The top eight stories you probably didn’t need to know in franchising this week.
1. Frantastic: Brands across the country did their best to capitalize on the hype surrounding Valentine’s Day this week. But there was one brand that took it a step further than the typical LTO: KFC. The chain—which already sells its own line of apparel and home goods—introduced Valentine’s Day cards to its lineup in honor of the holiday. When customers purchased the brand’s $10 Chicken Share meal, they received a scratch ‘n’ sniff card that smelled like fried chicken with sayings like “You have the secret recipe to my heart” on the inside.
2. Franlebrity: Our Franchising Celebrities issue has highlighted a lot of great Franlebrities, so this week, we’re shining a spotlight on three. As a mini-series within 1851’s latest issue, “National Franchising League” spotlight articles have been published about former professional football players who are now tackling franchising. Head to 1851 to see our exclusive interviews with Muhsin Muhammad, Tyoka Jackson and Angelo Crowell.
3. Frash Money: There are a lot of benefits that come with tapping into the power of a celebrity endorsement. But how much does it really cost? 1851 rounded up five things that franchisors should know about working with celebrities, including the fact that working with influencers can cost just as much as working with traditional celebrities, pricing isn’t always set in stone and that there’s a hierarchy when it comes to post categories.
4. Frant of the Week: How many times have you heard—or used—the term “fake news” in the past year? It’s become so commonplace in our culture that it’s becoming problematic in industries outside of politics. As No Limit Agency CEO Nick Powills points out in his latest Frant, opinions are being believed as facts in the competitive world of business. And while everyone is entitled to their own opinions, mistaking them for facts has the potential to lead to bad business.
5. Franch Forward: Brands looking to Franch Forward may want to consider appealing to consumers who adhere to a vegan diet. Especially as health—and health food—become top-of-mind topics for more customers, providing vegan and vegetarian menu options is a way for franchisors to reach more people. Brands like Denny’s, Subway, KFC and Taco Bell are already tapping into this trend.
6. Fran Funny: Twitter’s latest viral moment comes from P.F. Chang's after the ABC news affiliate in Chicago mistakenly showed a graphic saying that the chain was hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics instead of Pyeongchang. The TV station issued an apology, but that didn’t stop P.F. Chang's—and other Twitter users—from making the most of the slip-up.
7. Franspiration: “If you’re the hardest working person inside of your restaurant, then everyone else will follow along. It’s that mentality that makes you successful.” – former Indianapolis Colts player and Stacked Pickle franchisee Gary Brackett
8. Franemies vs. Frands: The next generation of American consumers—Generation Z—is ditching Facebook for a new Frand: Snapchat. A new report from eMarketer shows that Facebook is expected to lose users for the first time this year by 5.6 percent in the 18-to-24-year-old age group. That younger demographic is instead using Snapchat, which means that brands may want to consider stepping up their presence on the app if they’re looking to target those potential customers.
