ATLANTA Quick-serve niche player Moe’s Southwest Grill has hired 8th & Means to handle creative chores, the agency said.
The Atlanta shop, an employee-owned subsidiary of Barkley Evergreen & Partners in Kansas City, Mo., bested local rivals Fletcher Martin Ewing, The Hauser Group and Red House in an informal review that began in February.
Previously, the 2-year-old Atlanta chain doled out project work, including some television, but limited itself to primarily billboards, bus shelters and print, according to agency vice president and general manager Jeff King.
In the review, the agency presented case studies of its retail and restaurant clients, which include the Atlanta Bread Company.
“They [also] liked the direction we took with non-traditional media,” King said. “We showed that we understand their consumers, younger people who have outgrown fast food but whose lifestyle still dictates that they need to eat it.”
A campaign, set to break Oct. 1, will include print, outdoor, radio, television and on-site materials.
Billings are undisclosed. According to King, the chain’s 55 franchisees recently contributed monies to a general marketing fund. Previous ad spending has been less than $1 million annually.
The franchise is a growing player in what is called the “fast Mexican” category. It operates 55 restaurants primarily in Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi and Alabama. Aggressive expansion plans call for an additional 150 locations to open by the end of 2004, said King. The eatery competes with Baja Fresh, Zona Fresca, Tijuana Flats and Chipotle Grill.
Moe’s also has hired Trevelino Communications Group in Atlanta to handle public relations.
The client could not be reached.
Moe's SW Grill Goes to 8th & Means
