What a cast of characters. I feel like I'm writing an IMDB bio for a teacher/mommyblogger, a magician, a real-life member of The Babysitter's Club, and, three tattooed metal heads with a soft spot for meat. I managed to meet all of them at the opening of brgr (no additives, not even vowels!) on the Upper East Side.
— Kelly Samardak, Just An Online Minute
You’re Invited
In curating the guest list, we recognized that the brgr story had several media angles—among them food, health, sustainability, entrepreneurship, small business, and local interest—and that we should be inviting writers of all beats, from both online and print outlets.
brgr also has a number of loyal fans, as is evident from the ongoing conversations on Twitter and Facebook, and Foursquare check-ins. So, in addition to traditional media, we invited the restaurant’s foursquare mayor, a number of influential Twitter followers, and dedicated Facebook fans.
Book Your Entertainment
Though the night could have easily devolved into a brgr and milkshake debauchery, we saw the party as an important opportunity to educate writers and potential customers about the value of grass-fed meat, local dairy products, and brgr’s values. We invited grass-fed meat guru and supplier John Wood of U.S. Wellness Meats to discuss why cows should be eating grass, Ronny Osofsky of Ronnybrook Farms to explain the benefits of locally-sourced dairy, and Steve Leicht, President of brgr, to shed light on grass-fed's move to mainstream.
The audience was enthralled with the cast of real-life farmers and entrepreneurs, who were doing good things by doing what they love. The Q & A session after the talks provided party guests with additional opportunities to learn more.
Party Favors
We were also tasked with creating all party collateral and associated branding. We created an HTML invitation, custom gift certificate holders, food placards, information cards, and “milkshake flight cards” that gave guests the chance to try four shot-size samples of brgr’s famous milkshakes. We upheld brand consistency with uniform colors, similar imagery, and identical typeface.
Swag
Aside from their full bellies, our guests went home with a branded reusable brgr gift bag stuffed with a brgr organic cotton T-shirt, a $10 gift certificate to encourage repeat visits, You & Me Cookies (which are sold at brgr), and information on grass-fed meat.
The Results
We cultivated a room full of satisfied food bloggers and writers, social media gurus, and burger enthusiasts, hailing from outlets like Gothamist, Huffington Post,
Martha Stewart Every Day Food,
SHAPE,
Every Day with Rachael Ray,
Fortune, and more.
The launch party attracted rave reviews. Food and city bloggers blogged about the event before and after, and metro writers reviewed the restaurant following the party. Burger (and brgr) enthusiasts “live tweeted” from the party and the interest of passers-by was piqued by the music, lively crowd, and of course, the “grass carpet.” A number of brgr reviews appeared online in the days following the event, boosting the brand, name recognition, and overall awareness of the new Upper East Side location.
