KFC franchisee KBP Brands, one of the largest and fastest-growing quick-service franchises in the country, announced it has partnered with Vibes, the technology leader powering seamless mobile brand experiences, to test a SMS and mobile wallet program at 162 participating KBP-owned Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Texas, New York (Buffalo), New Jersey, Oklahoma and Arkansas. This program enables the ability to meet consumers where they are most active: their mobile devices.
KBP Brands sought to equip local markets with innovative tools to win customers effectively and provide strong, trackable results. KBP Brands turned to Vibes to boost consumer engagement, increase in-store traffic and grow loyalty at its KFC restaurants through the delivery of timely, personalized messages.
KBP Brands can now instantly reach consumers through SMS and mobile wallet by sending targeted messages to local audiences based on price, demographic and regional competition. Restaurants can also offer unique promotions to customers, rewarding them for repeat visits or for opting into the SMS program. For example, those who opt-in to the KBP Brands text program from a mobile device receive an instant text alert offer and new offers weekly. To opt-in to the KBP Brands text program, simply text the word DEALS to 25899.
“The text messaging program fills a gap in our local marketing toolkits, serving as an efficient mechanism to deliver relevant and timely offers to individuals. A broad value at a national level can be a challenge, especially by geographic area. We wanted the ability to activate compelling messaging quickly based on our restaurants’ unique needs,” says Tonya Mangels, vice president of marketing activation, KBP Brands. “The quick-service restaurant industry is highly competitive, and SMS marketing is a cost-effective tool that will help us both attract new customers and retain current customers.”
On average, brands see immediate rapid subscriber growth with a 98% retention rate and a 40x ROI with mobile messaging programs. KBP Brands will benefit from being able to deliver SMS messages at scale within a highly specific timeframe. With Vibes, KBP Brands can provide KFC customers real-time updates at the right place and right time, ranging from local store changes such as hours of operation to menu tests and limited-time-only deals, encouraging customers to visit and repeat business.
“We’re excited to help KBP Brands extend engagement with KFC customers in a personal, connected and authentic way,” says Alex Campbell, CIO and co-founder, Vibes. “Mobile offers one of the fastest ways to connect directly with a customer, and it will allow KBP Brands to meet individuals wherever they are in the consumer journey.”
ABOUT KBP BRANDS
KBP Brands is one of the largest franchisees in North America, operating ~1,000 restaurants across 31 states. Visit www.KBPbrands.com.
ABOUT VIBES
Vibes helps brands like Ralph Lauren, Kohl’s, Redbox, Chipotle, Sephora, Ascena Brands and LEGO to grow, activate and optimize consumer relationships with timely, relevant, high-volume mobile messaging at a global scale. The company’s intelligent mobile experience platform enables marketers and consumer loyalty professionals to connect with consumers using a unified native platform of SMS, MMS, dynamic wallet, mobile push notifications, app inbox and performance analytics, to become the backbone for these brands’ overall digital engagement strategies. Gartner recognized Vibes as a Leader in its 2019 and 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Mobile Marketing Platforms.
