Challenge
For low-priced, all-you-can-eat BBQ, Sonny’s had been the go-to restaurant for a generation of diners since 1968. But while AUVs were trending steady, the brand was not growing guest count—especially among millennials who saw it as their grandparents’ BBQ joint, not their own.
Solution
Push developed a contemporary interpretation of the iconic Pitmaster to showcase their, and the brand’s, mastery of the art of BBQ. And with new visions for everything from menus to uniforms to entire restaurants to a complete re-brand of all marketing materials, we affected every team member and consumer touchpoint from back-of-house to front.
Strategy & Positioning
To regain the position as the leader in BBQ, we moved the focus from price and product onto the men and women who spend hours perfecting their craft, showcasing their accomplishments both in the smoker and on the plate. The Pitmaster became a metonym for the new Sonny’s brand.
