Applebee’s Rebrands with a Spokesapple
October 25, 2007 by Susan Gunelius
Filed under Marketing
There’s a lot of rebranding going on right now. Yesterday, I wrote about Holiday Inn’s new brand campaign, and now, Applebee’s has announced their own rebranding initiative. The Applebee’s rebranding strategy is a bit different from the Holiday Inn strategy though. Applebee’s is looking to create a brand image that positions the restaurant chain as a place for family, friends and coworkers to reconnect and to differentiate the chain from the myriad of other casual dining chains available to consumers. The first step is a new, modern logo.
Here’s the old logo:
And here’s the new logo:
Applebee’s also plans to launch a new ad campaign using a new “spokesapple.” The ads are supposed to help make the brand more relevant to consumers, but I wonder if that will really happen with a setting and dialogue like this (copied from the Applebee’s press release):
In one spot, the apple sits on a park bench with a young man who is sending text messages to friends. The apple asks, “That’s how you carry on a friendship, baby? With your thumbs? Of course, it ain’t my business.”The man turns to the apple and replies, “Well, if it ain’t your business, why are you all up in mine?”The apple replies, “Cause you people need to get eyeball-to-eyeball over the flavors that bring people together.”
Next, viewers see the man enjoying dinner with his friends at an Applebee’s restaurant. He turns to the apple and asks, “Can everyone hear you or is it just me?”
The Apple replies, “Talk to your buddies.” The spot ends with a voice over, “Applebee’s. Get it together, baby.”
Maybe it’s just me, but if someone spoke to me like that (spokesapple or not), I’d never take their advice. In fact, I think I’d do exactly the opposite. And don’t call me baby.
I guess we’ll find out soon if this new ad campaign will really “hit the mark” like George Williams, Applebee’s Chief Marketing Officer, claims. The new commercial will launch tomorrow with online advertising, radio spots, print ads and in-store signage in addition to the television commercials. Additional rebranding tactics include new menus and new employee uniforms.
I will give credit to Applebee’s for the viral marketing aspect of their rebranding initiative. Applebee’s used a tease marketing tactic by placing an ad in USA Today on October 9th that directed readers to visit the Applebee’s Auditions web page to view the contenders for the perfect Applebee’s spokesapple. To maintain momentum around the rebranding launch, two rounds of apple auditions were posted on the Applebee’s Auditions web page and on YouTube with the “winner” being posted to those sites on October 22nd. The spokesapple also has its own Myspace page.
What do you think? Does the Applebee’s rebranding initiative do enough to differentiate it from the other casual dining restaurants out there?
I really don’t think Applebees rebranding effort focuses on its core business, resturants. I can understand bringing together family, friends, and co-workers, however, how does an Apple help you accomplish this?
An apple is a healthy food option, while most of the food at Applebee’s is slightly less healthy than an apple. In my mind it is difficult to see and apple and the think good family times at Applebees, there seems to be a disconnect.
The voice of the Spokesapple is also kind of annoying. I agree, that the way the apple speaks is not the most best, but it does catch your attention. (-:
I do like the updated logo. But a ’spokesapple’? It’s a stupid cutesy ploy that really isn’t branding but a marketing stunt. It’s the typical: we need to use YouTube but how idea that always backfires.
The voice is annoying. And saying that she (I am assuming the spokesapple is a she) is organic? What at Applebees is organic?
See my post for my comment. In brief: I find the Applebees radio ad annoying. I like the new logo however.
Ick. It looks like Applebee’s is now a midrange hotel chain.
For all of you:
GET IT TOGETHER, BABY!
Wanda Sykes totally rules — and so does the Applebee campaign. GET IT TOGETHER, BABY and get your fat butts down to Bee’s for some chick and burgs. Get it together, baby! Get it together!
I find the commercials so incredibly annoying because of the “spokesapple’s” TOTALLY grating and annoying voice, that I change the channel every time that horrendous “spokesapple” starts to speak. Can’t even tell if it’s male or female, which may be the point, but I hate the new commercials.
i like when the voice says GET IT TOGETHER but i wish they would use a drum beat.
To be honest, every time that commercial comes on, I mute the TV. Her voice is very, very annoying and she doesn’t even use proper English. A big turn-off for me.
I don’t think Applebee’s has a strong enough rebranding campaign. I think “bringing family and friends together” is not something that will differentiate Applebee’s from other American food chains. All restaurants do that! As for the apple, the voice is a bit irritating. But it does stand out and everyone knows what commercial it is.
I love the new campaign. It takes a lot for me to remember a commercial in general, but this one makes me remember the the it and who it is representing. What’s the point of a commercial if you can’t remember what they are selling… like those BAD DEAL! commercials I remember them, but I don’t remember what they were selling…
This Ebonic marketing of Apo-bees get it together baby. seems only approprite with an “n shit” behind it. Personally, I’m avoiding it just because of the obnoxious ebonics urban marketing.