The free breakfast at Denny’s campaign is only a small portion of a much bigger trend. Theirs was one of the most viral Super Bowl ads of the year, but it was also an insightful glimpse into how to innovative through recession.
Increasingly, restaurants like Denny’s and fast food retailers are giving out freebies, a very enticing way to get penny-pinching consumers back in their stores.
Last week, Starbucks gave out free oatmeal for three consecutive days to anyone with a registered Starbucks card. They’ve also integrated freebies into the card program valid all year, including free syrups, soy milk and free drip coffee with the purchase of 1lb of beans.
In 2008, we saw McDonalds give away free wraps to hype their new burrito. Near the end of the year, Krispy Kreme jumped on board and offered free donuts for anyone who could prove they voted in the US election.
While many people were shocked that Denny’s would offer a free ‘Grand Slam’ breakfast to anyone that came in before the afternoon, it was an incredible buzz campaign and splendid way to get people in their stores. Unlike places like Ikea’s skimpy $1 breakfasts, Denny’s served the full meal deal: the Grand Slam comes with two pancakes, two eggs, bacon and sausage.
"The company was on pace to serve about 2 million of the free breakfasts," Reuters said, adding the Denny’s website got about 40 million hits after the Super Bowl ad aired, a huge increase from its usual 350,000 visits a day.
Expect to see a lot more freebies as the recession progresses.
Free Foodvertising
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Trend Themes
1. Increasing Freebies - The trend of restaurants and retailers giving out freebies as a way to attract penny-pinching consumers presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in loyalty programs and targeted marketing strategies.
2. Viral Marketing Campaigns - The success of Denny's free breakfast campaign and other viral marketing campaigns highlights the potential for disruptive innovation in leveraging social media and creating buzz around a brand or product.
3. Recession-driven Innovation - The trend of innovative strategies during a recession, such as offering freebies, showcases the opportunity for disruptive innovation in adapting business models and customer acquisition strategies to economic downturns.
Industry Implications
1. Restaurant Industry - The restaurant industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities in offering freebies as a way to attract customers and increase brand visibility in a competitive market.
2. Retail Industry - The retail industry can leverage the trend of offering freebies to create innovative loyalty programs and drive customer engagement, thereby disrupting traditional marketing strategies.
3. Marketing Industry - The marketing industry can tap into the trend of viral marketing campaigns and recession-driven innovation to provide disruptive solutions in promoting brands and products during challenging economic times.