Following the success of our campaign for the expansion of the Middletons chain in Peterborough, we were approached to provide marketing support for the launch of another Middletons restaurant in Chelmsford, Essex.
After discussions with our client and their in-house social media team, we agreed to build on the approach we took with the Middletons launch in Peterborough. This involved holding a social media workshop so the in-house team could continue the work after our campaign, and working with influencers to help create a buzz around the launch.
As with the Middletons launch in Peterborough, we focused on building a digital-first strategy. This involved working on a wide range of platforms, including Google My Business, social media and content writing. We also worked with local influencers, the mayor and local press to spread the word, and created a radio-based competition to stir up interest among locals and entice them to join the mailing list.
We arranged for a number of Essex-based influencers, including former Love Island contestant, Alex Miller, and TOWIE star, Mike Hassini to come along. Both posted an image and multiple stories of their experience, which helped to create a buzz around the restaurant launch.
After holding a workshop with the in-house social media team, we helped deliver engaging content through Middletons’ social presence. This included imagery of meals, ambience and guests as well as a live video of the launch night.
The radio competition was launched on the local Heart FM radio station. To add to the buzz, we sent out a number of pre and post-launch press releases to local press and bloggers.
The Middletons Chelmsford launch was a resounding success. Below are some figures to highlight just how well it did.
The webpage for the new restaurant received over 8,000 page views in December. Over 6,000 people performed an action on the page (e.g. they downloaded the food menu). The ‘Book a table’ button was clicked over 1,500 times, and we were able to collect 1,133 email addresses from the campaign for future email marketing.
The radio ad reached over 70,000 listeners and the competition received over 1,100 entrants. This, along with the media coverage we were able to secure, raised awareness of Middletons presence in Chelmsford considerably. Coverage included:
Google My Business showed that 9,249 searches were made for Middletons Chelmsford, the majority of which were direct searches. This is a great reflection on our campaign as it shows just how much brand awareness increased over launch month.
All of this means that a 16.2% return on investment for marketing was made on digital bookings in one month.
”The best launch so far!
Stephen Hutton, Managing Director of Middletons Steakhouse & Grill
