Denny's New National Advertising Campaign Presents Real-Life Customer Dining Solutions

Denny's (NASDAQ: DENN), the nation's largest full-service family restaurant chain, is launching today a new national advertising campaign, its first since July 2004. The campaign, created by Publicis Mid America Dallas, is a comprehensive marketing communications effort for Denny's, including TV, radio, online, in-store merchandising, print and direct.

According to Margaret L. Jenkins, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Denny's, "Our new campaign goes far beyond television in an attempt to surround our various target segments and appeal to them with how relevant Denny's can be as a dining solution. We're turning the campaign into a real consumer movement, as people recognize themselves in the communications and act on their understanding of how Denny's can work for them and their families."

Jenkins added, "People's lives today are varied and so are the reasons they choose a restaurant. We conducted consumer research where our guests told us that the variety of delicious meal choices we provide met a range of unique dining needs. The 'Denny's Always Works' campaign showcases some of the real-life situations that came out of this research."

The campaign is designed to communicate the practical, everyday meal solutions that Denny's offers its guests. The television spots differ from previous campaigns in two distinct ways: 1) the action is not set within a Denny's restaurant, instead the set is a distinctively striking yellow graphic background with unique, iconic animation accents and 2) the spots feature consumers (represented by actors) speaking directly and colorfully about how they use the brand and why they like it. This is a departure from the previous "Our Denny's" campaign that featured real Denny's employees in restaurant situations, representing the ideal service and customer experience.

"Strategically, this work differentiates Denny's because it extends beyond the traditional marketing goals of introducing new food items or building awareness," said Brent Feldman, senior vice president and director account management at Publicis Mid America Dallas. "We set out to establish a relevant, emotional connection with consumers while clearly communicating a compelling product message. We did this by very pointedly describing, with no mincing of words, and in our guests' own voices, just how Denny's can make sense for a variety of people and situations. And so often, in so many scenarios, Denny's just makes sense. It just 'works'."

The initial phase of the campaign includes seven television commercials that were designed to appeal to different audience segments. Each spot opens on a consumer telling us why Denny's fits perfectly into his or her life. They are shot on a distinctively striking yellow background with simple, fun animation which accents what the person is saying. After the actor portraying a Denny's guest speaks, the spots cut to a close-up of delicious food footage. Brief descriptions of a few of the spots follow:

-- In one 30-second spot, a man tells us that Denny's, unlike his wife, doesn't make him choose between bacon or sausage. Denny's gives him bacon and sausage. In fact, he may never go home.

-- One of the 15-second spots opens on a somewhat frazzled mom who is amazed that Denny's breakfasts can fill up even her teen aged boys. "I didn't think that was possible," she says.

-- Another 15-second spot features a young twenty-something guy telling us how Denny's extends his late night fun, because after the club scene he can still get great food at Denny's.

Television spots will run on all national networks as well as a variety of cable networks such as USA, TBS, TNT, ABC Family, CNN, MTV, CMT and BET. Radio spots will air in key local markets.

About Denny's

Denny's is America's largest full-service family restaurant chain, consisting of 543 company-owned units and 1,028 franchised and licensed units, with operations in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Guam, Mexico, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.


Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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