Colle+McVoy has been named agency of record for local barbecue chain Famous Dave's.
The Minneapolis agency, which has experience with brands such as Land O'Lakes and Erbert & Gerbert's, has plans to "use strategy, creative, design, media planning and buying, and digital support" to reinvigorate the restaurant brand which has struggled with sales and positioning.
"This is the perfect time for us to partner with Colle+McVoy," said Famous Dave's Chief Marketing Officer Alfredo Martel, in a statement. "Together, we have a passion for revitalizing beloved brands with wonderful stories and we are well poised to leverage the 'sauce-some' legacy of the Famous Dave's brand experience."
Colle+McVoy previously worked with Martel on the brand transformation of Caribou Coffee. The agency recently announced new partnerships with The Hershey Company, Invisalign, Cub Cadet and Elanco. There have also been a series of new hires at the firm.
"We are excited to join forces with Famous Dave's to take the brand to a whole new level," said Christine Fruechte, chief executive of Colle+McVoy. "We look forward to reconnecting Guests with the All American Bar-B-Que Party, while generating strong ROI for Famous Dave's and its franchisee partners."
The Minnetonka-based barbecue joint has been fighting a sales slump since it attempted a makeover early last year. According to first quarter numbers, same-store sales at company-owned restaurants fell 7.7 percent compared with the same time a year ago.
To help jumpstart the turnaround, CEO Adam Wright told analysts in May that the company wanted to change customers' perceptions about the chain. Colle+McVoy is taking over duties from Famous Dave's previous agency partner Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago.
