R1 RCM
Brand Transformation
Hooters + Morrison Case Study
Every Screen. Every Game. Every Wing. Welcome to The Orange Zone.
Hooters came out of the pandemic with brand equity intact and an obvious opportunity in front of them: football was back, fans were hungry for somewhere to watch, and Hooters had been the sports destination long before sports bars were a category. They needed a campaign to turn that moment into foot traffic. They needed Impact.
The Client
Hooters is one of the most recognized and iconic restaurant brands in America. Famous for its wings, its atmosphere, and its legendary Hooters Girls, the brand has built a decades-long identity as the communal home for sports fans. With a national footprint and a devoted following, Hooters had exactly what returning football fans were looking for. It was just time to be reminded.
:30s Video
The Challenge
The pandemic suppressed traffic across the restaurant industry. As fans returned to stadiums and venues, Hooters needed to re-engage their existing base. But more importantly, they needed to bring in new customers. Enter the collegiate and post-collegiate young adults – the core sports fanatic demographic.
The NFL was welcoming fans back. College football was firing up. The timing was right, but only if the campaign could capture the urgency of the moment and turn it into visits.
Table Tent In-Store Display
Window Cling In-Store Display
IMPACT: The Orange Zone Campaign
Morrison created “The Orange Zone,” Hooters’ answer to the most electric sections in sports stadiums, from The Dawg Pound to The Boneyard. The concept positioned Hooters as the communal headquarters for game day: all the games on all the screens, world-famous wings, Hooters Girls, and an energy that matched the stakes of the season.
The Campaign: The creative concept that gave Hooters’ sports identity a name, a personality, and an unmistakable sense of place.
The Audience: Collegiate and post-collegiate young adults across the full NFL and NCAA season — the exact fans most likely to choose Hooters for game day.
The Channels: Paid display, video, and location-based tactics designed to drive visits, clicks, and in-the-moment action throughout the season.
Campaign Landing Page
The Results
Hooters didn’t just want awareness. They wanted bodies in seats on game day. A campaign built around the right concept, the right audience, and the right channel mix delivered exactly that, across the entire football season.
- 20,000+ visits to Hooters locations driven directly by paid media
- 307,000+ clicks to call, website, and driving directions
- Positive visitation lift measured across two independent studies, for both display- and video-exposed audiences
