“There’s so much uncertainty in the economy. There’s a lot of negativity, and a lot of media brands feed off of controversy and negativity and almost have an obligation to tell that news story,” said Dustin Fleischman, Team Whistle’s evp of revenue and brand strategy. “We’re a place that people come to just to feel better that you actually are like your favorite celebrity. They’re not more than [you] and we’re not showing celebrities like they just got arrested. We’re showing the other side that you’re not seeing, and brands gravitate towards that because they gravitate towards positivity.”
Coming back for seconds
Applebee’s Yashinsky noted that Team Whistle’s access to athletes was a draw for his brand, but Waddle’s teenage memories of Applebee’s left an impression. Meanwhile, Team Whistle was able to cull data to personalize the Cheat Day segment’s reach and target strong local markets—particularly important for a brand that hangs local customers’ photos, jerseys and other mementos on its walls.
That’s encouraged Applebee’s to produce even more content with athletes, signing a name, image and likeness deal with Wake Forest basketball star Tyree Appleby and putting together a campaign around the Appleby-Applebee’s homonym. It also had Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow name dropping the restaurant to his fellow offensive linemen during the Lions’ season of HBO’s Hard Knocks.