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Mastering Seasonal Campaigns: A Proven Process for Restaurant Marketing Success

Image of a black and white hand holding a plate of black and white rotating seasonal items, including berries, a pumpkin, and a gingerbread cookie, contrasted by a colorful circle background in cyan, magenta, and yellow.

From research and strategy to creative execution and optimization, let’s walk through every step of crafting impactful seasonal campaigns that drive results for your business.

Image of a black and white hand holding a plate of black and white rotating seasonal items, including berries, a pumpkin, and a gingerbread cookie, contrasted by a colorful circle background in cyan, magenta, and yellow.

Seasonal marketing campaigns are a powerful way for restaurants to stay top of mind, drive traffic, and boost sales throughout the year. By tapping into the unique desires and behaviors that come with each season, restaurants can generate excitement and urgency around new menu items, limited-time offers (LTOs), and exclusive events. Whether it’s attracting customers with cozy fall dishes, capitalizing on summer al-fresco dining, or creating festive holiday experiences, these campaigns offer a perfect opportunity to engage loyal guests while enticing new ones. Seasonal promotions can also help drive traffic during traditionally slower months, making them a key strategy for sustaining momentum all year.

Let’s walk through a few key steps for planning and executing effective seasonal campaigns that will keep your restaurant top of mind year-round. Click on each of the steps below to learn more!
A circular marketing process diagram starting with 'Discovery + Research' and progressing through 'Personas + Insights,' 'Marketing + Media Mix,' 'Creative Concepting,' 'Production + Execution,' and 'Measurement + Optimization'.
A circular marketing process diagram starting with 'Discovery + Research' and progressing through 'Personas + Insights,' 'Marketing + Media Mix,' 'Creative Concepting,' 'Production + Execution,' and 'Measurement + Optimization'.
A circular marketing process diagram starting with 'Discovery + Research' and progressing through 'Personas + Insights,' 'Marketing + Media Mix,' 'Creative Concepting,' 'Production + Execution,' and 'Measurement + Optimization'.

Discovery + Research

Laying the foundation for success.

Start by diving deep into your brand, audience, and competitive landscape to uncover key insights that will inform every aspect of the campaign. This research ensures the campaign will be aligned with industry and market trends, and more importantly, your restaurant’s business goals.

Personas + Insights

Understanding your guests on a deeper level.

Build detailed customer personas to capture the motivations, needs, and behaviors of your target audience. These insights help shape personalized and relevant messaging that resonates with the right people at the right time.

Marketing + Media Mix

Choosing the best channels for maximum impact.

Evaluate the most effective marketing channels—whether digital, social, print, or in-store—to craft a media mix that ensures your seasonal message reaches your audience at the perfect touchpoints.

Creative Concepting

Bringing your campaign to life.

Develop fresh, engaging creative concepts that reflect your brand’s personality while appealing to your target audience. Create a cohesive campaign that will help to tell a compelling story across all channels, including consistent messaging and visual designs.

Production + Execution

Turning ideas into reality.

Bring the campaign concept to life—from content creation and ad design to coordinating events, special offers, and landing pages. Ensure the campaign assets accurately reflect the creative concept and work together to provide a frictionless experience for users at all touchpoints within the user journey (email, social media, website, in-store, etc.).

Measurement + Optimization

Tracking performance and refining for better results.

Once the campaign is live, monitor key metrics and analyze results against your goals to identify what’s working and where improvements can be made. Continuous optimization ensures your campaign delivers the best possible ROI.

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Hooters

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