When a successful, decades-old, family-owned-and-operated  Mexican restaurant chain makes the decision to franchise for the first time – going to the next level becomes a balancing act.

Signature dishes and store “personality” must be maintained.   At the same time, the brand should be strengthened.  The creative strategy enhanced.  And marketing programs have to encourage future growth.

For Jumburrito restaurants in West Texas, Shirley/Hutchinson crafted a multi-stage, multi-tiered plan tailor-made for expansion into other markets.

Preliminary research led to a long-term brand strategy that reinforced the name: “Big Taste, More Of It”.  An innovative marketing plan featured a loyalty club that aggressively motivated customers to increase monthly visits and promotions that capitalized on unexpected strengths (like a wildly-popular breakfast burrito).

The first seasonal campaign – selling holiday gift certs – combined print advertising with a four-walls approach that even promoted the certificates on restroom doors.

Result: a 1200% increase in sales over the previous year.