Nandos has lipsmackin’ giveaway plan
Nando’s is launching a marketing initiative themed around guilt-free pleasures to drive its healthy eating proposition in the battle against rival fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s and KFC.
The Portuguese-themed chicken restaurant chain says it wants to push the message that its fresh chicken is grilled, not fried, but didn’t want to do it in a “boring way”, and so is partnering with toiletries brand Anatomicals for a calorie-free giveaway.
Nando’s says the Anatomicals brand has a similar personality to itself and will help champion its “guilt-free” healthy food message.
Anatomicals, whose brand tagline is “We only want you for your body”, has developed a calorie-free chilli chocolate lip balm that will be the focus of the giveaway.
Nando’s plans to push the partnership through social media and tie the healthy eating initiative in with its celebrity-led marketing strategy that has seen Pixie Lott, Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby endorse the brand.
Paul Marshall, Anatomicals founding partner, says: “This joint promotion offers Anatomicals the opportunity to be associated with a cool mass-market food company that shares the same sensibilities of not taking life too seriously.”
Helena Spicer, senior food services analysts at Mintel, says: “It’s a unique advertising stream for a brand that is looking to stand out. It’s more of a marketing tool than a product that will sell.”
She adds that because Nando’s trades on its fresh chicken, its healthy eating proposition “has the edge over brands like McDonald’s”.
Nando’s launched in the UK in 1992 and now has 220 restaurants. The chicken and burger bar sector, which includes McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King, is worth £3802m a year, according to Mintel.
