West Coast burger chain The Habit Burger Grill has appointed Exverus Media as its U.S. media agency of record following a competitive review, the companies told ADWEEK.
The California-born fast casual chain worked with Connect, a Publicis Groupe media agency affiliated with Spark Foundry, for about a year before launching the review.
Run in-house, the pitch lasted around eight weeks and began with six agencies before narrowing to four finalists. The Habit was introduced to Exverus by its creative AOR Barrett Hofherr during the review process.
“We were looking for something quite bespoke,” Jack Hinchcliffe, chief marketing officer of The Habit, told ADWEEK.
With roughly 380 locations in 13 states—and about two-thirds of them in California—the Yum! Brands-owned chain was looking for a media agency that could help it grow awareness in new markets while maintaining momentum in its home state. The shift comes amid mixed business results for its parent company: same-store sales fell 4% in Q2, and Q1 revenues dipped to $128 million from $130 million a year earlier, according to Yum! Brands and Nasdaq.
COMvergence estimates The Habit’s 2024 U.S. media spend at $8 million.
Hinchcliffe said The Habit was looking for a partner it could work closely with on a daily basis, noting that proximity was key.
“One of the things that was important for us was appointing a West Coast agency,” he said, adding that he hopes the team can physically join in for important meetings and workshops.
Exverus’ pitch focused on building cultural relevance while tailoring media to local markets. “It’s so easy for consumers to just see another burger chain out there and not really understand what the brand stands for,” Georgia Schreiner, media director at Exverus, told ADWEEK. “How do we make consumers understand that as well? And how do we do that through things that we know consumers love and make them feel connected to a brand?”
The local approach was key, as The Habit’s marketing priorities differ by market. “Outside California, it really is an awareness challenge,” Hinchcliffe said. “Within California…it’s really about staying top of mind and continuing to drive that unprompted brand awareness.”
He added that Exverus’ local targeting capabilities allow the brand “to be super smart on a local level.”
“We need every single dollar to work so much harder for us,” he continued. “Rarely do you actually find a media partner who is just as fired up about that challenge as Exverus were.”
