Moblico Helps Franchisee Choose Between Taco Bell & Pizza Hut While Driving Buzz for New Location

Moblico Case Study

Taco Bell & Pizza Hut
Multi-Unit Retail Case Study

Taco Bell and Pizza Hut engage college students with Text-To-Vote campaign

Background
Fugate Enterprises, one of the top 10 franchisees of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, needed to determine which store it should open on Western Kentucky University's campus. On top of the decision, the franchisee wanted to also create a buzz surrounding the new location that would keep the store top-of-mind with WKU students. Fugate turned to Moblico, looking to move beyond traditional marketing tactics.

Through Moblico, Fugate Enterprises launched a first-of-its-kind mobile voting campaign, allowing WKU students to decide which restaurant would be built on their campus.

How Moblico Worked for Fugate Enterprises
Moblico provides integrated mobile offerings that allow companies to acquire, retain, transact and support customer relationships. For Fugate, Moblico enabled a text voting campaign that ran from April 1, 2010 through April 17, 2010. WKU students were able to cast their votes by texting WKU4 PH (Pizza Hut) or WKU4 TB (Taco Bell) to 32075.

To drive campaign awareness to WKU students, Fugate leveraged marketing initiatives provided by United Marketing Communications (UMC), a leading provider of marketing services specializing in the restaurant and food services industry. Banners announcing the voting campaign were displayed on the lot the new restaurant would be built on, as well as at various WKU sporting events.

In the two week period, 992 votes were cast, 70% of which were unique. In the end, Taco Bell won with 71% of the total votes. As a result of the campaign, Fugate achieved its goal of driving awareness and interest by WKU students. Additionally, Fugate was able to add to its marketing database, enabling them to stay in touch with the students who voted.

Straight From the Client
"We have been operating 270 Pizza Huts and Taco Bells for over 30 years. This time, we wanted to let the community we will be serving choose which particular one they want,” said Sergio Roman, Marketing Director of Fugate Enterprises. “This was a fun, unique way for us to promote our new location, and it gave the students an opportunity to voice what they prefer via the medium that would allow the best direct interaction- mobile.”

Fugate Fast Facts

992 votes were cast
70% unique voters
Taco Bell won with 71% votes