- Flavor Flav is coming to Red Lobster’s aid on the tails of the seafood chain filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, per a news release.
- The rapper-turned-reality-TV personality narrates recent ad spots that hype the return of Crabfest, a seasonal promotion for Red Lobster’s crab menu offerings. Social videos were produced by Flavor Flav, who has been dropping in on restaurant locations to express his support for the brand.
- The “Crab Your Way” campaign was a last-minute pivot away from approved creative after Flavor Flav reached out to help the embattled company. Additional elements include an augmented reality filter and merchandise inspired by Flavor Flav’s distinctive oversized clock necklace.
Red Lobster is trying to dispel doomsaying about its business with help from iconic hip-hop hypeman Flavor Flav, though turning things around can be a tall order for the brand grappling with bankruptcy. The quickly assembled campaign, executed with creative agency BarkleyOKRP, bats back against notions on the web that the chain is “going away” and as an alternative pushes full steam ahead on Crabfest, a recurring seasonal promotion that this yr touts deals on Cajun Butter, Roasted Garlic Butter and Simply Steamed crab legs.
The marketing effort leans into fan lamentations about last month’s widely discussed Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, referencing a #SaveTheBiscuits hashtag shared by fans online, including Flavor Flav. Assets include 15- and 30-second spots narrated by Flavor Flav — who drops his “Yeah boy!” catchphrase — along with social videos and an AR filter that lets users virtually don the rapper’s recognizable clock necklace. The accessory moreover serves because the inspiration for merchandise that swaps out the timepiece for one modeled on a large Cheddar Bay Biscuit and a bib for chowing down on the brand’s eponymous menu item.
“We love seeing our fans show up and rally for us, so when Flavor Flav reached out, we answered the decision and invited him to join us in reminding fans we’re here to stay,” said Sara Bittorf, chief experience officer at Red Lobster, in an announcement.
Touting the return of Crabfest follows Red Lobster recently landing in hot water for a distinct value-focused promotion. Much of the discussion around the corporate’s decline initially fixated on Ultimate Endless Shrimp, a proposal that permit diners snack on as much shrimp as they wanted for a flat fee. What began as an LTO became a everlasting menu fixture in 2023, a move that helped drive traffic but reportedly sparked internal consternation and, eventually, added to financial pressures.
However, Red Lobster’s problems stretch back not less than a decade further, when private-equity firm Golden Gate Capital acquired the brand for $2.1 billion from Darden Restaurants and arrange a sale-leaseback real estate deal that got here with punishing rent costs, as reported by Restaurant Dive. High leadership churn and the eventual shift to ownership under Thai Union Group, a worldwide seafood supplier that allegedly pressured Red Lobster to buy more shrimp for Ultimate Endless Shrimp, added to the woes that led to the Chapter 11.
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