Subway – Case Study

CLIENT: SUBWAY®
PROJECT: FRANCHISE SALES

Objective:
McKenna Townsend has worked with Subway® in the UK and Ireland for over 20 years – helping to grow the brand from just 30 stores to over 2,500. The agency has played a fundamental part in supporting this relentless growth and has worked with the brand across development, consumer, crisis and issues, internal and marketing communication.
As part of our franchise development activity, Subway® tasked us to generate franchise leads for the UK and Ireland market, in order to continue to drive franchise sales to support the brand’s growth.

Strategy:
Use a mix of marketing communications activity to hit the lead target:

• Advertising – design and place franchisee recruitment adverts in target print, online and non-traditional media
• Events and sponsorship – maximise presence at key shows and exhibitions, managing design and production of stand, collateral and securing/sourcing speaker opportunities
• Website development – ensure updated copy, images and case studies, designed to maximise enquiries
• Media relations – conduct a regular programme of PR in the news, business, franchise and trade media – keeping the Subway® brand front of mind for the media and target market

• Corporate membership – leverage memberships with editorial, case studies and presence in member newsletters, online and at events
• Literature production – new adverts, brochures and flyers – designed to target wide range of target audiences
• Photography – ensure latest images of new stores, franchisee case studies to support PR and advertising activity
• Social media – use key platforms and targeted advertising to reach new audiences

Results:

• Annual campaign generating over 12,000 franchise sales leads
• Leads generated resulted in 200 franchises sold
• Regular media coverage generated in national, trade and online media
• The UK and Ireland franchise leads development activity is viewed by the Subway® brand’s global HQ as the blueprint for all international markets