Crimson Coward
Heating Up A New Market
Bringing So Cal Heat to the East Coast
Public Relations, Digital Media, Social Media
Crimson Coward Nashville Hot Chicken, an LA-based fan-favorite franchise known for freshly-prepared, hormone-free spicy chicken, had already made its mark with five red-hot Southern California locations. Next, they set their sights on the East Coast, starting with Woodbridge, Virginia—right smack in the middle of the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia metro area). But with zero brand awareness in the region, they needed to come in hot to grab attention and get people lining up for their signature flavor-packed chicken. Asher’s job was to turn up the volume—and the heat—on their East Coast debut.
A Sizzling Strategy
Asher implemented a full-scale earned media campaign, crafting and distributing targeted press releases across the DMV, while securing placements in leading national trade publications. We also engaged local influencers and media personalities, creating buzz around the grand opening and turning Crimson Coward into the hot new name in town.
To keep the energy and momentum going, we built strategic PR programs for new store openings (NSOs), leveraging paid media campaigns, social influencers and promotional efforts to maximize exposure. This included eye-catching out-of-home ads, target direct mail with sizzling deals and layered digital media on Meta and TikTok to maximize reach and frequency around the new location. Six weeks post-launch, we turned up the heat on engagement even more with Customer Appreciation Events, reinforcing brand loyalty and driving repeat visits.
A Red-Hot Reception
Crimson Coward now boasts 11 East Coast locations, with more in the works—and Asher has been there for most of them. It all started with that first DMV-area store, where we combined strategic PR, influencer engagement, smart media placements in a crowded market, and event-driven marketing to make an unforgettable entrance into the East Coast market. When it comes to brand launches, Asher knows how to bring the heat.
Red-Hot Results
- 40+ local earned media placements, plus features in Nation’s Restaurant News, Franchising Magazine and QSR Magazine, as well as The Washington Post and Baltimore Business Journal
- Exclusive iHeart Media podcast spotlight, featuring franchisees and their journey
- A reach of more than 136K IG users with 10K+ content interactions
- Highest-performing Crimson Coward franchise location
Dialed in On Franchise Marketing
Find out Asher’s industry results. We know what it takes to grow and localize franchise brands.
