Image Enhancement

 

Image Enhancement

    Brand imaging plays a vital role in a business or a person's success. Otter PR defines brand image as the "overall perception and impressions that the general public holds about a brand. It represents the mental picture that comes to mind when consumers think of a specific brand, encompassing various aspects such as product quality, values, reputation, and even the emotions associated with the brand."

    Some campaigns used to enhance a business's image can try to make light of something that is more on the negative side. An example of this is Chili's "Fast Food financing" campaign. The campaign continues to build on Chili's combative marketing strategy that targets fast food brands saying that they are too expensive especially during inflation in early 2025. The campaign featured a pop-up shop in New York, that looked like a loan retailer, which was strategically placed next door to a McDonald's. The shop gave out gift cards to cover the price of fast food. However, this campaign was also used to promote Chili's new Big QP burger, and the pop-up shop featured a speakeasy that served the new burger.  The pop-up shop featured signs that stated, "Now you can eat like a trillionaire" and "Because you can't eat at Chilis everyday". 

fast food is expensive, so Chili's wants to finance your next fast food meal, bc you can’t eat at Chili’s every day.

Repost this with #ChilisFastFoodFinancing, tell us how much your last fast food meal cost and where you got it, and you could win a $20* gift card. rules below: pic.twitter.com/25nPnUl3HQ

— Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) April 15, 2025

 The campaign also created a website where costumers could "apply for financing" also known as getting a gift card. The website asked questions concerning whether or not the consumers thought that fast food was too expensive or not. It also featured a mini crossword and maze. Consumers could also participate in giveaways on X. 

Chili's followed up the "Fast Food Financing" with the "Better Than Fast Food" campaign as well as the introduction of the Triple Dipper. To promote both the "3 for Me" meal deal and the Triple Dipper Chili's partnered with social media influencers which created a trend out of going to Chilis and getting the Triple Dipper. 

 This aggressive marketing tactic paid off for Chili's as during their fiscal Q2 for 2025 they had a 31% increase in sales. They also had a 20% increase in traffic. But why? Usually when you think about image enhancement you think about a business doing charitable things so how is it that Chili's poked fun at other businesses and they were never deemed a bully? Well, it is because consumers believe that Chilis is right. That fast food brands do not offer good quality food for a good price. Fast food is supposed to be cheap however prices continue to go up but the product is still the same. Consumers have realized that Chili's is offering better food at a better value. For all sense and purposes Chilis has quite literally put their money where their mouth is. 

    Chilis is not the only dine in restaurant chain to jump on the fast-food is too expensive bandwagon. Applebee's CEO John Peyton stated in an interview "You can get our burger for $9.99, why would you take a $10 burger that you can eat in a bag out of your car?" All of this is done in an effort to change consumers view of going to a sit-down restaurant as an indulgence to seeing it as getting better quality food for the same price or just a little bit more. 

    On the opposite end of the image enhancement spectrum of Chili's some brands uses charitable acts to help entice consumers to spend money because it is helping a charity.  An example of a brand that does this is Pura Vida Bracelets. Many of their bracelets and other jewelry supports a specific cause. The causes range from mental health, animals, the environment, disaster relief and more. Not only does this help to promote awareness for charities but it also makes costumers feel as though they are directly supporting a cause. It is stated on the Pura Vida website "We believe looking good starts with doing good. As a certified B Corp, we've donated over $5 million to causes that support people and the planet."

    Pura Vida appeals to younger generations, and it is very noticeable when viewing their social media accounts and website. Their social media is full of bright colors that screams sunny and 75-degree kind of feelings. It is on their social media accounts such as TikTok and Instagram that they promote their new and upcoming campaigns and collaborations. Recent collaboration that Pura Vida has done include: 

• The International Women’s Day Campaign in 2024. 
• Pura Vida Collaborated with the nonprofit New Hope Girls to raise awareness against trafficking and women and girls who have escaped trafficking. The campaign focused on women empowerment and the telling of victim's stories as well as what New Hope Girls has done for them. 
• Collaboration with Oceana during Shark Week 
• A special collection supporting ocean and marine life protection. This collaboration relied heavily on event-based marketing that surrounded Shark Week as well as influencer promotion. The collaborations success steamed from the already trending event of Shark Week and the boost of concern for ocean and marine life awareness amongst consumers. 
• Monthly "Bracelet Club" Campaign 
• Every month Pura Vida releases a new themed collection which often include charity-related jewelry. This campaign helps to build customer loyalty and to reinforce the brand's identity of combining creativity with giving back. 

    All of these campaigns, as well as others, not only creates awareness for these causes but also plays on their target audiences feeling of needing to support the cause. The campaigns also create a sense of urgency amongst consumers to purchase the limited-edition collections before they are sold out. They also build transparency and trust in the brand and that Pura Vida is actually supporting these causes. And not to mention that all of these campaigns and social media marketing builds brand recognition, especially as a brand that gives back.  

    In conclusion, a brand can build on brand imaging and image enhancement in several different ways. Depending on the brand a different strategy may be used. For example, if Pura Vida were to call out their competitors in a way similar to how Chilis did it would not be as well received as it was for Chili's. While Pura Vida builds it brand image through purpose driven marketing and charity Chili's builds theirs through humor and cultural relevance. However, no matter their strategy every brand aims to create a positive brand perception and image.