Jack
Astor's
THE BRIEF
Bringing the rebel spirit back to an iconic brand.
The Problem to Solve
An establishment of the Canadian restaurant industry for nearly 30 years, Jack Astor’s had a solid rep. Known for their quippy slogan tees and provocative name, the restaurant always had an irreverent personality–but somewhere down the line they lost touch with the rebel spirit that once defined them, and fell into the same old chain restaurant routine as their competitors (think service scripts, identical menu items, and waitresses in LBD’s.) The Jack Astor’s restaurant experience, along with their tone and personality, had grown outdated and was preventing them from connecting with a younger audience. It was time to break the mold, because for Gen Z cookie-cutter just wasn’t going to cut it.
Our Solution
Taking a stand against the mediocrity of chains, we reimagined “Jack’s” as a renegade restaurant, leading the charge towards a more youthful, dynamic dining experience. We created a bold brand platform including a new logo, tagline, brand voice, visual look & feel and photography approach that influenced our design of a reimagined in-restaurant experience, website and menu. Then we “challenged” people to check it out for themselves through an equally provocative out of home and digital launch campaign.
The Results
Gen Z couldn’t resist. Since the re-launch, first-time visits from younger restaurant-goers have increased 47%. Jack’s regulars love it too, with 93% of all guests responding positively towards the new experience and design. Renovated restaurants are outperforming other locations by up to 20% with an additional 3 restaurants to be renovated before the year’s end.
