Restaurant chains are hitting the mark with customers through effective advertising campaigns

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Feb 18, 2014, 09:15 ET

CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Operators and suppliers across Canada employ Technomic's Consumer Brand Metrics (CBM) tracking program to stay abreast of consumer sentiment and brand patronage. Data released in the fourth quarter signals improvement in some chains' performance that may have been boosted by brands' marketing efforts throughout the year.

"Technomic can identify where consumer satisfaction is positively influenced by operators' advertising efforts," says Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President at Technomic. "Taco Bell integrated a familiar retail product in its menu mix with Doritos Locos Tacos, which is now one of the products consumers cite among its most craveable, unique items. Consumer Brand Metrics demonstrates where consumer sentiment has been impacted and reveals best practices for restaurant operators."

Highlights from the fourth quarter uncover consumers' opinions on the performance of leading Canadian restaurant brands. Notable fourth-quarter changes on key attributes tracked include:

Memorable and relatable advertising: A recent Technomic white paper "Perceptions of Restaurant Advertising" singled out Tim Hortons' strong performance on consumer perceptions of the chain's advertising. Consumer Brand Metrics data suggest improvements during the most recent quarter, in which the "Coffee Art" campaign launched; specifically, the percentage of consumers who agree that Tim Hortons has memorable advertising grew from 68.8 percent in Q3 to 72.9 percent in Q4.
Craveability: Taco Bell's new products, such as the Doritos Locos Tacos, alongside unique items like the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Mexican Pizza and Crunchwrap helped to boost consumer perceptions of the craveability of Taco Bell's menu. The integration of a retail product like Doritos created a unique and desirable product which also helped the chain's craveability metric surge; in Q4 2013, 93.3 percent of consumers gave the concept a good or very good rating on Craveable items I can only get at this restaurant, up from 79.6 percent in Q4 2012.
Non-alcohol beverage variety: Jack Astor's Bar and Grill garnered higher ratings on its non-alcohol beverage program than any other chain measured. More than nine out of 10 consumers (91.8 percent) indicate that Jack Astor's offers a good or very good variety of non-alcohol cold beverages, up from 83.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. This data suggests that the chain's beverage offerings, including its Ultra Thick Shakes, Brewski root beer, and signature juice cocktails, are increasingly resonating with its patrons.

Technomic's Consumer Brand Metrics (CBM): Canadian Restaurants service provides the latest consumer insights on more than 40 leading Canadian restaurant chains. The tool tracks consumers' perceptions on 62 attributes related to their most recent visit to the concept. Chains can analyze their results by region, demographic group or designated market area.

The consumer feedback is based on ongoing data collection and compiled from a nationally representative sample. At the end of December 2013, the total sample included more than 38,000 consumer respondents, with most chains averaging approximately 800 respondents.

Technomic provides numerous online services to the foodservice industry. To learn more, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below. For Technomic updates, please follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or our blog.

Contacts
Press inquiries: Darren Tristano (312) 506-3850 or [email protected]
Demonstrations of Consumer Brand Metrics for Canadian Restaurants: Patrick Noone (312) 506-3852 or [email protected]
Report inquiries: Colleen Rothman (312) 506-3841 or [email protected]

About Technomic
Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

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SOURCE Technomic