PHOENIX, AZ (Sept. 11)—Shamrock Foods yesterday launched a state-wide marketing program to get consumers eating out again. Citing the importance of Arizona's restaurant industry to the state's economy, Shamrock partnered with the Arizona Restaurant Association to developed Dine 4 AZ campaign to help struggling restaurant operators promote their businesses, and to remind consumers what they enjoy most about dining out.
The three-month public awareness campaign utilizes TV, radio, print and social media outlets Facebook and Twitter to lead consumers to the dine4az.com website, where individual restaurants can promote their menus, specials coupons and more. All Arizona restaurants will be listed on the diner4az.com site, and qualified Shamrock Foods customers can take advantage of no-cost promotional opportunities as well.
According to a Shamrock release, the goals of the campaign are to:
- Drive consumers to dine at one of Arizona'sgreat restaurants.
- Inform consumers just how important the restaurant industry is to the State of Arizona, and howmany jobs and tax dollars come from the industry.
- Offer Shamrock customers a place where they can promote value-addedopportunities to consumers.
- Give consumers another tool to find restaurants in their area.
To launch the program, Shamrock held a press conference on Thursday at Alice Cooperstown restaurant in Phoenix. Both rock legend Alice Cooper and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer made appearances.
Stephen Chucri, president and ceo of the Arizona Restaurant Association, said, “We’ve been hit hard by unemployment, immigration issues and rampant foreclosures in our housing marketing, but with the Dine 4 AZ initiative we can all do some simple things to get our economy rolling again.”
Arizona businesses offering food and drink shed 6,300 jobs during the year ending in July, including a loss of 4,500 jobs in June and July alone, according to the state’s Department of Commerce.
Cooper reportedly said business at his restaurant has been consistent, and he offered this advice to restaurant owners: Stay consistent and do what you know best. For example, if you make great pizza, continue to make great pizza.
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