Chick-fil-A Launches Family-Focused App: A New Chapter in Branded Entertainment
Chick-fil-A, the wildly popular fast-food chain, is expanding its empire beyond chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. On November 18th, the company will launch its new “Chick-fil-A Play” app, a free platform boasting a diverse range of original content aimed squarely at families. This bold venture into the entertainment industry marks a significant strategic shift, leveraging engaging media to strengthen brand loyalty and drive sales in increasingly competitive market. This is not merely a marketing ploy; it represents a sophisticated approach to brand building in the digital age, demonstrating how a successful restaurant chain can effectively integrate entertainment into its core business strategy.
Key Takeaways: Chick-fil-A’s Playful Gamble
- **New App Launch:** Chick-fil-A will release its family-focused “Chick-fil-A Play” app on November 18th.
- **Original Content:** The app will feature original animated shows, scripted podcasts, games, recipes, and e-books, all designed to engage children and parents.
- **Strategic Expansion:** This move represents Chick-fil-A’s broader strategy to enhance customer experience and drive sales beyond traditional restaurant visits, capitalizing on the increasing importance of digital engagement.
- **Content Focus:** The app’s content emphasizes positive themes like generosity, friendship, and problem-solving, aligning with the brand’s image of family-friendly values.
- **Competition and Innovation:** In a crowded entertainment landscape, Chick-fil-A aims to carve out a unique niche by offering family-oriented content that complements its food offerings, setting it apart from competitors like McDonald’s which is shifting away from playground features.
Why Chick-fil-A is Betting Big on Content
Chick-fil-A’s decision to create the Play app stems from years of analyzing customer behavior and recognizing the shifting patterns in how families interact with their brand. While in-restaurant experiences remain relevant, the company has seen a significant rise in drive-thru usage and delivery orders. This shift mirrors a broader trend in the fast-food industry.
Adapting to Changing Consumer Habits
Khalilah Cooper, Chick-fil-A’s vice president of brand strategy, advertising, and media, explained that the app serves as a “digital playground,” offering continuous family entertainment regardless of whether they are physically at a restaurant or not. This mirrors a move away from the traditional PlayPlaces seen in some competitors, such as McDonald’s, which has been phasing them out in response to changing consumer behavior, safety concerns, and evolving marketing strategies. “We want it to be an extension of our in-restaurant signature hospitality and generosity,” Cooper said.
Content Strategy: Engaging Families
The app’s content is carefully curated to appeal to children aged 12 and under and their parents. The themes center around positive values such as generosity, friendship, problem-solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship. This strategic focus on wholesome content differentiates Chick-fil-A’s approach from other brand entertainment initiatives, ensuring alignment with its family-friendly brand image.
Content Rollout Plan
The initial launch will include the first episode of “**Legends of Evergreen Hills**,” a 22-minute animated adventure; “**Hidden Island**,” a family-focused scripted podcast; and interactive cooking tutorials incorporating Chick-fil-A products. Subsequent weekly releases of new episodes of both “Legends of Evergreen Hills” and “Hidden Island” are planned throughout the holiday season and beyond. In 2025, “**Ice Lions**,” a scripted audio series inspired by the true story of Kenyan teenagers aspiring to create a national ice hockey team will launch – highlighting the emphasis on diverse and inclusive storytelling.
Restaurants as Media Brands: A Growing Trend
Chick-fil-A’s foray into original content isn’t entirely unprecedented. Many brands have recognized the potential of using entertainment to build deeper relationships with their target audiences. This strategy allows for a more natural and engaging interaction compared to traditional advertising.
Following in the Footsteps of Others
While established media companies face considerable challenges in the streaming landscape, brands have a different approach. Their primary goal isn’t to generate revenue through subscriptions or advertisements; instead, they use content marketing to drive sales of their products. This approach has been employed since the early days of radio, with brands like Procter & Gamble leveraging soap operas to promote their products. More recently, companies like Starbucks and Chuck E. Cheese have ventured into original content creation, showcasing a growing trend in branded entertainment.
The Business Case for Branded Content
Stephani Estes, chief media officer for Goodway Group, a digital marketing agency, emphasizes that successful branded content always must be tied to a clear business objective. “The biggest question I would have…is what is the business problem that you’re trying to solve? And is the dollar invested…going to pay out more than spending that dollar somewhere else?” she notes. For Chick-fil-A, the app provides a unique opportunity to connect with families in an engaging way, foster goodwill, and, ultimately, drive sales.
Chick-fil-A’s Unique Advantage
Unlike publicly traded companies, Chick-fil-A, as a privately held company, enjoys greater flexibility in its strategies. The company’s impressive financial performance—nearly doubling its systemwide sales between 2018 and 2023 and achieving $1.07 billion in net earnings in 2023—provides the financial resources for such substantial investments. The immense net worth of Chair Dan Cathy further underscores the company’s financial capacity to undertake this ambitious project.
Avoiding Previous Controversies
The article notes the involvement of Dan Cathy (Chair and founder) with Trilith studios – and his past public statements regarding same-sex marriage and the company’s foundation’s donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. However, Chick-fil-A is careful to emphasize that Dan Cathy was not involved in the development of the new app. It remains to be seen if there will be future collaboration between Chick-fil-A and Trilith studios, which has become a major player in the entertainment industry due to tax breaks and cheap labor in Georgia. This distancing is a strategic move to avoid potential controversies potentially alienating a large segment of its customer base and maintain a positive brand image.
In conclusion, Chick-fil-A’s launch of the Chick-fil-A Play app marks a significant evolution in branded entertainment. The company has a substantial financial foundation and a keen recognition of the evolving media landscape. Its strategic approach is not just to entertain; it’s to cultivate a deeper connection with families, strengthen brand loyalty, and propel its business growth in a new and exciting direction.
