with their overall goal of targeting millennials and active adults were the incorrect targeting and inconsistency in their strategy of attracting this group of audiences. This lead to a mix of ideas and multiple brand representations that it was clear that Grey Orchid Agency needed to streamline their brand into one cohesive theme. Campaign objective The main campaign objectives that we have are to increase the appeal of Maria’s Italian Kitchen to millennials and active adults and creating a central idea that creates unity and appeal on their social media, sales promotion, advertising, events, and public relations components of their marketing done from here on out. Grey Orchid Agency recognizes that this is far easier said than done, and with the strategy presented below and the tactics listed; Maria can truly become everyone’s grandma through good italian family style food and spirit. Strategy Grey Orchid Agency wants to create an emotional appeal to millennial and active adults heart strings and use Maria Alfano as the face of Maria’s Italian Kitchen’s newest branding/campaign strategy.

Goal The goal in this campaign is to attract a newer, fresh generation of customers that Maria’s Italian Kitchen can continue to appeal to for years and generations to come as they have done so in the past with their current older clientele. This overall goal will lead to the unified branding of what Maria’s Italian Kitchen will be known and recognized for to the new generation of Maria’s Italian Kitchen goers. Maria Alfano will become the complete authentic face of Maria’s and become everyone’s grandmother. Unique Selling Point Maria Alfano is already the namesake of Maria’s Italian Kitchen and now she will completely be integrated in Maria’s and become the face as well. This is a strong benefit to re tweaking the current branding of what Maria’s Italian Kitchen is already doing because there doesn’t need to be a lot of extra work to go into Maria’s campaign costs and implementations. Maria’s currently has Maria in their logo, their company history, Maria Says blog, and much more that it would be beneficial to continue to not only use her but emphasize her as the main part of the campaign. Maria can be used even more efficiently and effectively to bring in more customers.

Tactic #1- Billboard/Print Ad Approximate cost: 1,500-5,000 for a Large Bulletin ● Great for building brand and name recognition. ● Located in heavy traffic areas for maximum exposure. ● 48'W X 14'H The first tactic that Grey Orchid Agency will employ to increase appeal and publicity of Maria and the restaurant through billboards near several Maria’s Italian Kitchen locations. The billboards will display a picture of Maria with a censor block over her mouth to convey her constant swearing. The billboards will each portray copy next to Maria with different phrases such as “What the Formaggio” and “You never know what happens next”. Tactic #2 - Sales Promotion Approximate cost: ● Facebook Post: Cost of a meal $17, Cost of posting facebook competition in LA as low as $20 ● Video Post: Cost of meals for 3 (Maria, and 2 guests), Cost of posting competition on facebook ( as little as $10 to focus in LA areas) ● Instagram: $35 dollars a day max, can set limits on your own. The second tactic we will use to spread the awareness and appeal of Maria’s is by online sales promotions through the Maria’s Facebook page. These competitions will be held every two to three weeks during the campaign and will

encourage Facebook users to share the post on their own Facebook page. This will increase exposure and encourage users to get involved, which will in turn help customers form a deeper connection to Maria’s as a brand. There are a few possible posts that our agency has drafted for your uses that can be adjusted to how you see fit found in the appendix. Tactic #3 - Video For this tactic, Grey Orchid Agency believes that a video incorporating Maria as the main aspect of the storyline would allow customers to feel more connected to Maria and the restaurant. It would allow customers to get a proper feel of Maria’s personality and lets consumers relate to Maria as being “everyone’s grandmother”. Please find the attached storyboard of the video in the appendix for your reference. Tactic #4 - WeWork For this tactic, Grey Orchid Agency believes that a press release announcing Maria’s Italian Kitchen is working with Wework offices around the Los Angeles area to provide its clients and office rental tenants family style food. This joint partnership is a great opportunity to promote the ideals that Maria’s Italian Kitchen shares with WeWork; to provide comfort and community through food and open workspaces.

Creative Brief Throughout the research process of Maria’s Italian Kitchen it became evident that the key factor that would dictate the strategy is Maria’s unique differentiator. While there are many casual and fine dining Italian restaurants, no other Italian restaurant has Maria. Maria is the most important factor that guided the strategy and thus led to the campaign titled “Let Maria Be Everyone’s Grandma”. It is crucial to highlight that Maria is a real person and present in the company. Maria guides and makes decisions in the company and it is her actual recipes being used. Furthermore, it is important that Maria is used in the campaign to communicate that Maria’s is authentic Italian food, created by an authentic Italian grandmother. This will be relatable to the consumers as everyone has a grandmother and can relate to that generous and caring nature that grandmothers have. The communication aims to increase awareness and exposure to the target audiences of millenia and active adults. With multiple tactics, both Maria’s will be able to increase interaction with the target audiences and thus increase repeat customers or entice new customers to their restaurant. Maria’s promises authentic Italian food, made directly using Maria’s personal recipes. Furthermore, Maria’s will be known as friendly and spunky using Maria more effectively throughout the campaign. The company is focused on family, authentic experiences and building a community. Maria’s target audiences include families, millennia and active adults.

Appendix Infographic 1

Tactic 1- Billboard

Tactic 2- Sales Promotion

Facebook post: “Maria is famous for her unpredictable comments! What’s the most outrageous thing your grandma has ever said? Tag us and share - the poster with the most likes will win dinner for two at the Maria’s location of their choice” Facebook post: ** with photo of Maria** “Maria’s is known for it’s authentic New Jersey-style Italian food. Share a photo of your grandma at her most ‘authentic’ - the poster with the most likes will win a cooking class for two with Maria herself, be sure to tag us!” Instagram post: **photo of dish of the day** “Come in to any of our Maria’s locations and order Maria’s dish of the day for only $8.99!”

Tactic 3- Video

Tactic 4 - WeWork Press release: CA: Today Maria’s Italian Kitchen, a restaurant founded in New Jersey that is now based in Southern California, announced that they will be rebranding parts of the Maria’s Italian Kitchen marketing plan. After the rising popularity of videos based around the charismatic founder of the brand, Maria, they have decided to make her a more prominent aspect of their brand. One of the ways that Maria’s plans to implement this is by catering at the communal office space WeWork. Of the rebranding decision, the Head of Marketing for Maria’s Italian Kitchen, and daughter of founder Maria, Madeline said of the decision, “Madeline Quote” The objective that guided this marketing decision by Maria’s Italian Kitchen is as follows: · Increase appeal of Maria’s to millennials and active adults The Maria’s marketing team believes that this is a calculated marketing tactic as an increasing number of young professionals and active adults are employed by companies that rent from WeWork. WeWork provides off spaces and business services in a communal environment that often involves shared catering lunches. The Maria’s marketing team believes that having Maria at these catering events will be an excellent way to increase brand awareness and appeal while simultaneously making Maria the face of the brand. About Maria’s Italian Kitchen: Maria’s Italian Kitchens began in the Italian quarter of Hoboken, New Jersey, where Maria, grew up learning the recipes for real Italian food of Naples from her mother, Luisa. In 1968 the Alfano’s and their five young children moved to Los Angeles, where the first Maria’s Italian Kitchen was opened in a converted one-car garage. It has since expanded to nine different locations. To this day, Maria’s Italian Kitchen is proud to be a family-run operation. 34

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