By Bob Doerschuk
Country Music fans are always hungry for a great show. But after exiting their favorite live venue, many of them feel a different craving — to share the experience over after-hours eats.
That’s where Denny’s enters the picture. With approximately 1,550 outlets in every state but Wyoming, the restaurant chain is as much a part of the landscape as mountains in Colorado. And since the griddle is hot and the lights are on 24/7 at nearly all of its locations, Denny’s is an ideal destination for late-nighters.
That’s why the company decided to target the 18–24 demographic with its Denny’s All-Nighter campaign, one cornerstone of which became the Rockstar Menu presented by Dr Pepper, a selection of meals created by artists and served exclusively from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. True to its name, the program featured rock bands initially — Good Charlotte, Gym Class Heroes and Sum 41. But in June, Rascal Flatts became the first Country superstars to add their culinary creations to the list.
Dubbed the Unstoppable Breakfast to tie in with the title of their latest album on Lyric Street Records, this down-home pièce de résistance serves up a biscuit topped with country-fried steak, eggs made to order, American cheese, country gravy and three bacon strips, with hash browns on the side.
The band was eager to sink their teeth into the project. Flying into Denver a day ahead of their concert there, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney joined Andy Dismore, Denny’s designated “Rockstar Chef,” at a local Denny’s to personally prepare and premiere their recipe. A film crew captured the event, which was featured in a commercial that would air not only on CMT and GAC but also on late-night network programming, to the tune of their single, “Summer Nights,” featured on their Unstoppable album.
“We wanted to convey to fans that this really happened,” explained Michael Polydoroff, Director of New Products Marketing, Denny’s. “They went into the kitchen, put on their chef coats, which we’d stitched their names into, and had fun, so you could see the authenticity and credibility of the dish.”
Though Denny’s doesn’t pay Rockstar Menu participants, it added value to the deal by providing coupons for distribution at Rascal Flatts shows and e-mailing them to the group’s fan database, each of which allowed a free Unstoppable Breakfast with purchase of any other Rockstar menu item.
"Rascal Flatts as a brand has celebrated many firsts," said Heather Conley, Director of Marketing, Lyric Street Records. “A Country artist had never been associated with the Rockstar menu, and the promotion served as a vehicle to reach their core audience and beyond."
On the Web: www.Dennys.com, www.RascalFlatts.com
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
