Gen-Z, Millennial Opps: Whataburger creates new top marketing position (Score 41)

Sales lead: Get in touch with the new marketing leader for more information about her plans. 

• Whataburger created a new position in September 2023 by naming Donna Tuttle marketing & communications VP.
• Tuttle now handles marketing, consumer insights, customer experience, digital, communications, PR, social media, and events. 
• Tuttle joined the company in 2017 as brand content director.
• She most recently served as brand communications & culture group director. 

Target demographic: Millennials & Gen-Zers

The company will likely:

• Significantly increase digital ad spend
• Start airing national TV ads again
• Review the current agency roster

Broadcast insights (TV ad creative spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)

• YTD spend: Whataburger has not aired a national TV ad since spending $215.4k in 2021.
• 2021 ad programming: It placed ads during programming such as Entertainment Tonight, Wheel of Fortune, Access Hollywood, Extra, and Inside Edition Weekend. 

Digital and social insights (digital ad spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)

• YTD spend: Whataburger spent nearly $3.6m on digital display ads YTD, just 35% of the $10.4m spent in this channel during the same time period of 2022. 
• YTD data: 524.6m impressions via Facebook (55%), Instagram (35%), YouTube (8%), and mobile display (2%). 
• 2021-2022 spend: Full-year spend increased by 48% from $9.5m in 2021 to $14.1m in 2022. 
• Ad location: It placed 99% of these ads directly onto sites such as facebook.com, instagram.com, youtube.com, dallascowboys.com, and nhl.com. It placed 1% of these ads indirectly through Acuity onto sites such as realtor.com, caranddriver.com, answers.com, kbb.com, and nadaguides.com. 

Additional channel insights  

• Vivvix: Whataburger also invests in radio, OOH, and local broadcast. 
• Top podcasts sponsored: Busted Open and Jeremiah wonders....

Agency analysis:

• Opportunity: The recently promoted marketing leader may review the roster, so reach out now to be top-of-mind. 
• Current roster:
  • McGarrah Jessee: creative, media, & digital AOR
  • KSM South: media AOR
  • Hahn: PR