The Art of Brand Revitalization: Insights from George Felix, CMO of Chili's

Summary

Marketing Vanguard Podcast Summary: "The Art of Brand Revitalization: Insights from George Felix, CMO of Chili's"

Introduction

In the January 20, 2025 episode of Marketing Vanguard, hosted by Jenny Rooney from Adweek, listeners are treated to an in-depth conversation with George Felix, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Chili's. This episode delves into George's extensive background in brand management, his strategic approach to revitalizing heritage brands, and the innovative campaigns driving Chili's resurgence in the competitive casual dining landscape.

George Felix’s Career Journey

George Felix shares his unique career trajectory, highlighting a transition from Information Technology to brand management. He began with a degree in Management Information Systems and five years as an IT project manager. Realizing his passion lay elsewhere, George pursued business school, leading to an internship at Procter & Gamble (P&G) and subsequently joining the iconic Old Spice brand in 2009.

[01:02] George Felix: "When you try to be everything to everyone, you kind of lose the sense of like who you are and you don't have as much of a point of view."

At P&G, George played a pivotal role in the "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign, working alongside renowned agency Wieden+Kennedy. His success there paved the way to Yum Brands, where he contributed to revitalizing KFC and Pizza Hut before moving to Tinder as CMO. His diverse experiences culminated in his current role at Chili's, reuniting with former colleagues and leveraging his expertise in brand modernization.

Chili’s Brand Revitalization Strategy

George Felix outlines Chili's strategic focus on returning to its roots while modernizing the brand to resonate with contemporary audiences. As Chili's approaches its 50th anniversary, the emphasis is on maintaining the brand's rich history while adapting to current market demands.

1. Going Back to Roots

   George emphasizes the importance of understanding what made Chili's successful initially. By revisiting the brand's origins, Chili's seeks to retain its core identity while appealing to new generations.

   [07:12] George Felix: "I think for us, the first thing I like to do on a brand, especially like a heritage brand, like this is kind of go back to, like, when Chili's was at its best."

2. Simplifying the Menu

   Responding to feedback from team members, George and his team undertook a significant menu simplification, reducing offerings by almost 25%. This move was aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring consistent quality.

   [10:18] George Felix: "We've really spent a lot of time cutting almost 25% of our menu."

   The streamlined menu focuses on four core items: burgers, chicken crispers, fajitas, and margaritas, reinforcing Chili's identity as a destination for reliable and beloved favorites.

3. Re-establishing Brand Relevance

   Recognizing that Chili's had not advertised for over three years, George prioritized re-establishing the brand's presence in the market. By leveraging Chili's authentic history and fostering a welcoming environment, the brand aims to reconnect with both long-time patrons and new customers.

   [13:40] George Felix: "We've really been at a relevance deficit... I've been on a mission to really put Chili's back."

Marketing Campaigns and Initiatives

George Felix details several innovative marketing initiatives aimed at revitalizing Chili's brand presence and engaging with a broader audience.

1. NASCAR Sponsorship

   Chili's partnered with NASCAR for the Daytona 500, integrating their "Catcherita" margaritas into the event. This sponsorship not only increased brand visibility but also connected Chili's with sports enthusiasts.

   [14:08] George Felix: "We did a NASCAR sponsorship this past year where we were in the Daytona 500 and it was all about Catcherita and it was all about margaritas."

2. Revitalizing the Jingle with Boyz II Men

   Reintroducing the nostalgic baby back ribs jingle, Chili's collaborated with Boyz II Men to modernize the sound, creating a bridge between the brand's legacy and contemporary audiences.

   [14:58] George Felix: "We brought the baby back ribs jingle back with Boyz II Men."

3. "Three for Me" Lunch Deal

   Introducing the "Three for Me" lunch option, Chili's offers a nearly half-pound burger, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and a bottomless drink for $10.99. This deal underscores Chili's commitment to providing exceptional value without compromising on quality.

   [15:10] George Felix: "You can get an almost half-pound burger, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and a bottomless drink for $10.99."

4. Engaging with Social Media Trends

   Chili's actively participates in ongoing social media conversations, positioning itself as a brand in tune with current consumer sentiments. For instance, addressing rising fast food costs, Chili's promoted its "Big Smasher" burger as a superior and more affordable alternative.

   [16:19] George Felix: "We launched a new burger called the Big Smasher... we took it head to head with fast food and really called out what was already happening."

Value Proposition and Competition with Fast Food

In an era where consumers are increasingly price-sensitive, George highlights Chili's strategic positioning against fast food competitors by emphasizing quality and value.

1. Launching "Big Smasher"

   The "Big Smasher" is Chili's answer to fast food giants like McDonald's, offering a single, larger patty compared to the double patties of a Big Mac. This product not only provides better quality but also aligns with consumer desires for substantial and crave-worthy meals.

   [16:19] George Felix: "The flavor is from a Big Mac, but on a Chili's burger, which we think is way better and more craveable."

2. Emphasizing Quality and Value

   By showcasing Chili's as a better value option than typical fast food, the brand effectively communicates its commitment to delivering high-quality dining experiences at affordable prices.

   [15:20] George Felix: "We think we're a better value than fast food."

Results and Impact

George Felix shares impressive metrics reflecting the success of Chili's revitalization efforts. The brand has experienced a 15% sales growth in the last quarter and a 6% increase in traffic, outperforming industry trends.

[17:10] George Felix: "We had 15% sales growth last quarter, 6% traffic growth when most of the industry is negative."

These results validate the strategic decisions to simplify the menu, enhance value offerings, and actively engage with consumers through innovative marketing campaigns.

Leadership and Team Building

When asked about his leadership style, George likens himself to a midfielder in soccer—facilitating his team's success by setting them up to "take the shots" needed to achieve goals. He emphasizes the importance of building a world-class marketing team by positioning talented individuals in roles where they can excel.

[21:17] George Felix: "I've been able to build what I think is a world-class marketing team at Chili's... I try to be more of the midfielder that is setting them up and putting them in position to take the shots."

George credits his team's collaborative spirit and dedication as key factors driving Chili's ongoing success.

Future Recommendations for Podcast Guests

In a nod to fostering industry connections, George Felix recommends Nicole Parlor Piano, acknowledging her exceptional work as CMO of Tubi. He praises her strategic vision and creative prowess that have significantly elevated Tubi's brand presence.

[22:24] George Felix: "Nicole Parlor Piano... does a better job than she is getting credit for... Tubi is incredible."

Conclusion

George Felix's insights on brand revitalization provide a compelling blueprint for rejuvenating heritage brands in today's dynamic market. By focusing on core strengths, simplifying operations, and engaging consumers through relevant and creative marketing strategies, Chili's has successfully reestablished itself as a beloved and thriving casual dining destination. This episode of Marketing Vanguard offers invaluable lessons for marketers aiming to breathe new life into established brands while honoring their foundational identities.

Notable Quotes

• George Felix: "When you try to be everything to everyone, you kind of lose the sense of like who you are and you don't have as much of a point of view." – [01:02]

• George Felix: "We've really spent a lot of time cutting almost 25% of our menu." – [10:18]

• George Felix: "We had 15% sales growth last quarter, 6% traffic growth when most of the industry is negative." – [17:10]

• George Felix: "I've been able to build what I think is a world-class marketing team at Chili's... I try to be more of the midfielder that is setting them up and putting them in position to take the shots." – [21:17]

Key Takeaways

• Back to Roots: Reconnecting with Chili's foundational values and history is central to its brand revitalization.

• Menu Simplification: Streamlining the menu enhances operational efficiency and ensures consistent quality.

• Innovative Marketing: Engaging, timely campaigns and strategic use of media channels drive brand visibility and consumer engagement.

• Value Proposition: Offering high-quality, affordable options positions Chili's favorably against fast food competitors.

• Leadership: Building and empowering a talented marketing team is crucial for sustained brand success.

This episode serves as a masterclass in brand management, offering actionable insights for marketers and business leaders dedicated to transforming and revitalizing established brands in a competitive marketplace.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds. Recently I asked Mint Mobile's legal team if big wireless companies are allowed to raise prices due to inflation. They said yes. And then when I asked if raising prices technically violates those onerous two year contracts, they said, what the are you talking about? You insane Hollywood. So to recap, we're cutting the price of mint unlimited from $30 a month to just $15 a month. Give it a [e-mail] Switch $45 upfront.

[Mint Mobile Ad Voice]

Payment equivalent to $15 per month New customers on first three month plan only Taxes and fees extra Speed slower above 40 gigabytes ET Details if you're a.

[Grainger Ad Voice]

Facilities manage university, you know students rely on the cafeteria for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the occasional late night snack. So when a dishwasher breaks down and dirty plates pile up, the mess hall can turn messy in the blink of an eye. Enter Grainger. With over a million industrial grade products and fast delivery, the product you need now is never far away. So you can turn that dishwasher back into a lean, clean washing machine. Call clickranger.com or just stop by Ranger for the ones who get it done.

[George Felix]

When you try to be everything to everyone, you kind of lose the sense of like who you are and you don't have as much of a point of view.

[Jenny Rooney]

And so for us, we're pretty clear.

[George Felix]

About what we are and the food we're excited about serving and then the value that we can deliver. So for us, I think the focus and the simplification actually helps us from a marketing standpoint, have a bit more clarity and consistency.

[Jenny Rooney]

Hi everyone and welcome to the Marketing Vanguard Podcast. I'm Jenny Rooney with Adweek and I'm coming to you live from Brand Brand Week 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. And we're doing special editions of the Marketing Vanguard Podcast and I am now joined by George Felix. He's the CMO of Chili's. George, welcome.

Thanks so much for having me.

Jenny, first of all, it's super excited to meet you because you and I have actually never met. And I always love meeting new marketing leaders in the community and in this industry who are doing amazing things for folks who don't know. Tell me a little bit about your story.

[George Felix]

Yeah, so it's funny, my original career.

[Jenny Rooney]

Path started in it.

[George Felix]

Crazy.

[Jenny Rooney]

I love that. No, that's cool.

[George Felix]

So my undergrad degree was in Management Information Systems and I worked in IT.

[Jenny Rooney]

As a project manager for like five years.

Your CIO must be your best friend.

[George Felix]

We get along pretty well. And then decided that was not for me long term. And so quit my job, went back to business school, and that's when I really got into brand management and marketing. And so interned at Procter and Gambler in between my two years on the Old Spice brand. And I had a great summer and then came back full time.

[Jenny Rooney]

Gosh, all the way back in 2009.

[George Felix]

As an assistant brand manager on Old Spice.

[Jenny Rooney]

Was that during the heyday of.

[George Felix]

I didn't know at the time, but yeah. The first thing I worked on was the man your man could smell like campaign as a. As a abm. So just thrown right in. And it was. It was a great group that the team. We still. We have a tech string. We still keep in touch. We're all scattered all over now, but.

[Jenny Rooney]

Just learned a ton.

[George Felix]

It was awesome to be a part of that. The team. We worked with Wyden and Kennedy and just like to be part of that group that helped revitalize the brand and modernize the brand and introduce it to a whole new generation was amazing. So spent six years total at P and G and then ended up moving to Yum Brands. That's when I first got into food.

[Jenny Rooney]

Fantastic. Working with, I'm sure, a whole host of characters that we may know in common.

[George Felix]

I'm sure. So the person that brought me over was Kevin Hockman. He was the CMO at KFC US in Louisville. So we had worked together on Old Spice, and he had left to go be the CMO there. And so came over and it was.

[Jenny Rooney]

Kind of a similar challenge.

[George Felix]

KFC revitalizing that brand and getting it back to its roots, but modernizing it and just on a much bigger brand than Old Spice. And so worked again. We kind of got the whole band back together, got the Wyden and Kennedy crew back, and we really worked on bringing back Colonel Sanders. And this was all the celebrity colonels.

[Jenny Rooney]

And oh, my gosh, so many iconic campaigns.

[George Felix]

Yeah, that was a ton of fun. It was crazy few years and then continued with Yum Brands. I was there for about six years, worked on the global KFC business and then was a CMO at Pizza Hut during the beginning of the pandemic, and then ended up leaving Yum to become the CMO at Tinder. And so got some experience in the tech space, which was super fascinating for me. Totally different than CPG and food.

[Jenny Rooney]

So you were there before Melissa Hoble, your joke.

[George Felix]

I was there before Melissa. Yeah. And I knew Melissa was there. She's amazing. And so it was just a great experience. They're just A great brand and great people. And really, like I said, it was interesting to see how a product led engineering, led company works and how the brand and the marketing piece fits in. And it's been awesome to see the.

[Jenny Rooney]

Work they've done since I brought Mischief.

[George Felix]

The agency over there.

[Jenny Rooney]

And they won all the Effies this year.

[George Felix]

That's right, yeah. And I was just talking with Jeff and I just did a talk here and so. So it was great. And then I got a call. I ended up leaving Tinder and then Kevin. So Kevin Hockman's been a thread throughout my career. He ended up taking the role of CEO of Brinker International, which owns Chili's, and decided to reunite with him. I think this is our fourth brand that we worked on together now. So I have CMO Chili's just over.

[Jenny Rooney]

Two years ago and it's been a.

[George Felix]

Fun ride to kind of get the.

[Jenny Rooney]

Brand back in culture and humming again.

[George Felix]

Which has been great.

[Jenny Rooney]

I love that. So, yeah, so much there. Did you overlap when you were at Yum with was Brian Nicholl there at the time and Marisa Thalberg?

Marissa was.

[George Felix]

Brian was there. I just never crossed paths directly with him. He was on the Taco Bell business, but obviously like amazing. And he's like a legend.

[Jenny Rooney]

Fun to see those CMOs elevate to CEO roles. I mean, Kevin's an example of that too, right?

[George Felix]

Absolutely. I've been really fortunate to just be.

[Jenny Rooney]

Around so many great leaders over the years.

[George Felix]

Feel really lucky.

[Jenny Rooney]

Well, clearly you are one as well. I mean, what an incredible path. And I do love that you started in it because, I mean, I have to think that gives you some appreciation for what has to happen on the back end to make these businesses.

[George Felix]

I think so. And obviously it has changed quite a bit since way back when I graduated in college. But I do think, like, even just like some of the things I learned working in IT and working with other functions and how to just how to.

[Jenny Rooney]

Partner on and how complex some of that work can be.

[George Felix]

I think just having some of that experience and appreciation does help for sure. Yeah.

[Jenny Rooney]

So interestingly, now you're in the qsr. No. Fast casual family dining.

[George Felix]

We would call it casual dining, I guess. But obviously there's like people eat across. They're eating across QSR across fast casual dining. So we definitely keep track of the gamut of. Of restaurants across the industry to see.

[Jenny Rooney]

How you fit into people's consideration set.

[George Felix]

That's right.

[Jenny Rooney]

You're nationwide, of course.

[George Felix]

Yes. Yeah. We have over 1100 locations across the US.

[Jenny Rooney]

Okay. I was saying to you, in the 80s, I lived in Houston on two different occasions. And we would go there. It was just. It was such a hot sp. Like, it was just the innovation of the menu was something at the time that was. You weren't getting that anywhere else. Houston did have NINFAS at the time, which was, I think, a more of a regional choice. But Chili's was where you want. I remember as a kid, that's where we wanted to go as a family. That's where you would go and just get very delicious food. And I. In fact, to this day, I remember it. But that was a very different time than we're living in now. I mean, so different. Like night and day.

[George Felix]

Yeah.

[Jenny Rooney]

And yet the brand still exists. So how do you have to think about what Chili's needs to be to the world now?

[George Felix]

Yeah, I think for us, the first thing I like to do on a brand, especially like a heritage brand, like this is kind of go back to, like, when Chili's was at its best.

[Jenny Rooney]

What was it about?

[George Felix]

Like, why was it so great? And we're really fortunate. We're coming up on our 50th anniversary.

[Jenny Rooney]

Which will be in March.

[George Felix]

And so Chili's is not a brand that was created in a boardroom like some other concepts. Like, Chili's has a really rich history. It's really fun and fascinating, and we're lucky. Doug Brooks, who was actually the first.

[Jenny Rooney]

General manager of the first Chili's on.

[George Felix]

Greenville Avenue in Dallas, and then later went on to become the CEO of.

[Jenny Rooney]

Brinker and run Chili's when Chili's went.

[George Felix]

Through its heyday, is still super involved in our company. He has an office in our building.

[Jenny Rooney]

And he spent a ton of time.

[George Felix]

My first day on the job, we had lunch together. And it's funny, like, he's like the historian of the brand, so he'll bring all these things from his garage in and share all these stories. And the company has a really interesting culture of, like, there's a lot of tenure people that have worked there 10, 20, 30 plus years. And they started in restaurants and now work at the corporate office.

[Jenny Rooney]

And so did it start as just a single restaurant?

[George Felix]

It did, yeah.

[Jenny Rooney]

And that was in Dallas?

[George Felix]

Yeah. Larry Levine's the founder. He started it. They, a bunch of guys, they called.

[Jenny Rooney]

Themselves the Hamburger Hippies. They went down to the Teralingua Chili.

[George Felix]

Cook off in Texas. I think they had a really good time from the pictures I saw and.

[Jenny Rooney]

The stories I heard.

[George Felix]

And then they came back with this idea. The first menu fit on a. Not a very large piece of paper. It was just burgers, some tacos, some cold beer, some margaritas. It was just great food, delicious drinks at an affordable price. And that's. I think that's the role that Chili's can still play. And it can be a place where the thing that, that I love about Chili's is you just, you can come as you are. And we joke, like, you can come from after a wedding, it's a great place to go. You can come after mowing the lawn and everything in between, and you just come as you are. And now, however many years past the pandemic, I do think there's like a.

[Jenny Rooney]

Desire for people to get out and.

[George Felix]

Connect and have place places that they can go as a family or go with their friends. And I think Chile's more so than.

[Jenny Rooney]

A lot of places.

[George Felix]

There was an op ed a couple months ago in the Washington Post about a lot of the places that were meant to bring different groups of people together are not doing that anymore. Right. Churches and parks and things like that.

[Jenny Rooney]

And Chili's.

[George Felix]

If you go to a Chili's, you'll see people from all walks of life there. And so I think that's the role that Chili's can play. And so we're leaning into that. And we want to remind people that it's a place that they can always get great value, they can always get great food, but they can also just come and have a great, great time.

[Jenny Rooney]

So let me ask you about this. Going back to your roots and the fact that you love to dig into the history as you think about moving forward. What you just described was a very simple menu. And I feel like we've gotten to a place where there's a lot of different options and we need to meet consumers in terms of the optionality. But at what point do you as a business, think, let's simplify it a little bit.

[George Felix]

It's a great question. And it was one of the first things we did, honestly, when Kevin and myself, when we came in, simplification was.

[Jenny Rooney]

We heard it from our team members.

[George Felix]

Kevin is great about spending a lot.

[Jenny Rooney]

Of time in restaurants listening to our team members.

[George Felix]

And the job had gotten too hard for them and the menu had gotten too complex, like you said. And so we've really spent a lot of time. Over the last two years, we've cut almost 25% of our menu.

[Jenny Rooney]

That's great. Like, my reaction is, that's great. I just think, yeah.

[George Felix]

And we've really declared, like, we Call.

[Jenny Rooney]

It our core four.

[George Felix]

It's the foods we really want to really be known for. It's burgers, chicken crispers, fajitas, and margaritas. And it's like, yes, we saw the things, but, like, at the end of the day, those are the things we really want.

[Jenny Rooney]

The fajitas were always good, too.

[George Felix]

Right. Sizzling skillet. Right. Like, you saw that skillet going by the dining room.

[Jenny Rooney]

Like, I want that novel concept.

[Grainger Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Jenny Rooney]

Like, it was something that I had never experienced in a restaurant before. It was amazing.

Totally.

So, yeah. So that simplification, I think, is so, so, so important, because I'm gonna go out on a limb. You can't be everything to every person, and there's so many choices.

There's so many.

[George Felix]

And, you know, there needs to be enough variety that you can meet the needs of a typical family or a group of friends. But there is a point where it just becomes too much, and you can't then deliver the food and the quality that you want to. Right.

[Jenny Rooney]

So, not to mention, there's a lot of other dining options. And so as a marketer, that also, I would imagine, is one of your biggest challenges is just how do you stand out?

Yeah.

[George Felix]

And I think when you try to be everything to everyone, you kind of lose the sense of, like, who you are, and you don't have as much of a point of view.

[Jenny Rooney]

And so for us, we're pretty clear.

[George Felix]

About what we are, and the food we're excited about serving and.

[Jenny Rooney]

And then the value that we can deliver.

[George Felix]

So for us, I think the focus and the simplification actually helps us, from a marketing standpoint, have a bit more clarity and consistency.

[Jenny Rooney]

How do you go to a board or shareholders and say, oh, actually, we're taking items off the menu?

[George Felix]

Yeah, it's tricky, because when you take things off the menu, there's only really one way for that to work. It's going to, like, sales are going to go down, obviously, just because you're not offering those anymore. So we had to be strategic about it. And you can't take everything that wasn't all done in one fell swoop.

[Jenny Rooney]

Right.

[George Felix]

It was done over time. And we pace out. We're not just taking things off. We're bringing. Putting new things back on and the way we menu and merchandise things. So there's a lot of tactical strategy that goes behind that, that enables you to do it, but you definitely have to be strategic about it and kind of have a plan to do it over time.

[Jenny Rooney]

So we're here at Brand Week, so let's talk about the brand. We talked a lot about the product and the experience. What is Chili's the brand? What are you doing in that regard?

[George Felix]

When I got there two years ago.

[Jenny Rooney]

Chili's had not been advertising for probably over three years.

[George Felix]

And so it was. Some of that was the pandemic and they pulled back on.

[Intercom Ad Voice]

Hey, you know what would make your customer service help desk way better? Dumping it and then switching to intercom. But you're not quite ready to make that change. We get it. That's why Fin, the world's leading AI customer service agent, is now available on every help desk. Fin can instantly resolve up to 80% of your tickets, which makes your customers happier and gets you off the customer service rep hiring treadmill. Finned by Intercon, the leading customer service AI agent now available on every help desk.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey there, Ryan Reynolds here. It's a new year and you know what that means. No, not the diet resolutions. A way for us all to try and do a little bit better than we did last year. And my resolution, unlike big wireless, is to not be a raging and raise the price of wireless on you every chance I get. Give it a [e-mail] Switch $45 upfront payment required.

[Mint Mobile Ad Voice]

Equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first 3 month plan only. Taxes and fees, extra speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited. See mintmobile.com for details.

[George Felix]

Advertising and so we'd really been at a relevance deficit would be the best way to put it. Like Chili's just was not. People knew Chili's a lot of times it was stories like you said.

[Jenny Rooney]

Right.

[George Felix]

Like I remember going there when the, in the 80s or when I was growing up. But it wasn't like I'd been there.

[Jenny Rooney]

In the last year.

[George Felix]

It was Chili's had just lost relevance. And so I've been on a mission to really put Chili's back.

[Jenny Rooney]

Both top of mind for people when.

[George Felix]

They'Re thinking about a great place to go eat, but also back in the cultural zeitgeist and get people talking about.

[Jenny Rooney]

Chili's and have Chili show up in different places.

[George Felix]

So I think there's like really two things we've done. The first is culturally, how are we going to start showing up in new places and start showing up to people in unexpected ways. And so we've done a host of things, whether it's we did a NASCAR sponsorship this past year where we were in the Daytona 500 and it was all about catcherita and it was all about margaritas.

[Jenny Rooney]

The NASCAR's chief brand officer is here this week, by the way.

[George Felix]

Well, Tim Clark, you'll have to connect at some point. And we wrote all. We put all 1100 plus restaurant general managers names on the car. So they were all part of us being in nascar. We launched an espresso martini.

[Jenny Rooney]

Of course, if Chili's is going to.

[George Felix]

Do it, we're going to do it with tequila in it instead of vodka. And so we used the ladies from Vanderpump rules. Sheena, who actually used to be a chili head, she used to work at Chili's.

[Jenny Rooney]

And Katie, who loves tequila, so they.

[George Felix]

Helped us launch that. We brought everyone knows the jingle, the baby back ribs jingle. So we brought that back. But we had Boyz II Men resurrect that and redo that for us. And we just launched a new platform.

[Jenny Rooney]

For lunch called three for lunch, which is a playoff R3 for me and the best value in lunch and the most abundant lunch you can find.

[George Felix]

And so the best way to tell people about that was to bring Joey.

[Jenny Rooney]

Chestnut, the professional eater on and see.

[George Felix]

If he could find the bottom of the bottomless chips and salsa, which we don't think he can. So we're trying to do a lot of different things that, you know, put chilies back out there in new ways. And then I think the other side of it is really value. And I think everybody's talking about that right now.

[Jenny Rooney]

Right.

[George Felix]

Like it's on the top of mind for everybody. And so we've been talking about the three for me, which for like over 18 months now, which is our most popular option. You can get a almost half pound burger, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and.

[Jenny Rooney]

A bottomless drink for 10.99.

[George Felix]

And so we think it's industry leading value and it's been doing great for us. And then probably four or five months ago, we noticed on social media a huge spike in conversation around people being frustrated with the rising cost of fast food. And people were pretty pissed. Like they were upset about it. Like sticker shock. They'd show a receipt coming out of the drive through. And so we really kind of inserted.

[Jenny Rooney]

Ourselves, we saw as an opportunity to.

[George Felix]

Insert ourselves into that conversation and say.

[Jenny Rooney]

We think we're a better value than fast food.

[George Felix]

And so we launched a new burger called the Big Smasher, which the flavor is from a Big Mac, but on a Chili's burger, which we think is way better and more craveable. It's got our one single patty, has double the beef of two combined patties on a Big Mac. And then we put it in the three for me and it really took off and people really responded to because we really went head to head with fast food and really called out what was already happening. And I think as a marketer, anytime there's a conversation that's already happening, it's much better to tap into that than try and create, like a whole new conversation.

[Jenny Rooney]

And so we've been, like, just hitting.

[George Felix]

It, and our social media team's awesome, and they find great ways to just jump in and have fun with it. There was a tweet just a couple weeks ago. It went crazy on X. It was. Somebody was in five guys and it said, I'm at five guys and I have $5.38. What can I get?

[Jenny Rooney]

And we just jumped right in from.

[George Felix]

Our account and said, you can get an Uber to Chili's.

[Jenny Rooney]

So that's so cool.

[George Felix]

So I think we found our voice a bit, and I think our value is really resonating. And it's not something that's like, contrived or, like, new. Like a bunch of places are kind of scramb rambling right now. Like, we've been.

[Jenny Rooney]

This is built into our business and.

[George Felix]

So it's not gimmicky, it's not limited time. It's not like, only ordered on the app, like seven days a week, 363 days a year. At Chili's, you can get this deal. And so we're really excited about that. And then I think we're starting to see that really pick up in social media, too. So, TikTok, you're just starting to see more people talking about Chili's. You're seeing more people at Chili's interacting with the food. So we've been really excited by the results we've seen. We had 15% sales growth last quarter, 6% traffic growth when most of the industry is negative. So we're really seeing some pretty exciting results. And I think we're just getting started.

[Jenny Rooney]

I live near Morristown, New Jersey, so I'm going to go back and find the closest one.

[George Felix]

Yeah, go get a big smasher. Let me know how. Let me know what you think.

[Jenny Rooney]

I will. I'll text you.

Okay.

[George Felix]

Please do.

[Jenny Rooney]

That's exciting. And there's so many different directions we could go just in learning about your strategy. But I'd love to shift real quick into some of the standard questions that I asked folks on the Marketing Vanguard podcast, because this is as much about understanding who you are as a leader. What do you want to be known for?

[George Felix]

I think I didn't set out to do this, but I think just with the brands that I've worked on, I'd love to be known as a marketer that can revitalize brands and really take heritage brands and modernize them and kind of almost reinvent them to a new generation. And so between the work on Old Spice and KFC and now Chili's, I think it's something that is fascinating to me. I love that process, like, that idea of going back, we call it like digging through the attic, to, like, really.

[Jenny Rooney]

Learn about the brand and find all.

[George Felix]

The cool things and little quirks about the brand.

[Jenny Rooney]

It's pretty fun.

[George Felix]

And then I think it's, like, a.

[Jenny Rooney]

Really interesting challenge to find ways to.

[George Felix]

Take those things and not just take the nostalgia for nostalgia's sake, but to actually, like, modernize the brand, but also keep what's true in the DNA of the brand there.

[Jenny Rooney]

What keeps you up at night, but what gets you up in the morning?

Let's see. Good question.

[George Felix]

What keeps me up at night? I think it's just the battle for mind, space and attention, like, for any brand and anymore marketer, that's.

[Jenny Rooney]

That's a huge challenge, right? Just. There's just too many options.

[George Felix]

There's too many things for people to be doing and. And to try and break through is really hard, particularly in the restaurant industry, I think. Just there's so many options.

[Jenny Rooney]

You mentioned it earlier, right? There's so many restaurants, there's just new categories.

[George Felix]

I mean, fast casual wasn't even a thing like, 10 years ago, really. And with digital ordering and everything now, you can get food brought to you very easily. So that's kind of what keeps me up at night, is like, how do we continue to break through and keep.

[Jenny Rooney]

Chili'S top of mind?

[George Felix]

I think what gets me out bed every morning is I have an awesome team. And I think we really embrace that challenge. And I think we've got a great.

[Jenny Rooney]

Brand and a great culture.

[George Felix]

And so supporting 60,000 awesome chili heads, that's what we call ourselves, that work in our restaurants every day, is a really exciting way to get out of bed every day and kind of accept that challenge of how do we support them? How do we bring guests into the restaurant so they can deliver that awesome chili's experience?

[Jenny Rooney]

Using a soccer team as a metaphor for your leadership style. So go with me here. You're a player on a team. Are you a striker trying to score goals all the time? Are you in the midfield trying to be that connective tissue between the offense and defense, feeding the ball, et cetera? Or are you a defensive player protecting your goal at all costs from your competitor?

[George Felix]

I'm glad you asked me this now.

[Jenny Rooney]

After my son Wilson is super into.

[George Felix]

Soccer and he's been teaching me a lot about soccer over the last couple years. So we're big Arsenal fans now. And so I think I can answer this question maybe slightly better than I could have a couple years ago. So I'll say, I think when I got here to Chili's two years ago, I would say I felt like I had to be a striker and just.

[Jenny Rooney]

Really just start taking shots and putting.

[George Felix]

Shots on goal and trying to just get Chili's back in. I think what I love now is two years later, I've been able to build what I think is a world class marketing team at Chili's. And it's a combination. The best part is it's a combination.

[Jenny Rooney]

Of people that are already at Chili's.

[George Felix]

That I think we've been able to.

[Jenny Rooney]

Put in the right positions to succeed.

[George Felix]

And then I've been able to bring in some amazing talent.

[Jenny Rooney]

Jesse Johnson, who I worked with at Wieden and Kennedy on the agency side, he came brand side.

[George Felix]

Steve Kelly and Mary Ellen Scott, from my young brands experience came over. So, like now, I would say, and I hope they would agree that I try to be more of the midfielder that is setting them up and putting them in position to take the shots that they need to take and really get after it. And the good news is they're putting it in the net a lot lately, which is great. So that, to me is what makes this job really fun now, is that I feel like we've got. I've got this just amazing marketing team that I love coming to work with every day. And it's more about putting them in.

[Jenny Rooney]

A position to succeed.

You're a great example of the value of relationships in this industry and relationships that persist because the world is small and especially in this industry. Folks know each other, right? It's a very deeply networked community. The last question I'll ask then is who's next? Who's somebody we should have on the podcast? And it can be somebody who you know really well, a CMO you're really good friends with. Or it can be somebody that you've never met, but you've admired their work and you think they're doing extraordinary things.

[George Felix]

Okay, I'm gonna say I don't know if she's been on yet, so let me know. Nicole Parlor Piano.

[Jenny Rooney]

She hasn't yet, but I want to get her on.

[George Felix]

Okay.

[Jenny Rooney]

Yeah.

[George Felix]

Well, great. Add Tubi. Add me to the reco list.

[Jenny Rooney]

She's here this week.

I know.

[George Felix]

I think I missed her. Unfortunately, I had the great pleasure of working with her. We worked together at Tinder before. I was at Chili's and she was at Tubi. I'll say. I don't know if there's a CMO that is doing a better job than she is, and I don't think she's getting enough credit for it. And so it'd be great to get her on a podcast like this so.

[Jenny Rooney]

She can tell more people the story.

[George Felix]

But she also works with Mischief, who we work with still here at Chili's. And I just think Tubi is.

[Jenny Rooney]

If you looked at that brand before.

[George Felix]

She got there, I don't think anyone would say Tubi was like a brand people would envy or like, I think most people would think there was one way to market it, and it was.

[Jenny Rooney]

Just about it being free.

[George Felix]

And the strategy and the thinking is so sharp, and they took some big swings creatively, and my God, the results are incredible. Like, they've caught Disney, I think, in terms of their viewers. And it's just the results are incredible. And you can almost attribute most of it to the marketing and the vision that she's put into place and the swing she took. And so I think, personally, I've been super impressed with the work she's done, and I think a lot of marketers.

[Jenny Rooney]

Would love to hear more about her.

[George Felix]

Story and what she's done with that brand.

[Jenny Rooney]

Well, she sounds perfect for the podcast, as have been you. So thank you so much for joining me, George. It's been a pleasure. And I think we should talk more.

[George Felix]

Yeah, I would love that. Thanks so much for having me.

[Jenny Rooney]

Thanks for being here.

[Adweek Podcast Outro Voice]

Thank you for listening to Marketing Vanguard, part of the Adweek Podcast Network and Acast Creator Network. You can listen and subscribe to all of Adweek's podcasts by visiting adweek.com podcasts. Stay updated on all things Adweek Podcast Network by following us on Twitter at Adweek Week Podcast. And if you have a question or suggestion for the show, send us an [e-mail] thanks for listening.

[Intercom Ad Voice]

Hey, you know what would make your customer service help desk way better? Dumping it and then switching to intercom. But you're not quite ready to make that change. We get it. That's why Fin, the world's leading AI customer service agent, is now available on every help desk. Fin can instantly resolve up to 80% of your tickets which makes your customers happier and gets you off the customer service rep hiring Treadmill fin by Intercon, the leading customer service AI agent now available on every help desk.

[B2B Marketing Kid]

My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for Career Day and said he was a big roas man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day.

[LinkedIn Ad Voice]

Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do. Get $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn the place to be to be.