The Omnicom-owned agency has been appointed creative agency of record as Applebee’s looks to make its long-standing neighbourhood positioning more relevant to today’s diners. Applebee’s has appointed BBDO Chicago as its new creative agency of record, bringing the Omnicom-owned agency on board to shape the next phase of the casual dining chain’s brand communication. At the heart of the mandate is Applebee’s long-established identity as a neighbourhood gathering place. BBDO Chicago will look to refresh how that positioning is expressed for a new generation of diners while retaining the familiarity associated with the brand.

The neighbourhood idea has been central to Applebee’s communication for decades, most notably through its “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood” tagline. The new partnership comes as casual dining brands compete for consumers’ attention in a market where traditional restaurant chains are looking to modernise their appeal. For Applebee’s, the challenge is to evolve its communication without losing the sense of familiarity that has been central to its brand identity. The appointment also brings Applebee’s into BBDO’s wider Omnicom network, adding another major brand mandate to the agency’s portfolio. With BBDO Chicago now taking on the creative brief, the partnership will focus on giving Applebee’s neighbourhood proposition a contemporary expression and connecting the brand with changing diner expectations.