Spudbar

Loyal and regular customers choose Spudbar largely because it is fresh, healthy, delicious and a big complete meal. Spudbar’s biggest challenge was driving trial among ‘non-customers’ whose perception of the offer was misaligned to reality. Research identified the following insights of what most people thought about Spudbar and what prevented them from trialing it:

• Fairground-type snack food (silver foil sour cream, chives & cheese)
• Unhealthy Bane Marie food
• Potato – must be high in carbs and that’s not good
• A spud could not possibly be a ‘whole meal’

One of the most powerful research insights was that many regular customers were initially very surprised by Spudbar’s food offer (better, bigger and healthier than they had imagine). Spudbar approached Imaginitis to create a cost-effective direct marketing campaign that:

• Informed the customer about what Spudbar was really about. The idea was to overcome misconceptions (i.e., spud with bland, unhealthy toppings, daggy/uncool)
• Stimulated desire
• Generated trial-drove traffic into Spudbar
• Enticed non customers to try Spudbar
• Enticed customers to return
• Brought to life the subtleties of the brand positioning – healthy, wholesome, rustic, ground up (consistent with brand’s core value and personality).

Imaginitis developed a voucher booklet that educated the consumer about Spudbar and drove trial. The booklet communicated the message “it’s not about the Spud, it’s about….” and reinforced the associations for healthy, nutritious, gourmet food that’s full of flavour and low in fat and carbs. Imaginitis introduced a new style of photography to portray a wholesome image and to stimulate flavour. It concentrated on the toppings rather than the potato to further reinforce the message. An offer was part of the brochure to stimulate people to act.

POS material consistent with the brochure was designed to further reinforce the message. The design reflected a rustic, wholesome, unrefined image consistent with brand values and personality. All marketing initiatives were to change misconceptions, reinforce positive associations, change attitudes and drive trial.

Spudbar had an increase of operating profit of 29% and an exponential increase in new customers. Facebook fan page had grown by 20%.

Creative Concept
Art Direction
Design
Copywriting
Photography Direction
Point of Sale

‘One of the most significant challenges we have faced with Spudbar is breaking people’s misconception about what a Spudbar meal would be like. While the business has a tribal following of healthy advocates of the gourmet Spud, driving trial from potential new customers has been made difficult by the world’s experience with stereotypical fairground style jacket spud. Imaginitis solved our challenge by creating the ‘It’s not about the Spud’ campaign. This direct response campaign not only forced a focus on the actual meal rather than the spud but created a breakthrough in traffic generation leading to dramatic conversion and ultimately a significant inflow of new, now regular, customers.’

Antony Morell
Owner