{ THE WHO }

Zankou Chicken is a popular restaurant chain in Los Angeles known for their rotisserie chicken and legendary garlic sauce, with roots based over fifty years ago in Lebanon.

The company first approached Dreamentia in 2009 to assist in a cup design. As part of this redesign, client and agency discussions ensued relating to Zankou Chicken’s brand position and its current quagmire. With six restaurant locations – all very different in look and feel, it was agreed that a comprehensive brand unification and restaurant rehab was needed to better appeal to the Restaurant’s “cult-like” customer following. This would also differentiate the company from its key competition, who in some cases shared the same name – “Zankou Chicken”. Such unification would provide the foundation for future ongoing marketing and operations efforts and create a distinct separation between Zankou Chicken and all of its competition.

{ THE WHAT }

Taking into consideration the strong family interest (owned and operated), the Zankou Chicken unification began with a bold brand statement. Dreamentia recommended “No Better Chicken Anywhere” as the positioning, supported by the use of the most natural, fresh, tastiest products and ingredients, including a proprietary garlic sauce. Restaurant signage, menus, and point of sale materials were all redesigned to reflect the new positioning. A robust social media program was cultivated to provide the chain’s community of enthusiastic supporters with a voice by uniting them in a common platform where they could interact and engage. A new catering program was developed and launched along with all marketing essentials.

The agency took the lead in commemorating Zankou Chicken’s 50^th anniversary, creating customized sales elements to celebrate the milestone. Dreamentia’s efforts have also expanded to internal communications and marketing, generating materials for the company training program to promote team building and ownership.

{ THE SO WHAT }

What initially began as a graphic design project has grown into a full-scale marketing partnership. The unification improved the customer experience in all restaurants, resulting in increased repeat business and overall customer satisfaction. This has allowed for steady total sales growth over the last five years demonstrating a tangible and almost immediate ROI.

Since the partnership began, Zankou Chicken has opened 2 additional locations reflecting the “No Better Chicken” positioning. Dreamentia created the grand opening materials for both new locations. To capitalize on the forward momentum, a new website launched in April 2015. Developed exclusively by Dreamentia, Zankou Chicken’s new website reflects a cosmopolitan aesthetic while offering a glimpse into the history and the culture that makes the brand a Los Angeles institution. A full digital menu provides much needed content and brings an updated immediacy to the brand. The launch includes an accompanying email marketing program and a direct link to social platforms, resulting in the capacity to reach over 55,000+ active fans and followers, daily.

Website views are expected to double with the addition of location-based menus and pricing. Plans are in the works for additional restaurant openings in the near future.