Applebee’s Brand

Applebee’s is a pillar of American heritage, an every people’s casual dining restaurant that over the years has been organically referenced in

culture: in movie’s like Talledega Nights, multiple Dan Guterman animated series and by national talk show host Jimmy Fallon.

But they face the brand perception that they are outdated and irrelevant. The brand is self-aware of this and so our work with them was to help move their brand into a social-first space to appeal to the next generation of consumers.

Below are a few highlights of the work I CD’d on Applebee’s that moved that needle.

Role : Creative Director, Grey NY

All You Can Eatonomics

At the beginning of the year our wallets are always hurting (especially Gen Z’s) and the news is saturated with dry economic forecasts that are as boring AF. Another January promotion like Applebee’s All You Can Eat needed to appeal to the pinch Gen Z were feeling.

So we smashed together the seriousness of economic news with internet weird by imagining the alternative world of Eatonomics with Cool 3D World’s Brian Tessler.

At the epicentre of this surrealist narrative was a stonks-esque character called AYCE Dealington who we created in order to serve up the an easily digestible figure of $14.99 - a seriously AYCE deal!

We started by introducing our very important expert with mini trailers followed by a series of lessons through authoritative Ted Talk-style presentations.

Multimedia Artist: Brian Tessler, Cool 3D World Studio

All You Can Eat Rush

Rush season is the time of year when US college students explore their options to join a sorority and these students were the perfect audience for an August time All You Can Eat wings promotion.

We found the great insight that Rush season recruitment now had a dedicated corner on TikTok called RushTok.

So we reskinned our socials and joined in on rush season with a faux Applebee’s University (ABU) and recruited wing lovers via our own Saucerorities that paid homage to each of the sauced wings we had on offer.

From scratch we developed the AB University and Saucerority’s branding including logos, their wing mission statements, chants and choreographed dances.

Production Company: RushVids

Dollarita Steve

The Dollarita ($1 Margarita) is an iconic Applebee’s menu item, so for our fans we treated the campaign of it’s return to the menu, like the return of a star. As the promotion was ending - almost in anticipation of this cosmic shift - the earth shook…

A 3.7 magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco and a local, Steve, was interviewed after he had been interrupted drinking Dollarita’s with his friends. He let the world know what he was drinking and even signed off with our new tagline “Dollarita’s Back”. This local news interview went viral and Steve organically became “Dollarita Steve”on X.

Realising Dollarita Steve was a walking billboard for the Applebee’s, we immediately signed him to go spread the word as our new brand influencer with the extension of the promotion in his honor at his local San Franciscan Applebee’s.

He was featured by several media outlets, which brought attention and awareness to Applebee’s, resulting in a new wave of younger Applebee’s customers.

Product Photographer: Jenna Gang, B&A

Talent: Steve Mazzari