Denny's Hires Award Winning Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to Entice Breakfast Lovers

January 14, 2009
SPARTANBURG, S.C., Jan 14, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Denny's (NASDAQ:DENN), home of the original real breakfast, the Grand Slam, has hired advertising agency, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (GS&P) as its agency of record, responsible for brand strategy, creative and promotions. Media buying will remain with Optimedia. GS&P is charged with re-energizing the Denny's brand through aggressive advertising and marketing that will include a high-profile, first ever Super Bowl commercial scheduled to air during the third quarter of the 2009 game.

"We've passed the ball to Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and we're expecting touchdowns," notes Nelson Marchioli, CEO, Denny's. "Denny's has long been top-of-mind with American consumers with over 90% brand awareness. We're looking to reconnect with those consumers who have wonderful memories of the brand. GS&P understands our guests, their needs, wants and moods and what we need to do to reach them now."

With clients that also include Comcast, Sprint, Frito Lay and Hyundai, GS&P is plugged into consumer-centric companies that rely on the loyalty of core customers. The agency, perennially one of the most successful in the industry, was named Agency of the Year last year by both of the two leading advertising industry publications - AdWeek and Advertising Age. They also won more Gold Effies (the American Marketing Association's awards for advertising effectiveness) for their clients than any other agency.

"Denny's is one of the most recognizable and respected restaurant brands in the U.S., and we are truly honored to partner with them, their franchisees and their guests," says Jeff Goodby, Co-Chairman, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. "With its aggressive new product line-up, value pricing and revamping of consumer classics like the classic Grand Slam, we know we can once again position Denny's as America's 'go-to' place for breakfast and more. Our goal is to take Denny's back to the future."

With its portable, sharable and affordable range of product favorites as well as its 24/7 access, Denny's is well positioned to give the competition a run for their money in 2009. "We hired the 'best in class' agency that understands the tremendous opportunity the Denny's brand represents," says Mark Chmiel, Chief Marketing Officer, Denny's. "For 55 years Denny's has been satisfying Americans' love affair with real breakfast...Goodby, Silverstein & Partners will re-energize our brand's breakfast passion so it will be more relevant, especially to today's cash-strapped consumer who is spending less but expecting more."

The agency's first creative is expected to hit late January followed by a 30-second Super Bowl ad. The Superbowl has one of the largest television audiences of the year. Almost 100 million people are expected to see Denny's Superbowl ad on February 1.

About Denny's

Denny's is one of America's largest full-service family restaurant chains, with more than 1,500 locations. For more than 50 years, Denny's has been serving up real breakfast 24/7. Home of the famous Grand Slam® breakfasts, Denny's provides a variety of flavorful food and beverage choices. For more information on Denny's, please visit www.dennys.com.

About Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, a unit of the Omnicom Group, is one of the world's most respected and most awarded advertising agencies. Founded in 1983, the company is based in San Francisco and has 535 employees serving a broad array of national and international accounts. For more information on GS&P, please visit www.gspsf.com.

SOURCE: Denny's



For Denny's, Spartanburg
Hill & Knowlton
Cori Z. Rice, 305-443-5454
cori.rice@hillandknowlton.com