In 2022, the National Restaurant Association Show—an event where the foodservice industry comes together to share innovations, build partnerships, and inspire—returned after a short hiatus. As in-person networking and face-to-face interactions had always been at the heart of the event, many of us were unsure how the pandemic would change the dynamic. This led to one big question: How would FoodMix Marketing Communications rebuild person-to-person connections for our clients in an industry that thrives on human interaction? 

While the physical interactions were bouncing back, the rise of social media during the pandemic had already laid a new foundation for how the foodservice industry communicates and stays connected. As in-person interactions took a back seat during lockdowns, social platforms filled the void, becoming an essential tool for restaurant owners, operators, suppliers, and employees to stay relevant and informed. 

Quickly, social media became an engine for innovation. Foodservice-professionals-turned- influencers started taking advantage of the power of digital storytelling, using their beautifully crafted food and beverages, live cooking streams, and consistent posts to keep their audiences active.  

However, with the industry investing in social media, it wasn’t long before the platforms became cluttered, and it took more than consistent posts to stay relevant, leading to more of a focus on “Instagramability” or shareability. Brands had to start standing out in any way possible; after all, one viral video can speed up an influencer’s or product’s success in the market.  

When Bush’s Beans reached out to FoodMix and tasked us with assisting in their return to the show, we knew from years of walking the aisles in McCormick Place that the best way to have a presence was to stand out and provide these shareable moments. On top of the all-important sampling, it is integral to feature other media activations, whether it be out-of-home media, eblasts, or providing opportunities for your brand to interact with show attendees on social platforms. We drew inspiration from popular activations, like Red Bull’s F-1 pit stop tire-changing race, and determined that we had to go above and beyond and do something the show hadn’t seen before. 

As we were also tasked with branching out from the dominant SKU of Baked Beans to focus on the rest of their product portfolio, we knew asking attendees to “Rethink Beans” could involve some heavy lifting. With our booth located in the back of the show, we drew attention using the striking bright blue and yellow of the foodservice brand, which also helped distinguish from the familiar orange and brown of the baked bean cans. Pairing this with arresting food imagery on billboards and urban panels, we carried through the creative look and messaging in the areas surrounding the show.  

Finally, we had the opportunity to host a “photo moment” in which around 500 attendees could wait for their chance to be snapped alongside the beloved Bush’s Beans mascot. As it was the first time Duke had made an appearance at the show, we weren’t sure what the turnout might be. However, after seeing the line stretch as far as the walking bridge, we knew we had a star attraction. To optimize this, we incentivized those photographed to follow, post, and tag our new foodservice-specific social account. When follower growth exploded in just one day, and interactions and engagements followed suit, we knew our activation was an undeniable hit.  How do we top this success next year? The FoodMix team’s minds are already percolating to figure out the best way to capture that shareability and bring back the human-to-human—or perhaps mascot-to-human—interaction the National Restaurant Association Show requires. 

Contact FoodMix Marketing Communications to learn how we can help support your company’s branding efforts and connect with today’s consumers.