Subway has enlisted snowboarders Mark McMorris and Sébastien Toutant in its latest bid to have athletes help the QSR connect Canadians with the “Eat Fresh Refresh.”
The QSR’s latest campaign is to promote its Teriyaki Crunch and Chicken Rancher subs, with the snowboarders screaming the sandwiches’ praises mid-flip as they rip through a downhill course.
McMorris and Toutant are the latest athletes Subway has enlisted to promote the various new ingredients and menu innovations in the QSR’s “Eat Fresh Refresh.” The roster of spokespeople has included NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier promoting the arrival of the menu innovations, Toronto Raptor Scottie Barnes talking about rice bowls, Olympian Andre De Grasse endorsing Subway delivery and tennis player Leylah Fernandez promoting the QSR’s Green Goddess line of menu items.
According to Lisa Mazurkewich, head of marketing at Subway Canada, collaborating with athletes from across Canada allows Subway to connect with different audiences.
“We work with athletes who embody our brand, and who perform at the top of their game,” Mazurkewich says. “We want to reflect the diversity of sport, much like the diversity of the Subway brand and the many people who own and operate our restaurants.” She adds that the primary target for this particular campaign skews towards a younger growth demographic, though its messages will resonate broadly as well.
As Subway increases focus on innovation, the QSR is debuting new, “boundary-pushing menu items” as compared with smaller, more frequent changes to ingredients and existing sandwiches.
Similar to its rice bowls, Mazurkewich says these new Teriyaki Crunch and Chicken Rancher subs will be supported by an omnichannel campaign that will leverage TV, radio and out-of-home.
Subway has also increased investment in digital and social, with a focus on Instagram and TikTok, to help it connect with a younger audience. The QSR is also featuring its athlete partners across social and leveraging Canadian creators to amplify messaging in both English and French markets.
In its latest earnings report, the company reported a 7.8% hike in same store sales numbers for North America, success Mazurkewich attributes to delivering a better food and better guest experience.
According to Mazurkewich, consumer research supports that Canadians are excited to see menu innovations.
“Throughout 2022, we debuted a suite of upgraded ingredients, new chef-crafted sandwiches and introduced rice bowls, all supported by unique English and French Canada advertising with five notable athlete collaborators and a significant omnichannel media buy,” she says. Subway also stayed fresh by launching partnerships with the Toronto Raptors and the NBA, offering guests new ways to engage with the brand.
Subway worked with Dentsu Creative on the campaign, with Carat on media and Veritas on PR and social.
