P.F. Chang’s has debuted a brand new model platform, “Gentle the Fireplace,” that facilities on the fiery ardour of the restaurant chain’s wok-based cooking and heat gatherings round its tables, per particulars shared with Advertising Dive. The primary iteration of the model platform comes as a part of a vacation marketing campaign that can run on digital and linked TV by way of the tip of the yr.
“The timing couldn’t be higher as we’re heading into the season the place individuals wish to collect, rejoice, reconnect and spend time collectively over meals,” mentioned CMO Sonika Patel. “I see the vacation marketing campaign as an extension of this new model platform, as a result of it’s the time when individuals need that heat consolation and connection.”
“Gentle the Fireplace” is launched through a 30-second video centered on the meals, mates and households that fill its eating places, whereas a separate vacation spot is ready to a bouncy rendition of “Jingle Bells.” Each movies are edited in a manner harking back to photograph montages. The vacation marketing campaign can even see the chain amplifying influencer-led content material on social media round its Longlife Noodles — also referred to as longevity noodles — and the custom of the noodle pull.
“We’re inviting influencers to indulge and benefit from the Longlife Noodles in their very own manner,” Patel mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to have some enjoyable whereas giving friends what they’ve been asking us for a very long time and bringing again [the menu item].”
The model platform and vacation marketing campaign are a few of the most main consumer-facing strikes by P.F. Chang’s since Patel joined as chief marketer on the finish of 2024, and are available as eating places throughout the business face financial headwinds. For Patel, the efforts faucet into P.F. Chang’s id as a novel, multigenerational model.
“For the vacations, it’s a kind of good locations the place you will note households, mates and even colleagues come collectively,” Patel mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to lean into that power and rejoice all these completely different events… these are parts that you will note come throughout each movies for the model platform, in addition to the vacation extension.”
A social-first basis
P.F. Chang’s newest model work faucets into insights Patel uncovered when becoming a member of the corporate, together with an emphasis on nostalgia. To tell how the chain reveals up with advertising, Patel has centered on drawing insights from social media chatter, loyalty habits, transaction information and visitor suggestions.
As certainly one of her first strikes as CMO, Patel introduced in a brand new social media staff to assist P.F. Chang’s be extra culturally nimble. Early efforts embrace serving to a TikTok person in misery in addition to extra planned-out work, like a collaboration with Disney round “Freakier Friday” and free meals for diners with busted NCAA match brackets.
“Social is an important a part of our advertising technique general, and to be culturally related is our No. 1 approach to modernize the model and likewise construct an genuine reference to shoppers,” the chief mentioned in a earlier interview. “It’s not nearly visibility — it’s about that connection.”
Patel’s tenure at P.F. Chang’s has additionally coincided with an category-wide deal with worth as shoppers proceed to face financial stress. The chain final month rolled out a brand new menu that includes a group of $8.99 cocktails, half-sized appetizers and a selection between medium and conventional entree sizes.
“We wish to remind individuals that you just don’t need to compromise on the expertise and the standard,” Patel mentioned of the chain’s method to worth. “We imagine in inexpensive luxurious, and we wish to guarantee that individuals have that elevated eating expertise with each flavors and a good time however at costs that really feel accessible.”
