Kelseys’ latest campaign is looking to convey the thrill of summer treks to a family audience.
“That Kelseys Roadtrip Feeling,” however, contains no vehicles: it just shows a cool burger fiend with wind whipping through his hair. The new campaign developed by Lifelong Crush aims to connect the exhilarating feeling of a road trip with good friends, good food and a nice breeze.
“At Kelseys, we aim to give guests a feeling that the Roadhouse is a welcoming place for everyone, where you can come in and enjoy the ride,” says Shannon Lawler, chief operating officer for Kelseys Original Roadhouse.
The spot includes longstanding voice of the brand, TSN sports commentator Rod Smith, and retro-funk earworm “Real Good Feeling” by Bobby Byrd as its throwback summer soundtrack.
“For years, Kelseys has leaned into their road trip positioning, a reprieve from the everyday just down the block,” Lawler says. As Lawler explains, the campaign was about dramatizing that feeling, while maintaining core creative elements such as Rod Smith’s VO, classic music, and highlighting the great food and ambiance.
“We also wanted to separate ourselves from the competitive set, rather than just communicating offers, we wanted to showcase the Kelseys road trip feeling.”
Television spots will reach audiences in Ontario and Eastern Canada via sports and family-focused media channels.
Further campaign support will roll out in other media, including out-of-home activations on classic road-tripping routes that mirror the video concept showcasing the wind-blown hair and campaign tagline “That Kelseys Roadtrip Feeling”.
This media campaign is consistent with past campaigns, across video, digital and OOH.
“That Kelsey’s Roadtrip Feeling,” is leveraging stunt billboards across Ontario and Eastern Canada to gain over 50 million impressions during the summer “Road-tripping” season.
“Out-of-home has been a tactic the Kelseys brand has leveraged for three years,” Lawler says. “It allows us to be in proximity of our locations which is important to us, allowing us to tap into the ‘Road Trip’ in a unique way by being on-route to locations.”
The strategy aims to drive 25-to-45-year-olds audience to Kelseys, along with sports fans and families.
