Sponsored by UPshow.
Televisions can be a great way for quick-service restaurants to provide entertainment in the dining room and create a pleasant atmosphere that convinces guests to return. But TVs also expose brands to risks when programming is left up to cable and satellite providers.
Take Hamra Enterprises, a multi-unit Wendy’s franchise company, for example. Until recently, Wendy’s required all restaurants to use satellite TV for in-store entertainment. While this helped engage guests, Hamra’s leadership had little control over what aired in store. Not only did this mean restaurants risked showing unappealing news while people ate or even competitor ads, but programming also wasn’t always family-friendly—a major issue for a brand that has staked its reputation on family.
“Sometimes a sporting event would be playing on TV, and then a manager wouldn’t get to the TV quickly enough to change the channel, and something like Jerry Springer would come on after the game,” says Valerie Root, store systems and product manager for Hamra.
Additionally, for just about the same cost as satellite TV, Root knew there were more options on the market. “I knew we needed something different, so when Wendy’s opened up to allow us to use new options, I thought branded TV sounded like the right fit,” she says.
Root and the Hamra team researched several types of TV providers before ultimately deciding to work with UPshow because of its integration with Play Network, which Hamra was already using, and the customization options UPshow provides. After piloting UPshow at the end of last year, Hamra is now rolling the program out to all stores.
Now, not only can Hamra use UPshow’s TV platform to air branded content, such as advertisements for LTOs, but the company can also create messages that can be targeted down to the individual store it will air in with ease.
Because Hamra operates 31 Wendy’s stores in New England, 25 in the Chicagoland area, and 35 in Missouri and the Kansas City area, it’s crucial to be able to change programming to match each market.
“Even though Wendy’s is a national brand, UPshow’s hyperlocal content channels allow us to show guests the sports, news and entertainment that’s relevant to them as opposed to content that doesn’t interest them,” Root says. “Someone in Chicago may not care about sports teams in New England. Now we even have the opportunity to localize content as far down regional high schools around our stores.”
This customization also helps Hamra with its local company initiatives, such as fundraising for community charities, or even Wendy’s Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. It also uses this segmentation to feature localized campaigns, such as LTOs or to promote the brand’s new partnership with DoorDash.
Additionally, with UPshow’s cloud-based platform and mobile app, it’s easy to manage content and social media anytime from any level of the operation.
“Our marketing team can control multiple locations with minimal upkeep,” Root says. “UPshow has been a simple, cost effective solution, and the company has an incredible team that proactively looks for ways we can use their platform to drive additional engagement and sales. We have only scratched the surface of what UPshow can do for us, and I am excited about where this partnership will go.”
By Peggy Carouthers
