Charo Chicken Systems Inc. launched an updated Web site and an online “Flavor Fever” marketing campaign last week.
Starting Wednesday, visitors can vote online for 12 sauces, debuted four at a time, in a yearlong contest to select a sauce flavor to add to the Huntington Beach-based chain’s menu. Web visitors vote based on descriptions of the sauces.
“Customers have re-peatedly identified flavor as a key point of difference with our product,” said Ray Perry, chief executive. “This campaign is a complement to our brand strength.”
The company redesigned its Web site, which will be available to all its franchises, to bring in more customers.
“It’s almost like reverse consumer research,” said Lou Franson, vice presi-
dent of new business development. “This way the consumer can tell us what they think.”
The Web site includes interactive voting, live updates with voting tallies and flavor descriptions, as well as nutritional information and online ordering provided by Fullerton-based GimmeGrub.com LLC.
“One of our strengths is delivery,” Perry said. “Charo Chicken is the only chain that offers delivery in all of our stores.”
The Web site and interactive marketing campaign are designed to drum up business with teens who are often online, according to Perry.
The chain won’t be doing any TV or radio ads, sticking to store displays and e-mail blasts.
“We expect to do some newspapers inserts, but radio and TV are not affordable to us right now,” Perry said.
Santa Ana-based mUrgent Corp. is doing all of the e-mail marketing and Web site design.
Reinventing a retail chain is nothing new to Perry and Franson. Perry previously was chief executive of Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Inc. and Franson was a marketing executive there.
During their tenure, Perry and Franson helped transform El Pollo Loco by expanding its lunch and health food menu and overseeing the remodel of many stores to include deserts from Fosters Freeze.
The duo hooked up with Charo Chicken founder Moe Bonakdar in 2002 with the intention of growing the smaller brand.
Charo Chicken is working with Irvine-based Morgan Marketing and Public Relations LLC to generate publicity and support the Web marketing. The restaurant chain named Morgan Marketing its agency of record in June.
The Mexican chicken restaurant chain has more than 20 locations, including franchises, and was ranked No. 25 on the Business Journal’s July list of Orange County-based restaurant chains.
Ad Shop Gets New Digs
Johnson Gray Advertising Inc. has moved out of its Newport Beach headquarters to a larger office in the Irvine Spectrum.
The shop had been at its Newport Beach office for the past 10 years.
“It was time for a change and a larger location,” said Will Johnson, president.
The company looked at locations in Irvine and Aliso Viejo.
“(Irvine) is central to many of our clients and a bigger building will be good for our growth,” said Lisa Ganz, director of account services.
Johnson Gray specializes in healthcare with clients that include Cedars-Sinai Health System, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and UCI Medical Center.
The shop has been on the lookout to diversify its client list.
“We’re trying to widen our net to include restaurants and products and services,” Ganz said. “It’s a new building and a new strategy.”
The shop brought on a creative director, Mike Hall, who will oversee all of the accounts. Hall has been involved with the company for many years.
Hall previously worked with San Diego-based Vitrorobertson LLC as group head and Newport Beach-based O’Leary & Partners as a creative director and partner.
“Adding Mike to our team gives us more creative firepower,” Johnson said.
Building Up
L & A; Marketing and Advertising Inc. is growing despite a client list that was the first to be hit by the slumping economy.
The ad shop specializes in homebuilders and developers, financial services and building materials makers.
“We’re finding it a real difficult and challenging market,” said Elliot Light, L & A;’s president.
The shop recently hired two people and picked up an account.
L & A; brought on Melissa White as an account coordinator and Ray Mong as a senior graphic designer.
L & A; Marketing picked up Cal K-12 Inc., a construction company out of Yucaipa that specializes in building schools.
The shop plans to do some business development work for the client.
