Subway restaurants is breaking into new territory with a new dinnertime-theme campaign and online vignettes geared to get consumers thinking about the chain beyond the lunch hour.
The Milford, CT-based chain has tapped actor John Lovitz to host the Subway Dinner Theatre, a series of comedic TV spots that exaggerate everyday dinner situations. The spots include Alone at Last: a story about a heartbroken co-worker, Terror at 5 O’Clock: the tale of a mother’s race against time and The Thing: a story of two 20-something guys who have their first encounter with an ordinary stove.
Consumers can view Subway commercials featuring Lovitz and other content at SubwayDinnerTheatre.com. The Web site opens with a theater full of people and showcases Subway’s Italian Trio menu offerings, including its Meatball Marinara, Chicken Parmesan and Italian BMT sandwiches. Each sandwich is heated (to invoke a dinnertime feel) and made fresh. The company also expanded its bread options, adding toasted garlic bread to its menu choices.
Consumers can go “behind the curtain” on the site and tell their own dinner drama stories by submitting video clips to SubwayDinnerTheatre.com. Subway will post clips throughout the multi-month campaign. Also on the site, consumers can send personalized dinner invites via e-mail to friends.
Largely known for its lunch offerings, the campaign marks the QSR’s foray into the dinnertime mindset.
“When people think of dinner, they think ‘hot’,” Subway spokesman Mack Bridenbaker said. “We want people to know we are an option.”
Subway plans to roll out other dinner sandwich creations later in the campaign, he said.
Online materials and radio spots support. MMB, Boston, handles ads and Web site.
Network
