Why Athens Chick-fil-A Wins the Marketing Game
Why Athens Chick-fil-A Wins the Marketing Game
Everyone knows Chick-fil-A is superior when it comes to fast food restaurants, especially in the south and in its home state of Georgia. The Chick-fil-A restaurants in Athens, however, seem to be in a class above the rest. There are a number of reasons why UGA students know this is true-- including the incredibly efficient drive-thru line and the store manager who makes every customer feel like family. This all being true, still the most significant reason why the Chick-fil-A stores in Athens stand out is its marketing strategy. Here's why:1. Chick-fil-A knows the market, and caters to it.
Being located in a college town, a significant portion of Chick-fil-A's customer base is college students. Walk into the Beechwood or Barnett Shoals location at any given time, and there's a good chance that you'll see a number of college students. Chick-fil-A knows this, and uses it to their advantage. For example, every Thursday is "College Night" and includes a BOGO deal with a student ID. 2017 graduates from UGA got free dessert if they brought their graduation cap with them, and holidays are celebrated with a "Friendsgiving" night before Thanksgiving, "12 days of giveaways" during Christmas, and even a Luau-themed College Night before Spring Break.
2. Their social media game is outstanding.
In the past 10 years, the use of social media has exploded and re-defined the way companies market themselves. Recent studies show that 98% of college students use at least one form of social media. Combining this with the demographics of their customer base, Chick-fil-A has positioned their company on social media to cater to this group. Their Instagram account has over 4,000 followers, and consists of team member spotlights, graphics for their themed-nights and promotional days, and Athens-specific community posts. They also have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat-- and use these platforms to update their customers daily.
3. They care about (and get involved with!) UGA and the Athens community.
The Chick-fil-A locations in Athens take the idea of "Corporate Social Responsibility" and use it in a small-town, family-feel way. Truett Cathy founded Chick-fil-A with a "Giving Philosophy", and that philosophy is very evident in the Athens, Georgia stores. For one, they host their "Chickk-fil-Anthropy" week in which UGA philanthropies compete in various contests for the chance to win up to $1,000 for their respective causes. These philanthropies support local charities, and involve the Athens community in a little friendly competition! In addition to Chick-fil-A's philanthropic support, they also show their loyalty to UGA on Gameday by decking out the store in red and black decorations and running "Saturday in Athens" giveaway days! But the college students aren't the only ones who benefit on Gameday-- high school students also get breakfast giveaways every Friday morning during football season!
These are just a few reasons why Athens Chick-fil-A seriously rocks the marketing game. We all love Chick-fil-A for their efficient service and southern hospitality, but Athens residents know which Chick-fil-A is truly the best!
Great post, Taylor! I had no idea that Chick-fil-A's social media presence had grown so much in the last few years but believe that social media is a facet that reaches one of their target markets, millennials. I completely agree with you that Chick-fil-A Athens strategically caters to their niche college town market but feel that their social impact is the most significant part of their work. To continue with your third point, Chick-fil-A's philanthropic heart is incredible. This spring, I actually ran Chick-fil-A's annual half marathon, which benefits Mercy Health Center. I learned so much about the health resource center from this experience. I definitely think looking into the value of their tremendous customer service would be interesting in a future post!
ReplyDeleteReally interesting post here! I never actually noticed how Athens Chick-fil-A went for a more personal and customized approach towards the entire UGA community and beyond. I think where Chick-fil-A succeeds the most is in knowing their exact audience and directing their efforts right towards them. But honestly, who doesn't love Chick-fil-A?
ReplyDeleteReally great post! You obviously put in a lot of effort into researching this topic, and it shows. As an Athens resident, I always knew that our Chick-fil-A locations go above and beyond when it comes to catering to the college population, but I never stopped to think about why. The fact that you took a business that pretty much everyone in Athens loves and explained why exactly everyone loves it was awesome.
ReplyDeleteTaylor:
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. Last year, I worked alongside the Marketing Director of Chick-fil-A Athens, specifically in social media, and what drew me to the positions was many of the things you mentioned above. The hyperlocal marketing approach that Chick-fil-A restaurants take makes the restaurants seem personable — an approach that's rarely taken from competitors. Chick-fil-A Athens really excels in this area, and they're especially aware of their audience. By crafting posts that audience members can appreciate, they've been able to not only gain a significant online social media presence, but also be successful in their bottom line.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post and I couldn't agree more! The service at this Chick-Fil-A is unparalleled to many other establishments I have been to in the past. The drive-thru is super efficient with several employees outside to help you loop around the path and leaving with your food in no time. In addition to that the staff inside is always extremely friendly and has the shortest wait time of any Chick-Fil-A I've been to. Not to mention Thursday College Night is a sweet deal with the buy one entree get one free. This restaurant sure is doing something right.
ReplyDeleteHey Taylor! I really enjoyed reading this post especially because I always think about what a great job Chick-fil-A on Beechwood does with appealing to college students. Being in college, I know that many students want a cheap option and when CFA uses promotions, college nights, and other interactive nights, they really make themselves the obvious choice. CFA has already a built an environment that draws people and loyalty, but the Beechwood location has really taken it to the next level. It makes me wonder if another fast food chain used the same strategy, if they would turn out as successful...
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