Sometimes when a well-known brand changes their product, the change isn’t always readily accepted. Consumers might be wary of the new offering and unwilling to try it out- which in turn can have a negative effect on sales. (Does the “New Coke” debacle of 1985 ring a bell?) How does a brand ensure that their consumers notice the new offering and give it a try? Just ask Chick-fil-A.
If you have been to Chick-fil-A recently, you may have noticed that their menu has changed. (Go to https://www.chickfila.com/#pressroom and click on “Chick-fil-A Menu Enhancements”) The most noticeable change is with their Chick-n-Strips. The “new” Chick-n-Strips are a little bit bigger and have a slightly different taste. In an effort to promote the new Chick-n-Strips, they have been running several promotions over the past couple of months. When the menu first changed, they were offering free 3-count Chick-n-Strips for one week from 5-8pm. Then a couple months later on Labor Day, they offered free Chick-n-Strips to anyone who came in wearing College or NFL Football apparel.
Their most exciting promotion, however, occurred last week. While I was waiting for the elevator in the lobby of my office building, two Chick-fil-A employees with a tray of Chick-n-Strips, sweet tea and balloons approached me and asked if I worked in the building. I said yes, thinking they needed directions to a particular office. Then they smiled and asked if I wanted free Chick-fil-A. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! They were out today promoting their new Chick-n-Strips and online ordering to the businesses in the local office park.
I’m sure that I would have eventually tried the new Chick-n-Strips on my own, but it might have taken a little while longer. My initial response would have probably been to order the familiar Chick-fil-A sandwich and wait to hear from other people if the new Chick-n-Strips were as good as the original ones. Thanks to Chick-fil-A’s strong promotional efforts, I have now had the opportunity to experience the new Chick-n-Strips several times and I know that I like them. I’ll probably order them the next time I’m there.
By: Jessica McGrail