Shake Shack

Public relations, influencer marketing

Shake Shack is a national, fast-casual restaurant serving gourmet hamburgers, hot dogs, crinkle-cut French fries and milkshakes. The restaurants are owned by Union Square Hospitality Group, operator of a number of restaurant concepts, including the famous Eleven Madison Park in New York. Prim was retained to introduce Shake Shack to the Boulder market by utilizing a blend of media outreach and influencer marketing.

Key Activities

  • To build ongoing buzz surrounding the first Shake Shack to open in Boulder, Prim developed an influencer and media relations strategy that generated brand awareness, opening news and product education from local press and tastemakers
  • Prim maintained current relationships and established new partnerships with influencers to generate content and tap into the wide variety of audiences for Shake Shack. From hosting individual experiences for lifestyle influencers to arranging group experiences with food media, Prim arranged for over 60 influencers and members of the press to experience Shake Shack firsthand.
  • The planning process for the visits included accommodating complicated social distancing occupancy guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, communicating dietary restrictions to management and coordinating socially distanced seating arrangements for each guest.
  • To ensure comprehensive coverage, media outreach beyond the opening included updates on the Colorado menu items, seasonal tie-ins and sourcing of ingredients. Ongoing restaurant tours and interviews provided media and influencers with a first-hand brand experience.

Top Results

  • Shake Shack’s new Boulder location surpassed its expected sales by 30% during the first month of opening.
  • Prim generated a total of 123,754,754 impressions through the media campaign, including placements in Yahoo! News, MSN.com, CBS Denver and The Denver Post.
  • In total, the series of influencer placements had a reach of 100,000 and an estimated ad value of $82,200.
  • Due to the success of the partnership, Shake Shack plans to extend its contract with Prim to include all future Colorado openings.

Results

  • During the first month of opening, the new Boulder location surpassed its expected sales by: 30%
  • Media impressions generated: 123M+