Best Group Marketing Campaign

Debenhams Food Services

"It's full of razzmatazz." And: "It has ‘Hollywood' style". These were just two of the judges' verdicts on the Debenhams Food Services group marketing campaign.

Entitled "VIP Baby Service and Children's Pick and Mix", the campaign impressed all the judges. The whole panel agreed it had the "wow factor".

Its main objective was to develop the food offered to children in its in-store restaurants in order to provide a unique and attractive range of services for the under-10s. In doing so it wanted to make parents with young children feel welcome in its restaurants.

Another of its objectives was for those parents to make more than 500,000 purchases from the children's range in the first year.

As the campaign brief read: "Our aim is to make Debenhams restaurants the first choice for Debenhams shoppers and non-Debenhams users, when out shopping with children."

Commenting on its success, one judge said: "What I think is clever is they clearly had a target market of young families and mothers with money to spend and they built on that. It is trail-blazing stuff."

To achieve its objectives Debenhams Food Services decided that prices across its children's menu should be frozen for at least 12 months. The fixed lunch box was also replaced with a pick-and-mix option, displayed on child-height counters.

Research was conducted into what foods should be offered in the pick-and-mix selection and this resulted in a range of 20 products including fruit, yogurt, crisps and confectionery. Children are able to choose six of these 20 foods which they carry in a coloured cardboard lunch box.

The intention was to have these counters installed in 60% of Debenhams restaurants within the first 12 months of the launch and all sites within 24 months.

Half-size, half-price portions of adult meals were introduced, as were a choice of free baby foods, including an organic choice. Complimentary bottle warmers, warming plates, feeding spoons and free VIP bibs were also launched and young diners were offered colouring sheets and crayons.

The £400,000 budget was spent on 1,000 new high chairs, 60 pick-and-mix counters, changing room refurbishments, bottle warmers, warming plates, advertising costs, direct mailings and staff training.

The introduction of the VIP Baby Cervice and Children's Pick and Mix resulted in Debenhams restaurants being voted best place to eat out with kids by Woman magazine.

It also contributed significantly to Debenhams' Tommy Campaign 1999 Parent Friendly Award.

During the campaign restaurant staff were trained to focus on the needs of customers with children.

Food files, detailing all the ingredients of the foods on offer, were also introduced to help parents and staff looking for suitable dishes for allergy sufferers.

To promote the campaign a series of individual store mailshots, including free lunch box vouchers, were sent to mother and toddler groups. An advertorial campaign was also run in Practical Parenting magazine.

Vox pops among visitors to the restaurants provided tangible evidence of its success.

Further proof of its popularity was that lunch box sales increased by between 50% and 100% in those restaurants with the new pick-and-mix lunch boxes.

The judges agreed it was a clever campaign. As one concluded: "They have set a good example for all department stores to follow in this country."

Judges

Pamela Carvel, owner, Pampas International Marketing

Hans Lindh, director of lodging, Europe, American Express Establishment Services

Ian Crabtree, director of food service support, Granada Food Services

Andrew Warren, managing director, Johansens

Christina Towner, account manager, Triangle Communications

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