Jimmy John’s, looking to push back against growing competition from other sandwich chains using third-party delivery services, has kicked off a new campaign in which it is highlighting its “freaky fast” delivery.
The campaign highlights the chain’s “sandwich delivery zones,” which have a short radius of five minutes to ensure that any delivery can be made quickly. The idea is to promote the advantage of that radius, which the company believes ensures a quick delivery of freshly made sandwiches.
“Mapping our incredibly tight delivery zones means some people fall outside, but it also means a better sandwich for those we serve,” Chief Marketing Officer John Shea said in a statement. “We want people to know why we have to draw a line when it comes to freshness, and with the new campaign, have some fun along the way.”
The campaign comes a month after the Champaign, Ill.-based chain vowed to “never” use third-party services to provide delivery, arguing that the economics and quality of such services do not meet the company’s standards.
But it also comes as many of the chain’s primary competitors have inked deals with third-party services to provide delivery, a move that has taken away one of the chain’s most important competitive advantages.
Jimmy John’s has grown rapidly in recent years on the back of its delivery service, which it has had since 1983 and which, until recently, was unique in the sandwich space. But now Subway, Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs are all offering delivery in at least some of their restaurants.
The challenge for Jimmy John’s is that short delivery radius, which means someone who lives 10 minutes away from one of the chain’s restaurants can’t get their subs delivered. So the company is highlighting the importance of that radius in its ads.
In one ad, called “Hard Stop,” one of the Jimmy John’s bicycle deliverers runs into an invisible wall toward the end of the commercial.
In another, called “Drawing the Line,” a Jimmy John’s delivery car paints a red line in the street after a clock on the top of the vehicle hits five minutes.
Jimmy John’s said that it has carefully mapped out its delivery zones around each of its more than 2,800 locations and periodically checks them to ensure that the radius is still five minutes.
“The edge of the zone can be an emotional place,” Shea said. “But a line has to be drawn, for our customers and for our sandwiches.”
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