Emelle’s Catering
Brand
Introduction
Emelle’s Catering is a celebrated Vancouver catering company. Founded in 1999 by Mary Lee Newnham, Emelle’s is a sought-after Vancouver brand famous for its catering services.
They have been part of many iconic events in Vancouver in the past two decades, including the Olympics and Bard on the Beach. They are also preferred caterers for UBC Boathouse, Science-World, Gallery at the Pavilion, and many more local Vancouver businesses.
BRAND STRATEGY
Brand Discovery + Development
Vision, Mission, Values
Differentiation
Market Research
Product Service Positioning
BRAND FOUNDATION
Brand Visuals + Identity
Digital Brand: Website + Social Channels
Display + Signage Assets
Vehicle Branding
BRAND ACTIVATION
Campaign Communication Strategy
Video Production Management
PR & Influencer Outreach
Brand & Marketing Management
The
Challenge
Even for a celebrated and well-known business like Emelle’s, business growth can be stagnant. When they came to us towards the end of 2018, they had already identified a slow down in sales.
The primary reason for the slow down was their over reliance on referrals to drive revenue. They lacked a formal marketing strategy and relied heavily on networking to close clients.
Navigating the competitive landscape of the catering industry that constantly craves innovation, Emelle’s challenge was to establish its unique voice. In a world where clients seek the latest, hottest, and trendiest offerings, the absence of a focused and consistent marketing strategy became a significant challenge for Emelle’s.
Emelle’s recognized an opportunity to celebrate and leverage an important milestone for their company-20 years of catering success-to revitalize the brand and launch an impactful campaign. They asked us to develop a 20-year anniversary campaign that celebrates the magic of Emelle’s in a way that makes long-standing clients feel connected and generate awareness of their brand beyond their existing network.
Our
Approach
Based on their business goals and brief we identified the following objectives for the 20-year anniversary campaign:
- Leverage 20 years of credibility and establish Emelle’s as a strong, local brand
- Make a splash – Raise brand awareness
- Position Emelle’s as Vancouver’s caterer, communicating their importance and meaningful history in the local community
- Refresh the brand visuals and communication style
- Attract new business through marketing channels aside from personal networking
- Create a marketing message that encapsulates the essence of Emelle’s brand.
Target Audience for the campaign:
- Corporate Event Organizers – Professional Event Planners, HR, Office Managers, Marketing Professionals etc.
- Personal Event Organizers – Friends/Family organizing an event for someone they know
The pain points of the target audience:
- They need a catering company that will alleviate the stress of planning and can ensure all aspects of the event (guidance, planning, guest experience, food, sustainability, logistics) are taken care of, leaving them to enjoy the event and entertain guests
- All catering companies look the same to them, so they rely on referrals and other sources that make a company appear credible/reliable
We planned and executed the following for the campaign:
We crafted an integrated 20th anniversary campaign for Emelle’s that celebrated their clients, partners, and team, and showcased the power of celebration. The main story arc of this campaign was to inspire a new audience to trust Emelle’s for all their catering needs be that a glitzy corporate event or joyous personal occasion.
We came up with an overarching campaign theme that will be at the core of all campaign communications: The Power of Celebration. We captured 20 stories from 20 employees, clients, and partners that illustrated 20 years of celebration and connections between Emelle’s and the Vancouver community. The common thread between the stories is the profound impact of celebration, coming together to mark time and to commemorate life’s milestones. The primary call to action was “What will you celebrate this year?”
- Produced a feature film composed of 20 video interviews, premiered at client’s anniversary party, and distributed as brand content and cut down into targeted advertisements across various online channels.
- Wrote 20 editorial-style articles, distributed through media outlets, client blog, and displayed in an in-café gallery wall
- Commissioned an interactive art display of the Vancouver map for the café, that features illustrations of Emelle’s clients, team, and partners, and iconic Vancouver landmarks – infusing the brand into their retail space
- Hosted a quintessential Emelle’s event at their West side kitchen for clients, team, partners, and local food bloggers and influencers
CAMPAIGN LOGO
INVITATION
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Your team is phenomenal, and we felt their dedication to our team from the initial meeting.”
Thank you for putting into words what Nicole & I are too shy to say. After 20 years of "Food in Mouth Marketing" only, we knew we had to speed up to the pace that the world works in order to get our message across to our existing and prospective clients. REX did, in fact, discover our brand and what's more, has infused excitement and enthusiasm in our delivery. I will no longer hesitate to invest in marketing as the results we have seen already in the short time your campaign has started are far surpassing our expectations. Your team is phenomenal, and we felt their dedication to our team from the initial meeting.
MARY LEE NEWNHAM, CEO + EXECUTIVE CHEF OF EMELLE'S CATERING
MURAL
SLIDE DECK
The
Results
Throughout the campaign, we drove customers to Emelle’s website to inquire about customizing the perfect menu for their next celebration. The primary video ad received over 10,000 video views in the first month of launch.
The number of enquiries increased by 135% during the campaign period and they maintained the momentum of this campaign up until the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020.
Video Ad for online channels
Emelle’s Catering Corporate Events Testimonials
Longform Video
A concept we never would have come up with on our own but was there all along”
20 years, what an accomplishment; however, at the same time, we were noticing that we weren't growing at the same pace. Catering is a competitive industry, often driven by 'the flavour of the month'. We knew that 20 years would hold us in good stead and that it was the perfect time to make an impact. We also knew that this was a hat, of the many we always wore ourselves, that we needed to share with experts. A new, outside perspective, that could offer a different approach. What we ended up achieving, was magical! It wasn't a bunch of meaningless sales messages (which we can't stand), it was instead a representation of how we fee I every day. The heart of our team, our clients & the community. A concept we never would have come up with on our own but was there all along.
NICOLE BURKE, DIRECTOR OF SALES AT EMELLE'S CATERING