ATLANTA, July 9, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Church's Chicken(TM), a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc., is undergoing a transformation. Instead of simply launching an advertising campaign hyping brand or product attributes, Church's is revolutionizing its look, voice and direction, across the entire company. Church's is unleashing the most powerful brand launch in its history. The themes and messages of the new Church's brand will extend into all company communications, utilizing the slogan, Full Flavor, Full Pockets, Full Life(TM).
"What makes this initiative so different from any before it, is its full integration of look and feel, throughout every single business unit. All of our audiences will also notice this change in communications and messaging," said Ann Stone, Church's Chief Marketing Officer.
Like never before, the new Church's brand will extend from traditional media advertising to company publications, co-marketing programs, public relations, direct mail, product packaging, and internal communications. Altogether, this all-encompassing effort will require almost a year to execute.
"It's much more than an advertising campaign," boasted Church's President Hala Moddelmog. "It builds on the attributes of our rich 50-year heritage and captures the true essence of our brand, while translating it to our guests in a very relevant and meaningful way."
Church's and its agency, Atlanta-based BaylessCronin, developed the initiative's advertising campaign, which features a total of six television spots, four radio spots and complementary print, in-store and outdoor executions.
This wide-ranging initiative kicks off with the introduction of two characters, Full Flavor(TM) and Full Pockets(TM). They embody the essence of the Church's brand, great-tasting chicken and reasonable prices, and when brought together, make up the "Full Life." Created by the Adrienne Weiss Corporation, the whimsical characters effectively appeal to a broad audience. "They are faceless and bright yellow!" explained Stone. "Since they don't resemble anyone, they can be anyone, and our guests in market research validated that."
Church's launches externally with television spots titled "Bills," "Sidecar" and "Crane." A sneak preview of the campaign launched in May with the execution of "Sidecar" and "Crane."
"Bills," the first branding spot in the campaign, opens on a somewhat gloomy scene with Full Flavor paying monthly bills. It dawns on him that nothing would make things better than a big, delicious piece of chicken served Church's style, with jalapeno juice squeezed on it. As his face turns bright red from his first bite, he cleverly pulls out a "magic pencil," a recurring theme throughout the spots, and quickly draws himself a refreshing beverage. He quickly resumes normal color, while planning his second bite.
In "Sidecar," Full Pockets pulls up to the drive-thru window on a motorcycle. Realizing how extraordinarily large his order is, he cleverly pulls out his "magic pencil" and quickly draws a sidecar, gently places his order in his newly created space and happily drives away.
The "Crane" spot introduces Full Size Sides, new and bigger portioned servings of Church's popular side items such as mashed potatoes, French fries, coleslaw and fried okra. The execution shows Full Flavor, holding drumsticks in each hand. In true air-traffic-controller style, he directs a crane operator to place an enormous Full Size Side of mashed potatoes carefully onto his plate.
Church's corporate branding initiative includes numerous other complementary marketing efforts such as print advertising, radio, packaging, web site re-design, restaurant design and new uniforms.
Creative Credits
Branding/Image Development: Adrienne Weiss Corporation Artistic/Creative Direction: BaylessCronin Animation: ReelWorks Sound Design: Skywalker Ranch
About Church's Chicken
Church's Chicken, one of the world's largest quick-service chicken restaurant concepts, focuses on high quality food served at a value price, utilizing its new tagline Full Flavor, Full Pockets, Full Life(TM). Menu specialties include Southern-style chicken and side items such as corn on the cob, okra, mashed potatoes and gravy and signature Honey Butter biscuits. Church's Chicken has more than 1,500 locations worldwide driving system-wide sales of approximately $900 million in 2001. Visit Church's Chicken on the World Wide Web at www.churchs.com.
About AFC Enterprises, Inc.
AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCE) is the franchisor and operator of 3,896 restaurants, bakeries and cafes in the United States, Puerto Rico and 30 other countries under the brand names Church's Chicken(TM), Popeyes(R) Chicken & Biscuits, Cinnabon(R), Seattle's Best Coffee(R), and Torrefazione Italia(R) Coffee. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(R) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC had system-wide sales of approximately $2.6 billion in 2001 and can be found on the World Wide Web at www.afce.com.
Forward-Looking Statement: Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of AFC or its brands, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements regarding future events and developments and our future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates or projections relating to the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of these laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the cost and availability of our principal food products, labor shortages or increased labor costs, our ability to franchise new units and expand our brands, our and our franchisees' ability to successfully operate existing units and open new units, changes in consumer preferences and demographic trends, competition, general economic, political and regulatory conditions and the risk factors detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2001 and the other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, since those statements speak only as of the date they are made.