Wienerschnitzel Advertising Plan December 10, 2015 All We Do is Wi(e)n, ‘Cus We’re the Schnitzel Team
Serena Haubrich Alicia Richardson Ellie Neilsen Sasha Alexander Daniel Kelly Emma Liegler
Market Research Summary A survey was conducted that asked 100 college students their preferences about late night food. This survey revealed that: ● 77% of college students get late night food after going out and 57% said they get late night food when hanging out with friends. (Note: This question allowed multiples answers) ● Late night food is purchased on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays by 95% of respondents, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays by 21%, and only by 10% on Sundays. ● When asked where they prefer to go for late night, the five top choices were In-N-Out with 69%, Albertaco’s with 44%, Pizza Press with 42%, McDonald’s with 30%, and Taco Bell with 23%. 0% of respondents selected Wienerschnitzel. ● The survey asked what type of food respondents typically order for late night and allowed for multiple choice. Fries were the most popular choice with 72%, followed by pizza with 64%, Mexican with 54%, burgers with 49%, and milkshakes/ice cream with 39%. ● In regards to social media, 98% of those surveyed use Facebook, 96% use Snapchat, and 95% use Instagram. Twitter fell far behind at 52%. ● 79% of respondents drive or Uber to pick up their late night food, 14% walk to the location, and only 7% get their late night delivered. ● However, 85% of respondents said they would pick a fast food restaurant over their go-to choice if it delivered. Based on the results from this survey, late night food is very popular among college students. Most college students purchase late night on weekends, usually after going out to parties or hanging out with friends. The current popular choices for late night are In-N-Out, Albertaco’s, Pizza Press, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. The most popular items ordered are fries, pizza, Mexican food, burgers, and milkshakes. Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram are the most used social media platforms. Based on the high number of students that grab late night, extending the hours of Wienerschnitzel to include late night could attract a high number of customers within these hours, especially on weekends. Although Wienerschnitzel offers some of the popular, late night foods including fries, ice cream, and burgers, they will have a distinct offering of hot dogs that no other late night restaurant provides. With almost all respondents using Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, Wienerschnitzel can take advantage of this opportunity to advertise through these three social media platforms. Additionally, a large majority favored delivery for late night, although currently only a small percentage get their late night delivered and the majority drive to the restaurant. By pairing with a delivery service, such as PostMates in their late night
expansion, this provides another opportunity for Wienerschnitzel to increase their sales and expand their customer base. The following graphs depict the results of the survey.
Customer Profile For the late night munchies campaign, our target market is young adults and millennials. More specifically, our target market is aged 18-26 and include late high school and college students, in addition to recent graduates. This target market lives in the South West Coast and rely on the tight budget from their parents or low-income job. In terms of psychographics, the target customer is humorous, light hearted, with a teenage sense of humor and enjoys puns. Additionally, they are not health conscious or concerned about quality, and enjoy late night meals and tasty food. The target market values the low price and quick convenience over the
quality and origin of the ingredients. Interests and hobbies include social media, socializing with friends, and participating in campus activities, such as sports. This customer has an on-the-go lifestyle that includes balancing school or work during the day and staying up late at night to socialize or go out with friends. Late night restaurants are They need a fun place to let go, have fun with friends, and enjoy a meal. This place is Wienerschnitzel. Positioning Positioning Matrix with Competitors Brands
Wienershnitzel
In-N-Out
Albertacos
Taco Bell
McDonald’s Pizza Press
POP
Fast food, cheap
Fast food, cheap
Fast food, cheap
Fast food, cheap
Fast food, cheap
Fast food, cheap
POD
Serves hot dogs
Offer late night, secret menu,
Local, offer late night, serves Mexican cuisine
Offer late night, serves Mexican cuisine, serves all meals
Offer late night, serves American cuisine, serves all meals
Local, offer late night, focus on customizati on
Primary Market
baby boomer generation
young singles, families, high school and college students
college-age young young adults adults (18-34)
children, families with young parents
families, college-age young adults
Usage Occasi ons
afternoon and evening meals
Weekends , late nights
Evening, late night
On the go early morning, late afternoon, and evening
Afternoons, evenings
mornings and nights
SWOT Strengths: ● Familiar logo ● Core menu items: chili dog, hot dog ● Low cost food ● “World’s Largest Hot Dog Chain” ● “Family Owned”
Weaknesses: ● Not enough reasons to visit ● Closes earlier than competitors ● Not enough excitement around food/brand ● Limited menu ● Not fresh in consumers’ minds with limited and infrequent advertising ● Only caters to specific demographic of baby boomers ● Low social media presence
Opportunities: ● Appeal to a wider audience (i.e. millennials) ● Extend serving hours ● Partner with “competitor” companies: Postmates, Music Festival Stands ● Advertise via social media
Threats: ● Other fast food chains ● Food trucks ● Dietary and change of trends (i.e. gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan)
Brand Development I. Products II. Distinct Offering The “Munchies Menu” includes five new Wienerschnitzel products that no competitor offers. The “Munchies Menu” is available all day and during the new, extended late night hours until 2am on weekends. Students also receive at 10% student discount with their student ID. Wienerschnitzel also f III. Co-branding Strategy Wienerschnitzel will partner with certain “competitor” companies to reach their new, widened audience. This includes partnering with Postmates delivery service to provide their menu to an increased number of customers. In the market research survey, (Page 2) 85% of respondents said they would pick a late night restaurant if it delivered over their routine choice, proving to be an opportunity. Additionally, Wienerschnitzel will partner with other competitors that typically serve hot dogs, including music festivals, carnivals, baseball stadiums, and sporting events, to reach a younger target audience and promote their brand of hot dogs.
Promotion Objectives This campaign aims to expand the audience to include younger, college-aged customers through the addition of the late night menu and hours. This campaign will be achieved by fostering a personal connection, improving the social media presence and advertising, providing specialized menu items for college campus, and using satirical, impersonal humor and puns. The personal connection is built through extensive research towards the target market, including online surveys for college focus groups and interviews with representatives of certain demographics. In this qualitative research, Wienerschnitzel can better cater to the needs and desires of the market, such as gluten-free or vegetarian options. Furthermore, the Wiener Brothers are spokesmen for the brand will increase a positive, memorable impression with consumers, forming a connection with the brand. Consumers will remember the positive experiences with the brand and the humor from the brothers, creating brand loyalty that builds off the peripheral route to persuasion. Social media is a huge channel for the company to advertise with, especially because almost all target market customers are active on social media. Wienerschnitzel will hold contests, asking consumers to share their hot dog meal on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) with the hashtag #ImtheSchnitzel. The winning entry will be added to the “Munchies Menu.” Taking advantage of social media increases the promotion of the product and consumer engagement. The “Munchies Menu” will feature variations of the “Campus Dog” for various college campuses. For example, Chapman University locations will have a “Panther Dog,” while USC locations will have the “Trojan Dog.” These campus dogs increase personal connection with students and alumni at a variety of campus locations, in addition to being a stepping stone for the social media competitions.