There’s no set recipe for a creative marketing campaign: just as every brand has its own identity, every advertising or PR push needs to find a way to differentiate itself from the pack. Arby’s has never been shy about blazing its own trail, and this maverick spirit showed itself in the company’s recent “Vegetarian Support” campaign. The campaign was a hit with targeted demographics, and as a result, Arby’s was named a finalist in the “Creative Campaign” category of the 3^rd annual Loyalty360 Awards.
 
When faced with the challenge of creating a marketing campaign for the brand’s Brown Sugar Bacon sandwich, Arby’s encountered a unique obstacle: the bacon craze was in full effect, and the market was flooded with similarly themed products and, consequently, the airwaves were already full of bacon-related ads. To cut through the static, Arby’s needed a one-of-a-kind campaign that would engage audiences while employing a heavy dose of Arby’s humor.
 
The campaign centered on the struggle of vegetarians who were tempted by the new signature menu item. Arby’s went so far as to offer a vegetarian support hotline (1-855-MEAT-HLP, naturally), which delivered pre-recorded messages of support for vegetarians who were struggling to resist the bacon-topped sandwich.
 
Luke DeRouen, Director of Brand Communications at Arby’s, made a case for Arby’s to take home the top prize in a recent interview with Loyalty360.
 
“That is a pretty creative and gutsy move for a brand that focuses solely on meats,” said DeRouen. “Our quality meats have been our marketing focus for nearly two years now. For us to go out and put that much focus on vegetarians in general was a gutsy move. Creatively, we were able to put something together that spurred a reaction from vegetarians, our customers, and everything in between, and it did so in a way that felt right and authentic to our brand.”
 
Arby’s, along with three other finalists, will present in a fast-paced “Loyalty Awards eXChange, Creative Campaign Category: Meet the Finalists” session. During the session, each brand will explain why their ad campaign deserves the top prize: a Loyalty360 Platinum Award.