ThinkTank Communications

Captain D’s was up against what most marketing experts would call a perfect storm. The QSR (quick service restaurant) industry as a whole was being attacked for the nutritional content of their food. Despite this negative perception, category competition was at an all-time high, which meant the stakes were higher for even fewer dollars. And to top if off, Captain D’s most loyal customer base was both aging rapidly and simply disappearing.

 

To start, research needed to be conducted to figure out what initially drew people to Captain D’s and why consumers connected with the restaurant to begin with. What was discovered is it came down to one primal thing: cravings. With this knowledge in hand, we launched a full-on assault with creative executions in television, radio, point-of-purchase and inserts – all targeted this primordial emotion that can strike without warning. 

 

And it was ridiculously successful. In one promotional window, Captain D’s had so much demand for catfish that it put a ripple into the national supply for months. The entire North American supply chain of farm-raised catfish was affected. And that’s just one small example.

 

From double-digit increases in comp store sales during multiple promotional windows to selling 600,000 torpedo sandwiches in a month, the new strategy breathed new life, new ideas and new customers into Captain D’s.