Red Lobster Launches First Spanish-Language Advertising Campaign

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Lobster, the world's largest casual dining seafood restaurant, launched its first Spanish-language advertising campaign. The national campaign is designed to introduce more Hispanic guests to the Red Lobster experience and to highlight the restaurant's comprehensive menu, which was recently transformed to offer guests more affordable, great-tasting options and greater overall choice and variety.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130115/CL41614LOGO-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130115/CL41614-b )

"With the Hispanic population in the U.S. growing at four times the rate of the overall population, the goal of the campaign is to make the brand more relevant to these important guests by reaching them in a more meaningful and impactful way," said Stewart Marquina, director of marketing, Red Lobster.

The first Spanish-language ad, created by WPP's Wing, is an adaptation of the general market "Real People" advertising campaign that features the "Sea Food Differently" tag. It was created based on Hispanic cultural insights and features the tag "Disfruta un Mar de Sabores" ("Enjoy a Sea of Flavors"), along with Ariana Paz, a real server at the Gainesville, Fla., Red Lobster. The spot follows Paz as she shares her genuine, unscripted passion for the food and restaurant experience while serving a family enjoying a delicious meal.

"We know that many Hispanics see the dining experience as an opportunity to bring family and friends together to celebrate, share and bond, so that important moment in time is brought to life in the ad," said Marquina. "With a wide variety of menu options, Red Lobster is able to provide something every member of the family can enjoy."

Partnership with Univision

Beyond advertising, Red Lobster is partnering with Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America, to create a customized segment named "La Pregunta Fresca del Dia" ("The Fresh Question of the Day"). Airing during the popular entertainment show, "El Gordo y La Flaca" ("The Scoop and the Skinny"), the segment will give the audience celebrity anecdotes and news, while also highlighting Red Lobster's variety of menu offerings and affordability.

Univision Network's popular daily morning show "Despierta America" ("Wake-Up America") will also support the Red Lobster campaign with brand spotlights where viewers will be invited to tune into "La Pregunta Fresca del Dia" on "El Gordo y La Flaca." Custom-created vignettes will also promote Red Lobster messaging and drive tune-in to "La Pregunta Fresca del Dia."

New Dining Experience

Highlighted in the ad is the new Red Lobster menu—now available nationwide in Spanish—that offers more items with price points below $15. It also offers an expanded selection of great-tasting, non-seafood dishes to satisfy guests who prefer something other than seafood. Menu items include:

• Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp: With a peach-bourbon BBQ glaze and pico de gallo, served over mashed potatoes and choice of accompaniment.
• Wood-Grilled Chicken with Portobello Wine Sauce: Served with mashed potatoes and choice of accompaniment.
• Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables: Seasoned and roasted in a parchment bag with white wine, asparagus, artichokes and wild rice pilaf.

Additionally, Red Lobster's new menu offers more choice and variety, including lighter-style options and more fish and shrimp entrees. Some examples include:

Lighter-style options such as:

• Bar Harbor Salad with Shrimp: With dried berries and honey-roasted pecans with a blueberry-balsamic vinaigrette and crumbled blue cheese served upon request (260 calories, 9 fat (g) with no dressing or blue cheese).
• Tropical BBQ-Glazed Chicken: Wood-grilled and brushed with papaya-BBQ sauce and topped with fresh pineapple salsa. Served with wild rice and choice of an accompaniment (390 calories, 6 fat (g)).

New seafood options such as:

• Island Grilled Mahi Mahi and Shrimp: Wood-grilled, wild-caught mahi-mahi and a shrimp skewer brushed with a papaya-BBQ sauce and topped with fresh pineapple salsa. Served with broccoli and choice of accompaniment.
• Chesapeake Shrimp with Crab: A Chesapeake-grilled shrimp skewer topped with crab butter and five crab-and-seafood-stuffed shrimp with lobster beurre blanc, served with wild rice pilaf and choice of accompaniment.

Ongoing Commitment to the Hispanic Community

As a member of the Darden family of restaurants, Red Lobster wants the warm and caring experience to extend beyond its restaurant walls into every community it serves. Darden has identified and supports partners that empower the Hispanic community such as:

• ASPIRA: Donated funds to support the rollout of the Youth Leadership Development drop-out prevention program for ASPIRA Clubs and schools.
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI): Supported the CHCI Summer Internship Program and CHCI's Hispanic Heritage Month Awards program.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Provided 2012 grant from the Darden Restaurants Foundation in support of $2,500 scholarships and academic support services for 40 students.
• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC): Sponsored the Washington Youth Leadership Seminar and Youth Leadership Development Program.
• National Council of La Raza (NCLR): Supported the What If? College Readiness Program.

"We understand that communicating directly to our Hispanic guests is imperative," said Marquina. "This campaign and our ongoing commitment to the Hispanic community allow us to welcome these guests into our restaurant in a much more relevant way, which is exciting as we look to become their go-to place for delicious seafood and everyday celebrations."

To learn more about Red Lobster, to view the ad and to find a local restaurant, visit www.facebook.com/redlobster and the Spanish-language website at RedLobster.com/espanol.

ABOUT RED LOBSTER

Red Lobster is the world's largest casual dining seafood restaurant with more than 700 locations and 60,000 employees delivering delicious, high-quality seafood to guests across North America. Red Lobster is a division of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI), the world's largest full-service restaurant operating company. In 2012, Darden was named to the FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for the second year in a row and is the only full-service restaurant company to ever appear on the list.  Red Lobster is committed to making a difference in the lives of others in the local community. As part of this commitment, all Red Lobster restaurants participate in the Darden Harvest program, which has donated more than 60 million pounds of food to local community food banks across the country. For more information on Red Lobster please visit www.RedLobster.com.

2010 Census Shows Nation's Hispanic Population Grew Four Times Faster Than Total U.S. Population (Source: 2010 U.S. Census)

SOURCE Red Lobster