Whataburger Debuts All-New Marketing Campaign

SAN ANTONIO, TX, October 05, 2011 (Press-News.org) The week of Oct. 10, Whataburger will launch an all-new marketing campaign reflecting the customer loyalty, employee pride, and craveable menu that has set the burger icon apart since 1950. The new documentary-style campaign features actual customers and employees across a fully-integrated, multi-cultural platform of traditional and digital media. It is Whataburger's first new advertising campaign in nine years.

NEW APPROACH

From an idea brought to life by Whataburger team members and customers, the new marketing campaign represents a substantial new approach for the company. Crews filmed customers, employees, and food preparation during the course of a normal day of operations in more than 20 restaurants throughout Texas and Alabama, going behind the scenes to capture the authentic spirit of Whataburger.

The new TV ads showcase the fresh, high-quality ingredients used to create the restaurant's famous burgers, from garden-ripe produce, to freshly-baked bread and never-frozen, all-American beef. The ads give a behind-the-counter look at team members working the grill and slicing vegetables - and a dining-room view of customers reacting as they enjoy their favorite, custom Whataburger menu items.

Along with these cravings, the new ads highlight what sets Whataburger apart from the burger crowd - its people. The campaign features personal connections made every day at Whataburger by customers and team members from various backgrounds and cultures. By capturing the engaging personalities and old-fashioned hospitality Whataburger has become known for, the new ads allow customers and team members to give a voice to the qualities that have woven Whataburger into the fabric of the communities it has served for more than 61 years.

"What makes Whataburger different isn't a secret sauce or a recipe locked away in a safe; it's our people, who always serve customers like guests in their own homes," said Rich Scheffler, Whataburger Restaurants, LP, Group Director of Marketing. "When you walk into a Whataburger restaurant, the pride is evident - you can feel it. This new campaign is our way of bringing that pride to life."

EXPANDED PLATFORM

Using a multi-faceted strategy, the campaign will reach all of Whataburger's customer touchpoints through TV, radio, outdoor, and online advertising, in addition to public relations and social media. The campaign expands Whataburger's presence in digital media and mobile marketing with interactive ads on Hulu and Facebook.

"The digital elements of our campaign focus on the quality food and service our customers receive in our restaurants," said Scheffler. "Harnessing the latest capabilities available in digital marketing allows us to bring that personal interaction to a whole new generation of customers."

Whataburger will also expand its presence in Spanish-language TV and radio with a new Hispanic-focused campaign. Created by San Antonio-based FPO Marketing, the Spanish-language campaign is not a translation of the English campaign, but a separate, parallel effort that features real Spanish-speaking customers and employees at Whataburger restaurants. The essence of the campaign showcases the personal interactions made at Whataburger every day, capturing the Hispanic culture, the Spanish language, and common feelings.

"We do business in many Hispanic communities and we wanted our loyal Spanish-speaking customers to share their thoughts and feelings about our restaurants and our food in their own words," said Scheffler. "Our Spanish-language campaign isn't an adaptation, but rather a culturally-relevant, organic effort to showcase our fresh food, our people and our service."

Whataburger's new marketing campaign, developed with the help of Austin-based McGarrah-Jessee, breaks the week of Oct. 10 with new TV and radio ads airing in markets throughout the 10 states in which it operates.

ABOUT WHATABURGER:
Whataburger has focused on its fresh, never frozen, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dobson gave his restaurant a name he hoped to hear customers say every time they took a bite of his made-to-order burgers: "What a burger!" Within the first week, people lined up around the block for his 25 cent, all-American beef burgers served on five-inch buns. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 700 locations in 10 states with sales of more than $1 billion annually. Visit www.whataburger.com for more information on the company. Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/whataburger and follow the brand on Twitter @Whataburger.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Suzanne Miller or Tracy Aiello
SPM Communications Corporate Communications
(817) 329-3257
spm@spmcommunications.com
tracy@spmcommunications.com

Meredith Hargrove
Whataburger Restaurants, LP
(210) 476-6403
mhargrove@wbhq.com