Swiss Chalet is a casual/family restaurant chain that has been serving Canadians for more than 50 years. Their first eatery opened in 1954 in downtown Toronto, and since then they have gone on to become one of the most recognizable names in Canada when it comes to fast food ideals with restaurant services.
They specialize in rotisserie chicken dishes, although they do offer other options as well. While I’m not a fan of the food personally (I find it pretty bland, although their burgers are pretty good), I am a fan of what they try to do when it comes to encouraging family life.
Their slogan is “Family Happens at Swiss Chalet”, and their current TV advertising campaign shows families either sitting at restaurants or eating home delivery. The message is that no matter how busy your day, family time is important and Swiss Chalet helps make that happen.
This week, starting today and ending on Friday February 20, they’re running a promotion called “Family Appreciation Week”. For every adult entree purchased, you can get a free kids meal up to the value of $5.99 for any kids under 12-year old. Swiss Chalet are advertising this deal through a special 4-page newspaper insert that also has puzzles and games for kids to play.
They’re also partnering with kid favourites like LEGO, TeleToon, Hubba Bubba and What’s Up Kids magazine to offer special promotions throughout the year.
I’m a huge fan of this kind of marketing. We get so wrapped up in both our online and offline communities and business needs that we often neglect those that matter the most. David Mullen offered a sombre reminder of this last week in a heartbreaking post.
What about you? Are you more attracted to companies that offer family-based marketing? Are there any businesses that you use because of their family ethics? Do you offer family marketing yourself? I’d love to hear about them.