The latest integrated campaign for a regional burger chain leverages a childhood antic to drive the message for a patty melt sandwich. The brainchild of Johnson City, Tennessee–based Creative Energy, the campaign includes spot TV, radio, outdoor, point of sale, digital, and social.

“Pal’s Sudden Service is unique within the fast-food business in almost every way,” says Creative Energy’s president Tony Treadway. “They were the first to earn the Baldrige National Quality Award in the restaurant business. With drive-thru wait times of 18 seconds for a fresh-made item, they are serious about quality and customer satisfaction. Yet, Pal’s gives us the freedom to do some pretty outlandish creative to drive home their message, and the Patty Melt Campaign is just the most recent example.”

The Pal’s Patty Melt includes two beef patties that sandwich a premium slice of American cheese, then are slathered with a proprietary dressing, and topped with crispy onion crumbles inside a burger bun turned inside out and toasted. The sandwich is one of two planned limited-time offers leveraged by the chain to create excitement and entice new customers to the chain with restaurants in Tennessee and Virginia. 

The creative team behind the campaign included executive creative director Will Griffith, creative director Greg Nobles, and senior art director Joe Schnellmann, supported by vice president Teresa Treadway and food stylist Tammy Blevins.

Production was handled by April Dace from Nashville’s Dace & Mohr and directed by Seth Worley. Post-production happened at Filmworkers Nashville with editing by Adam Little.

Creative Energy has served the regional chain since 1992 and handles all of the chain’s advertising, marketing, social media, and public relations.

The agency serves a variety of national and regional accounts in and outside the food industry. With 30 employees, the firm has offices in Asheville, North Carolina, and Johnson City, Tennessee.