Glowbal Restaurant Group, a high-end Canadian restaurant company, wanted to increase customer visits, build customer loyalty and generate buzz resulting in word of mouth referrals, so it turned to mobile.

Braun/Allison, the agency for Glowbal, tapped Tagga Media Inc. to create a mobile updates campaign directed at keeping restaurant-goers up-to-date on specials, promotions and events. The Glowbal Restaurant Group’s demographic is primarily BlackBerry and iPhone users.

“In the very competitive Vancouver restaurant scene, GRG was looking for an effective way to increase brand loyalty and find a way to have patrons loyal to one restaurant try their other properties,” said Tiffany Chester, director of marketing at Tagga Media, Vancouver, BC.

“Their agency, Braun/Allison recommended a mobile loyalty campaign, as it aligned well with their brand and their target demographics,” she said.

The Glowbal Restaurant Group consists of six restaurants, all located in downtown Vancouver.

SMS can impress
The selected mobile call-to-action was printed on coasters that were used at every restaurant table, as well as on coupons for free appetizers given out at the end of every meal.

The call-to-action on the in-restaurant coasters and coupons asked customers to text the keyword GLOWBAL to the short code 82442 to get various incentives such as a free satay or dozen oysters.

Here are a few examples of the offers that Glowbal has sent out via SMS:

“Today until March 26th – 30 percent off lunch Mon.-Fri. at all Glowbal Group restaurants! Offer applies to food only.”

“Sanafir Now Does Lunch! To celebrate we’re offering 50 percent off lunches, Mon.-Fri. from Feb. 1-11. Join us at 1026 Granville St., 604.678.1049”

“Olympic Kickoff Party at O Lounge this Friday, 3 p.m. – midnight. 1054 Alberni Street. 604-629-3424”

“Sat. 10:30-12:30 a.m. @ Trattoria – Buy a mimosa & the chef will create a complimentary Omelette of your choice.”

This last offer generated more than $1,200 in additional revenue for the restaurant during a single brunch serving, according to Tagga Media.

A mobile Web site was also built to accompany the campaign and let clients easily access information about all of the group’s restaurants, their hours and their contact information.

Results
The company received more than 1,000 new subscribers in a two-month period.

The weekly specials have increased the frequency of customer visits, generated new customers and helped the restaurant group become the buzz of local residents and business diners, according to Tagga Media.

The campaign’s successes have prompted other local restaurants to follow the lead of this early-adopter and launch similar mobile promotions to engage their customers.

“Tagga made it easy,” Ms. Chester said. “From campaign design through campaign management and reporting, Tagga took a medium that was new to the brand and the agency and made it really easy for them to leverage the benefits of the mobile channel to achieve their marketing objectives.”