Applebee's serves only the freshest, and the finest, at great prices. It promises. And it won't bore you to death with snobby details about the ingredients.
Yesterday, the casual-dining restaurant launched "See You Tomorrow," its first campaign from new agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The tagline positions Applebee's as the champion of a sort of anti-foodie backlash, pitching fare that purports to be tasty, and simple, but still somewhat classy—for example, new summer dishes like Lemon Shrimp Fettucine and Florentine House Sirloin. The spots rest on a pretty well-worn advertising trope—straight talk—and star a commercial announcer who cuts off windbag chefs as they launch into dissertations on the provenance of their produce. But they're also significantly less cheesy than the brand's previous ads—and nicely seasoned with chuckle-worthy moments. "Carl, you're doing it again," the says the voiceover, interrupting a stunned gourmet's riff on tomato pigment just as your eyes are starting to glaze over. "You're talking about tomatoes like they're your children." Hey! We know people who do that! Good ribbing. Funny. Not too mean.
Sure, the brand is trying to have its cake and eat it, too: It wants to cast itself as being in tune with the growing interest in fresh, quality fare but also distance itself from the pretentiousness of the food zealots. It also may be on point for a target audience that wants to feel like it's eating upscale, at a steal, but don't want to obsess over the details. The tagline is, "See you tomorrow," which is meant to promise fresh experiences for even the most regular of regulars.
It's classic food porn with a faux-haute twist—a dinner bell for the happily apathetic.
CREDITS
Client: Applebee's
Campaign Title: C4 Fresh Flavors of Summer
Executions: Lemon Shrimp Fettuccine, Florentine House Sirloin
Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Boulder, Colo.
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Rob Reilly
VPs, Executive Creative Directors: Steve Babcock, Mark Taylor
VP, Creative Director: Allen Richardson
Creative Directors: Dave Swartz, Scott MacGregor
Associate Creative Directors: Rich Ford, Brandt Lewis
Senior Art Director: David Gonsalves
Integrated Head of Video: Chad Hopenwasser
Senior Integrated Producer: Aaron Kovan
Integrated Producer: Annie Turlay
Food Shoot Production Company: MJZ
Food Shoot Director: Irv Blitz
Executive Producer: Franny Freiberger
Production Supervisor: Sabrina Mossberg
Live-Action Production Company: Moxie Pictures
Live-Action Director: Jared Hess
Executive Producers: Robert Fernandez, Lizzie Schwartz
Head of Production, Producer: Roger Zorovich
Line Producer: Laura Heflin
Director of Photography: Dariusz Wolskio
Postproduction: Plus Productions
VP, Executive Producer: Idalia Deshon
Integrated Producer: Andrea Krichevsky
Editor: Logan Hefflefinger
Assistant Editors: Chancler Haynes, Chadwick Schultz
VFX Artist: Adam Nix
Finishing Company: Method Studios
Executive Producer: Robert Owens
Music Company: JSM
Executive Integrated Music Producer: Bill Meadows
Composers, Arrangers: Joel Simon, Jordan Lieb
Sound Design, Mix Company: Lime Studios
Sound Designer: Sam Casas
Assistant Sound Designer: Matthew Miller
Animation Company: Buck
Visual Effects Company: Method Studios
Visual Effects Editor: Claus Hansen
Assistant Visual Effects Editor: Krysten Richardson
Visual Effects Producer: Colin Clarry
EVP, Group Account Director: Danielle Whalen
VP, Account Director: Scott Sibley
Content Management Supervisor: Ted Morse
Content Supervisor: Greg Paige
Content Manager: Derek Effinger
Assistant Content Manager: Alex Kirk
Business Affairs: Lisa Gillies
Talent Consultant: Michelle Thompson
Cognitive Anthropologists: Andrew Teagle, Kaylin Goldstein, Amelia Hall
Traffic Manager: Megan O'Rourke