No blogging, tweeting, instagramming or Facebooking orders Grill’d in new campaign
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.
(Updated) The campaign, devised by Vice Magazine’s creative arm Virtue, with PR executed by One Green Bean, 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.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Very cheeky and very clever, although I reckon the ‘no cravats’ will go over the head of most of their customers! That said’ the ‘F*ck celebrity chefs’ badges are a bit much… a lot of parents take their kids to Grill’d and I can see the parents being unamused at the badges!
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You seem a little cavalier with you use of “hipster”, which is a bit more specific in modern usage than you’re giving it.
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This is why a PR agency shouldn’t do advertising.
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Trying to ride the wave of the hugely successful foodie shows much? I’m not too sure about this campaign. When I think of Grill’d food (which I enjoy!) – I think of their many different burger options above and beyond ‘one with the lot’ Any why would you want to stop people sharing pics about your food on social networking sites? Seems odd to me to ostracise this group. I particularly don’t like the badges – they just seem crass. Nando’s mastered the topical advertising and marketing, I’m not sure Grill’d really gets it.
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This campaign seems a little dumb to me, to be honest. If I want to recommend their chain/a specific burger by taking a photo or tweeting it, I’m damn well gonna! This feels like a ‘no phones at the dinner table’ rule being applied for an upmarket fast food restaurant. Not gonna fly with me, guys.
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A bit rich given the fact that they have foursquare deals.
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I’m with lincu.
While they’re at it they might as well delete their Facebook pages.
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Hi Tim
The credit for this sits with Grill’d Managing Director and Founder Simon Crowe, who collaborated with Vice.
Cheers
Kat
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actually, “No Facebooking”
*looks down*
facebook.com/grilldburgers
a bit hypocritical right there.
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Interesting, Grill’d Twitter account normally thanks people who post pictures of their burgers.
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Lol you guys are seriously missing the gag of course they want people to talk about it on Facebook and twitter! It’s smart they know people will talk even more if they say ‘don’t’ and you all are perfect examples of it working. Case closed!
Think its good simple an smart. The hipsters that haunt Grill’d will love it.
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I don’t get it. Why not? If it weren’t for the write up on mumbrella, I’d have no idea what they were trying to achieve with this…
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Bit of a backfire i think… I understand the joke/intent, but I actually used to think @GrilldBurgers was one of the better users of Social media… I know it was the good reviews and word of mouth on twitter (which I reinforced) that made me go out of my way to try it, and that they had done a lot of good work and promos over twitter… this is going to undo a lot of that
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I would almsot guarantee they have check-in on facebook for each location…..
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Somewhere in there is the germ of a good idea (“stop pissing around and just enjoy the food”) but, on first inspection, it’s fallen over in the execution.
Instead of being a fun execution it reads more like a manifesto. How can you ask people not to be social when Grill’d have a presence on FB (facebook.com/GrilldBurgers), and Twitter (twitter.com/GrilldBurgers)?
Also, the great majoirity of people, especially those who fall into Grill’d’s core audience, consider social behaviour about as pretentious as remembering to breathe. Social is who they are. You can’t tell them they’re wrong.
So in an attempt to eradicate pretention there is a very real chance that this campaign will have the opposite affect on people, “Who do Grill’d think they are? Pretentious sods!!”).
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It’s brilliant. I absolutely love it.
Campaigns like this certainly help to remind us how gullible people can be.
Genius.
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Tdawg, are you a Grill’d employee or working for one of the agencies?
On another note, it’s never a good sign when the PR agency is so quick to distance themselves from the campaign… but important that ‘credit’ is given to the right folk.
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Classic reverse psychology
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This is just nonsensical on every level.
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This undermines the confidence of the people who eat there. The people who eat Grilled are the techys and hipsters. They also use these gadgets as they are alone and want to look occupied as they eat a burger. I love Grill’d, always have – but this campaign is not clever – its missed the mark massively. Guys get it down as quick as you can.
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Their average client is silly enough to believe Grill’d’s ridiculous claims of “healthy burgers” – I don’t think they’re going to understand the wacky irony going on here.
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I like Grill’d – I don’t like this campaign.
My daughter is pretty excited that she is the Foursquare ‘Mayor’ of our local store!
Who exactly are they appealing to with their anti-social media campaign?
Not me, not my 16yo daughter.
I don’t see people blogging or Instagramming about McDonalds… is that who they are targetting, McDonalds customers?
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Nah – I think it’s clever. Most people won’t over-think it and just see it for what it is.
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No Jess at 12:28pm but I certainly eat there and there right now! Mumbrella have actually only posted 1 postcard of the campaign which is probably why you are so confused!!
Mumbrella post the other ones they are actually funnier and will help the kids here get it 🙂
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It’s rather concerning reading some of the other comments on this page. It seems many of you don’t actually understand the impact this could have. If anything, it’s actually a message encouraging people to do these activities more than they usually would. And seriously, if you find this campaign offensive, you need to learn to lighten up a little bit. I’ve been going to Grill’d a long time and absolutely love their menu offerings and excellent service I’ve always received. They’re also extremely active on social media themselves – always responding personally to tweets mentioning them, no matter how trivial they might be. Looking forward to trying these new ones.
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I’m with Tdawg.
Reverse psychology, and emotional/thought provocation. I think we will see more of this style of advertising in the future. It’s edgy and almost aggravating.
I personally despise how marketing plays with our minds – this is just the next logical step in marketing evil.
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Just to correct my earlier post, now that it’s been clarified it’s not the PR agency…
This is why a magazine publisher shouldn’t do advertising.
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Hi Tdawg,
At present, that’s the only image that’s been made available to us via the PR. If there are others, then I’m happy to make use of them.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
God, you lot sound like you’re doing a cheap n nasty focus group session; over analysing every tiny nuance of the poster.
Fact is, it’s dramatically different, does use reverse psychology on those who are into social media AND appeals to the growing numbers of people who are over social media (Yes, they are out there. They just don’t live in the world of advertising.)
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Hmmmm someone should bring this to the attention of the dipsh!t lawyer JB complaining about Carlton ad.
He needs to file a complaint with the ASB based on the ad discriminating against people wearing cravats……
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Not sure if this will resonate with the online community and those not using social media will see it as an affirmation that it’s just a passing fad… too clever by half perhaps?
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God, I hope people don’t start some kind of picture-of-turds-on-a-bun-hashtagged-with-grilld meme. That would be disgusting and hilarious.
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Hi Mike,
I don’t find the campaign offensive.. I just don’t think the reverse psychology of it all is that clever.
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Picking up where Nandos left off. I like.
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Sooo… if I was to head there and (rather ostentatiously) whip out my camera and iphone, are they going to chase me out with broomsticks?
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Perhaps looking at their website will put it into context folks http://www.grilld.com.au/ 😉
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Great campaign!
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I love it!
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Oh you Media Savants! Thank you for your swift and righteous judgement.
If only Ogilvy was here to learn from you talented individuals.
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It’s obvious it is rhetorical, but I think I’d be a bit nervous to look at my phone in their restaurant. Cheekily they are encouraging Gen Y to get off their phones and enjoy their meal, which I know I need to do these days!
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Most customers wont get this, and it will just be confusing. I only understand what they’re getting at because I read this article.
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I took an instagram of the poster and tweeted it.
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Just click on the links folks 😉 You will see from their site what they are aiming to do :))))
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Ironic, considering hipsters work at Grill’d…
I swear, it’s like JB Hi-fi and Grill’d use a hipster recruiting agency.
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I’ve won a few vouchers from their Twitter account in the past and liked their aproach to social media. The campaign is pretty funny but I’d say off brand.
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I’m guessing this means no more promo fries at Grill’d Highpoint when you deliver the facebook word of the week.
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Decent campaign imo as it is getting a fair bit of PR 😉 pays to be different imo.
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Crap Campaign, agree with usually enjoy their tweets.
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Matt “the cravat wearer” Preston is not a celebrity chef. he is a food critic.
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Simon the founder is on on Facebook right now on the Grill’d page trying to get support!!
What’s this NO Facebooking all about?
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Based on Simon’s comments on FB, it appears that there are a few people that dont get it straight away either…
Hi Guys, Simon Crowe here. There has been some talk about our loathing of social media. Thought I would touch base via Facebook to tell our story.
We have just launched 3 amazing new burgers and it seems that they have created a stir. We are passing comment on celeb chefs. Has anyone seen been into restaurant and seen our posters? SC
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And they say irony is lost on Americans…
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Seriously – why so worked up about freakin’ burgers?
I believe Simon Crowe perhaps sees himself as a fairly clever lad (opinion only) but not sure if this is really going to sell more burgers?
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i really don’t get why everyone is acting so offended? it’s funny? i myself love celebrity chefs, but every restaurant under the sun seems to have one attached to them these days!
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They should’ve included one last tagline: “Just eat your damn food!”
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From the website:
“EVERYONE is a ‘foodie’ these days – reviewing, instagramming, facebooking, tweeting and blogging about their dinner . It’s pretty tiresome. Who do we have to thank for this “Foodie Fatigue?” Celebrity chefs and reality cooking shows.
We hope you love our new Perfect Pear, Hot Hombre and Goats Cheese & Hummus burgers. Foodies love them but we really don’t care what they have to say…because we made these delicious burgers for YOU.”
OK, so everyone is a foodie – but they don’t care what foodies think because they made the burgers for you – but aren’t you also a foodie – because Grill’d think everyone is a foodie? Sore. Head. Brain. Hurts. Confused… Am I a foodie or not?
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interesting to note how many comments grilld have deleted on their fb post with Simon. and how badly they are explaining ti!
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Are 80% of people posting here being serious?
This campaign is clearly ‘sarcastic’ and a Grill’d have no intention to deter its customers from promoting its brand!
Great campaign!
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I like this campaign, hits their target market pretty well. Though the badges are too much.
Also if you took the signs seriously… I don’t even know what to say.
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Is anyone else finding it odd that this promotion is to launch their three new burgers, yet the burgers themselves are buried up the top of the print in hard to read faint type?
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For the love of …
Has anyone tasted the new burgers? They sound rancid!??!
If this campaign fails, it won’t be because some luddite doesn’t get the gag on the posters, it’ll be because the burgers are shite!
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How they hell do you call yourself unpretentious and then add a frkn pear to your new burger?
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It’s clever – look how they’ve got everyone discussing it. And no doubt at all it’s resulted in a spike in their social media reviews – which would have been the plan right from beginning. That said – bit of a risk as some people take these things far too seriously!
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Love bringing my family to Grilled and we support their approach to fast food, but can they please tell me how I’m going to explain the staff badge associated with this campaign to my school aged children? Not appropriate, so not going till its over. Real shame as they pitch to families. Heard other parents in the playgroud say similar things.
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Too many people taking themselves far too seriously …
I’m not a foodie, hipster, blogger, whatever .. but I got it, and thought it was funny.
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astroturfing much?
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Campaign worked a treat, I went last night and got an Almighty posted it on 4sq to boot
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Confusing campaign, and about a week too soon to have been a great April Fools gag. Interestingly enough this has been turned away from the entrance at the Crown St Grill’d.
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Great cheeky campign in my opinion. Some of you should stop taking everything so seriously
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