The first step in reviving a heritage brand like Chili's is to deeply research its history, founders, and original essence. This historical foundation provides the authentic DNA needed to build a relevant modern brand positioning, rather than inventing something new.
The rigorous training to condense any recommendation into a single page forces a level of critical thinking and clarity that is often lost in lengthy slide decks. This skill becomes more valuable with career progression, creating a competitive advantage.
The most critical insights for Chili's revival came not from consumers, but from its 70,000 employees. Their feedback on operational friction and guest interactions directly fueled simplification, menu changes, and investments that improved the customer experience.
To build stronger alignment and leverage board expertise, Chili's CEO pairs each executive with a specific board member as a mentor. This formal structure moves beyond typical board presentations to create genuine working relationships and opportunities for targeted guidance.
After the P&G team bought an initial campaign idea, the agency returned the next day to argue against it, believing a different, riskier concept was stronger. This demonstrates the profound conviction required from creative partners to achieve breakthrough work.
Instead of sticking to planned marketing for a new burger, Chili's social team noticed an organic TikTok trend around their Triple Dipper appetizer. By "pouring gas on the fire" with influencers, they turned a fan-driven behavior into a massive growth driver, proving the value of marketing agility.
Uncertain about the unconventional "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad, the junior brand team conducted their own ad hoc research. They went to a brewery, bought beers for patrons, and showed them the ad on laptops to gauge real-time reactions from both men and women.
To counter a competitor's expensive Super Bowl launch, the Old Spice team posted their ad on YouTube and Facebook the Friday before the game. The ad went so viral over the weekend that it was included in Monday's Super Bowl ad roundups, achieving massive reach for free.