White Castle System, Inc.: What You Crave campaign
Allison I. PorterOverview
By 1995 hamburger sales had been erratic for six straight years at White Castle System, Inc. White Castle, a regional family-owned chain that began in 1921, prided itself on being the inventor of fast-food. The company's advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, was charged with reversing the sales decline but with a limited budget. The "What You Crave" campaign was based on consumer research that had identified an "Affectionate Potential" target group. In the words of a Thompson report, the campaign "revitalized a brand franchise and launched a craving...