Kebab chain seeks to ditch image of ‘refuge for drunks’ with new agency hires
Kebab chain Ali Baba has hired new agencies as it looks to change the category’s image problem, which includes being seen as a late night refuge for drunken people.
PR agency Horizon Communications and brand agency Channelzero have been brought in after a competitive pitch to broaden the brand’s appeal to families through a brand revamp and a hike in marketing spend.
This may even include a name change.
A spokesperson for the family-run Lebanese chain said the brand wanted to push the chain’s fresh food credentials, reach a broader section of Australians and help the company expand from suburban food courts to high street metropolitan areas.
Ali Baba currently operates 43 restaurants across the country.
A spokesperson said: “The brand has huge potential, but is a little tired. We want to not only be a Lebanese kebab chain targeting Lebanese people. We want to target the rest of Australia with a fresh proposition with a healthy food focus.”
“We also want to move on from the image the category suffers from – that it is a late night refuge for drunken people.”
Heh, good luck.
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A PR outfit trying to convince the average Aussie that kebabs are health food. I predict fail. Why not work with what’s working a create pop up Ali shops in the middle of Kings Cross and Pitt Street mall for the early AM customer. Why leopards always what to change their spots is a mystery, they look much better with tthem, IMO.
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Maybe they could close early like other fast food chains do?
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People in Aus actually eat kebabs when sober, therefore half the job is done.
Try launching this in South London…
Who would eat AliBaba sober? If they really want to reform they should un-anglicize their cheesy (lit) idea of a standard kebab and bring out some proper kebab action.
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The brand might be a little tired but so am I at 3am. What’s wrong with a late night refuge for drunk people? We need to go somewhere.
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Junk food shop pushing their health food credentials? Isn’t that McDonalds new trick? And I agree- what’s so wrong with being a fast food joint targeting people who have had a few drinks? Another example of a brand trying to appeal to everyone.
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I’ll be *watching that space*. Classic.
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Who are these drunks who can navigate their way into a Westfields food court?
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Think they’re trying to be like Sababa
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