National Whataburger Day

Problem

Amplify the inaugural National Whataburger Day on August 8, 2023, to ensure its multifaceted and strategic success. This event aimed to create a buzz that would resonate across regional and national spectrums as the brand expanded its footprint nationwide.

Solution

Hahn crafted strategic solutions for the first-ever National Whataburger Day, exceeding objectives and laying a foundation for future success.

To extend our reach nationally, we targeted influential media through meticulous curation, sending personalized invites and securing on-site coverage from three key outlets. Our comprehensive media outreach included compelling pitches and digital offers, generating anticipation and excitement.

Recognizing the power of genuine enthusiasm, we worked with the Data team to identify 10 top fans for an unforgettable VIP experience. Their authentic content and testimonials significantly amplified the campaign’s reach. We developed a cohesive suite of messaging materials to maintain clarity and consistency with invitees and ensure our narrative remained compelling across all platforms. In collaboration with the Design team, we introduced creative design innovations to our newsroom elements and executive briefing packets, significantly enhancing our communications’ visual appeal and impact.

Moreover, we celebrated this milestone by coordinating a City of San Antonio Proclamation, which Whataburger’s CEO personally accepted, and securing entries for National Whataburger Day in national holiday calendars, cementing the event’s significance. Enhanced monitoring and reporting alongside the Data team provided valuable insights into audience engagement, allowing us to refine our strategies and seamlessly further our campaign’s effectiveness.

Results

National Whataburger Day made significant waves across various media platforms, garnering over 500 mentions from more than 350 unique outlets and achieving an almost two billion reach with an AEV exceeding $15 million.

From a social standpoint, the highest peak of mentions and reach for Q3 2023 occurred during National Whataburger Day, which covered July 26 to August 12 and had a total reach of 26 million.

The event led to unprecedented brand engagement, with August marking a record-breaking month of mentions and organic website visits, specifically on August 8 (National Whataburger Day), which witnessed the highest daily traffic to both the main and newsroom websites. Additionally, the campaign sparked considerable online interest, evidenced by over 1,000 Google searches for “National Whataburger Day,” showcasing the public’s heightened curiosity and enthusiasm for the brand.

On average, there were 200 more transactions per Whataburger unit per day than on the same date last year, resulting in increased revenue of $2.5 million.