First Watch - Purple Haze Brand Awareness Campaign

Vert Digital work for First Watch Restaurants | April 2022

I debated even putting this work on my site since I didn't get to see it through to activation, but I chose to include it as a great example of, "We came up with a great idea, we worked with awesome partners to pull it off, and the client saw amazing results from the work." Kevin Planovsky brought in agency partner Oust and their Creative lead Dan Duncan to take the idea we started with and amplify it to 11 (their influencer network is insane, BTW). I was part of the team up through post-production, so most of the final editing work was done before I left the agency.

This is one of the only conceptual projects I had the opportunity to work on while I was with Vert Digital, and it was really cool seeing the first email arrive in my inbox after the campaign went live nationally.

Vert has this project written up as multiple Case Studies on their website. I have blatantly stolen all of their copy from one of them for the writeup below.

Purple Haze, a unique house-made juice by First Watch, gained significant popularity when it was introduced as a limited-time offering in the winter of 2021. Due to its initial success and customer enthusiasm, First Watch decided to bring it back in 2022, using it as a catalyst to amplify the larger brand story and value proposition to new audiences. This campaign marked the beginning of a strategic shift, positioning distinctive menu items at the forefront of First Watch’s brand-building initiatives to drive trial and frequency among newer demographics. Our team collaborated with First Watch to develop a cross-channel awareness campaign featuring engaging video assets and influencer activation across digital platforms.

The Ask

First Watch approached Vert with a specific goal: to showcase the unique lifestyle associated with the Purple Haze juice as the centerpiece of their brand-building efforts. This framed their Fresh Juice program as a brand differentiator to drive beverage incidence, menu relevance, and increased occasions to visit First Watch amongst new and existing customers.

Having previously collaborated on other projects, First Watch sought our expertise to boost brand awareness by narrating the story of Purple Haze. Additionally, the challenge was to transition from transaction-focused media to brand awareness tactics. This shift allowed us to explore new strategies and broaden our capabilities in elevating First Watch’s brand recognition.

The Idea

In our comprehensive brand awareness campaign for First Watch, our objectives were twofold: first, to enhance First Watch’s brand visibility in key markets, including Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, and Phoenix, and second, to introduce and celebrate the launch of their new beverage, Purple Haze. Our team crafted a dynamic approach that showcased different facets of this endeavor.

To bring the essence of sipping Purple Haze to life, we conceived three distinct story arcs, each artfully designed to evoke the sensory experience. Collaborating with our production partner, OUST, we translated these narratives into captivating visuals that resonated with our audience. Our core message, “Your Time to Shine,” encouraged viewers to find moments of delight in their everyday lives.

We also harnessed the power of influencer marketing campaigns to amplify our message. By enlisting their help, we spotlighted the striking colors and delightful flavors of Purple Haze on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Each creative execution mirrored our story arcs, exuding the joy and curiosity that drinking Purple Haze embodies.

We aimed to reach a few different audience segments. The first group, slightly younger millennials, resonated with Purple Haze’s aspirational and lifestyle-focused messaging. We targeted their interests in health, wellness, and lifestyle fitness brands to effectively engage them. The second segment was slightly older millennial women who were interested in home, retail, and fashion brands. We tailored our messaging to align with their preferences.

We also targeted Trendy Aspirationals, a category of guests who embrace a youthful lifestyle and are enthusiastic about creative and healthier food options. They appreciate the modern, upscale experience offered by First Watch, which aligns with their aspirational identity.

We successfully reached these audiences through the campaign across various digital channels, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, CTV, and Youtube, bolstered by our influencer marketing campaigns. In addition, we engaged our existing audiences through targeted email marketing campaigns and automations, while creating a dedicated landing page to drive traffic.

Overall, our strategy encompassed a multifaceted approach to elevate First Watch’s brand presence and celebrate the launch of Purple Haze across diverse target audiences and channels.

The Results

The end result was an effective content-driven cross-channel campaign with video assets fueling TikTok, Instagram Reels, Instagram Stories, Snapchat, CTV, and YouTube.