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Grill’d boss: Mumbrella took us out of context. When we said we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook, and putting up posters saying we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook, we never meant that we were banning blogging, tweeting and Facebook

grilld bloggersThe CEO of burger chain Grill’d has attempted to dampen a growing social media backlash to the brand’s new campaign poking fun at the likes of Twitter, Facebook and bloggers. Simon Crowe took to the brand’s Facebook page claiming that Mumbrella “showed one of our posters without context”.

Mumbrella posted the story after being sent a press release by the company’s PR agency One Green Bean, along with the only image supplied by the agency.

After Mumbrella reported the campaign, which also includes staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chefs’, some commenters on Twitter began to point out that the move was a risky one for a brand which has a Facebook page and Twitter profile as part of its marketing strategy.

During the afternoon, Grill’d briefly began to trend on Twitter.

More than three hours after the story was posted, with the backlash well and truly under way One Green Bean sent Mumbrella a further four images for the campaign which emphasise the anti-celebrity chef angle rather than than the tongue-in-cheek social media ban.

grilld hipstersgrilld zero chefsgrilld hottergrilld boring

Meanwhile, Crowe posted on the Grilll’d Facebook page:

“There has been some talk about our loathing of social media.

“An advertising website showed one of our posters without context and it has created a bit of a stir. No problem. We are happy to have people talk and debate any issue and we know that it is our guests & fans that ‘own’ our brand. Simply put, they didn’t get our sense of homour!”

Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes adds: We stand by the accuracy of our story in its entirety, and used the image entirely within context. We understood your “sense of homour” and referred to it as the stunt it was. You appear to be confusing the comment thread that followed the story, and indeed the discussion that followed on Twitter, with what we have written.

While I’m at it, if your campaign is targeting celebrity chefs, why the hell are you banning cravats? Matt Preston might be on Masterchef, but that doesn’t make him a celebrity chef. He’s a food writer.

The original press release:

MATT, WE DON’T WANT YOUR CRAVAT!

From Tuesday March 27, Grill’d is waging a war on celebrity chefs with the introduction of three new burgers that the team is proud to have created themselves; the Hot Hombre, Goats Cheese & Hummus and Perfect Pear.

Whilst more and more restaurants and brands have to rely on celebrity chefs to get a ‘cravat’ of approval, these delicious cooked-to-order burgers are made with love, sans endorsement.

From today, stores nationally will be decked out with table talkers, posters in store windows, staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chef’ badges and a range of point of sale materials that all clearly displays that Grill’d has declared war on celebrity chefs. Other posters call on foodies to respect customers with bold rules such as:

· No bloggers

· No tweeting

· No instagramming

· No Facebook

· And absolutely NO cravats

“We’re committed to feeding the nation the Grill’d way so are shifting the focus back towards what’s important; the great taste of our burgers,” says founder and managing director of Grill’d Simon Crowe.

“From Tuesday, we’re calling on hungry guests to leave their cravats at the door and enjoy our new burgers. We understand that celebrity chefs can flambé, julienne and souse-vide, but sowhat? The new range is made by our team from only the freshest ingredients. Put bluntly; they’re loved by the foodies, but made for you, and we guarantee you won’t leave hungry!” adds Crowe.

So if you’re in need of a fast fresh feed, get into Grill’d to try one of the new cooked-to-order burgers.

Mumbrella’s original report:

Burger chain Grill’d has declared war on social media and celebrity chefs in a stunt aimed at promoting its unpretentious menu offerings.

Signage is going up in the fast food chain’s stores urging hipster customers to not blog about or photograph their food, but instead just eat their burger. Instagram is an iPhone app beloved of hipsters looking to add effects to their pictures.

In a swipe at Masterchef judge Matt Preston, a further new rule from Grill’d is no cravats.

The campaign will see the chain wage war on celebrity chefs as it promotes three new burgers.

The signage includes table talkers, posters in store windows, staff wearing ‘F#ck Celebrity Chefs’ badges and point of sale materials.

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