Work
#EatForCLE
Supporting local restaurants amid uncertainty
SERVICES: Website content strategy & development / Branding & design / Video production / Public relations
THE CHALLENGE
At the onset of the pandemic, as cities started to shut down, the independent restaurant industry was the first to be hit. It was like a tsunami crept up while restaurant owners were sitting on the beach.
Already working on slim margins with every dollar counting toward success or failure, owners were put in impossible situations to shut down or attempt to open for carry out only, placing their staff at risk until proven safety measures were established.
INSIGHT
A variety of news sources reported on the latest restaurant closures and it was tough to know where to turn for accurate information. There were also gaps in reporting that made it difficult to verify information. Frustration was high among Clevelanders and restaurant owners alike.
We knew there needed to be a solution, so we built one from the ground up.
SOLUTION
What started as a single awareness video that featured Cleveland's most high-profile and beloved chefs evolved into a landing page with a social aggregation tool that pulled all #EatForCLE hashtags into one centralized location at EatForCLE.com.
EatForCLE.com consolidated the best resources for restaurant information, as well as offered fresh ideas from user generated content brought to life with the #EatForCLE hashtag aggregation function. The goal for the landing page was to Clevelanders new, real-time ideas for when they can purchase carry-out during the early stage of the pandemic, as more restaurants shift their model in reaction to consumer behavior and state requirements.
PERFORMANCE
#EatForCLE received press coverage in Scene Magazine, Freshwater Cleveland (with a Chef Series continuation), and Cleveland Magazine. Campaign growth even caught the attention of Nestlé professional, headquartered locally, and they wanted to support.
With their sponsorship, #EatForCLE t-shirts were donated to local restaurants for them to sell at any price to raise additional funds for their establishments. Additional t-shirts were placed for sale at EatForCLE.com, with proceeds from sales going to the Cleveland Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, an organization that supports women in the hospitality industry.
In total, Muse printed 600 shirts sponsored by Nestlé Professional, with 100% of the proceeds remaining in the local community. The #EatForCLE hashtag was quick to catch fire with local media and food influencers, who still use it today, even with no paid promotion and little Muse social support.
Muse leveraged the hashtag's popularity to aggregate hundreds of #EatForCLE posts on the landing page for viewers to easily find up-to-date local restaurant news.
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