Chick-fil-A encourages giving the gift of time with multichannel campaign

Dive Brief:

Chick-fil-A has kicked off a new marketing initiative encouraging people to give "the gift of time," the company revealed in a press release. The campaign includes a two-minute animated film, an online "Time Shop" and a pop-up shop in New York City all promoting the idea of gifting "Together Time."
The Time Shop allows consumers to create custom gift cards for friends, such as a coupon for a date for a two-hour cooking session. The company will print and mail the cards for free during the holiday season. The pop-up shop is in the SoHo neighborhood and will be open Dec. 4-17 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed on Sundays).
The animated holiday commercial debuted during the NBC broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and will run throughout November and December.

Dive Insight:

Chick-fil-A's multichannel campaign is built on a national survey it commissioned from The Bantam Group that revealed that 73% of consumers say they want more time with people they love and 93% said quality time is the most important factor in creating holiday memories, according to the press release. With these findings in mind, Chick-fil-A has created a campaign that is less about its product or brand and more about giving the gift of time.

By running an animated TV spot and opening both a virtual and brick-and-mortar "Time Shop," Chick-fil-A has the chance to reach a wide array of consumers this holiday season. Printing and mailing free holiday cards could give the campaign a boost on social media when the cards start hitting mailboxes this month.

Since the holidays are a busy time in which people are often overwhelmed with the pressure of shopping and gift giving, without quality time to spend with friends and family, Chick-fil-A's campaign could help put the brand at the center of a conversation about time with loved ones.

Chick-fil-A has been trying to evolve its image as a more open brand after suffering years of backlash to a culture influenced by the company's conservative founder. The company recently stopped making charitable donations to The Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, after claims from LGBTQ activists that these organizations are anti-gay. By changing the conversation to something less about politics and more about spending quality time, the company may be trying to reach a broader consumer base without alienating its core customer this holiday season.