California Tortilla Gets Kidzsmart!

Kidzsmart wants to congratulate California Tortilla on their launch of their new kids' program featuring a custom Crayonfree Activity Book with their mascot Chippy and the Burrito Elitos!

Chippy and the gang star in California Tortilla's brand new kids comic and activity book, specially designed for California Tortilla customers under 12!

Celebrating their new kids' program and Crayonfree Activity book launch:



Here's Chippy working the room:



We hope the kids have as much fun using it as we did making it. Issue #2 is also in stores now!

Captain WOW Wins Again!

Congratulations to WOW Cafe and Wingery -- their chicken wings and sauces really do make a difference!

At the 2009 National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York, where the first Buffalo Wings were created in 1964, WOW Cafe and Wingery came away with two more awards. This year, they were singled out for their Kansas City Honey BBQ Sauce and their spicey Buffalo XIII sauce.

These new awards go nicely with previous wins for Rookie of the Year and Best Creative Spicy Wing Sauce, just like their sauces go nicely with their wings.



Kidzsmart is always proud to work with successful, creative businesses like WOW Cafe & Wingery, and we'll be sure to eat our fill next time we're there!

Cool Crayonfree Fun for Hot Summer Times!

Wow, busy days are here again at Kidzsmart!

Aah, the relaxing sounds of summer, and... drilling and hammering? Yikes!

Kidzsmart is expanding again, renovating our offices to make room for new staff hirings, and expanding to meet demand. It seems that during an economic downturn, more and more businesses are paying attention to cost-effective kids and family marketing.

And that's what we're all about! Custom kids activity and coloring books, branded kids menus and placemats, punch-out cardboard games and toys... and all of it priced to make your purchasing officers smile.

We've been even busier in the creative department, where we just released our first Crayonfree activity book to wild applause. And our second! We'll get some pics of the big California Tortilla opening and launch as soon as Bonnie, our effervescent sales rep gets the pictures off her camera.



Meanwhile, here's our new Crayonfree activity book, ready to be customized with your name, logo, and kids menu -- or whatever you want!

Hope you're having a great summer, and keep it up!

Budget-consicious Marketing to Kids and Families

In a recent online article called "Marketing Value in Kids Meal Toys" the author makes the excellent points that we at Kidzsmart love to show clients: that by marketing intelligently to kids, you reach the entire families. And that paying attention to your youngest visitors pays off in the long run.

His article concerns a discussion he had with a mid-sized restaurant chain and the reasons why it's crucial to make family marketing part of your overall plan.

A kids' meal program is about empowering the young consumer to make their own decision and providing them with menu options that satisfy their selective appetite.

So, what did this particular chain of restaurants decide to do? They realized there was a need for a program - but they left the plastic, high-end pull-backs for the McDonalds and the Burger Kings of the world. They will concentrate on making their brand stronger while incorporating a kids meal program - the addition of a different menu that targets specifically two different age groups. They have taken this concept a step further and to offer a kids menu and a teens menu as they realize that they have enough of an audience that could further benefit from this new addition.

Will it work? I believe it will. I truly think that unless they want to stop doing business 10 years down the road they need not to forget the young clients. They are the future of their business. They are the ones that will come back to the stores by themselves and eventually with their families. They will remember who served them well and who didn't. I know this stands true at a personal level. I clearly recall who treated me like an important client in my younger years and who simply brushed me off because I could not reach the counter.

Good advice. Now just be sure to point out how much MORE traffic they can generate once the parents know that there's a fun, educational activity book to help entertain the kids while they're eating!

How some businesses cut marketing costs... and increased business!

At times like this, businesses tend to choose one of two paths: slash their entire marketing budget and hope things get better by themselves, or find some way to reduce marketing expenses without sacrificing business. If you choose the second option, Kidzsmart can save you money AND help your business.

According to the Nation's Restaurant News (Sept. 22, pp.32), quick-serve chains like T.G.I. Friday's and BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse saw increased business (the biggest gain since Summer 2007) last quarter as a direct result of increased marketing, specifically on promotions centered around deals. And they did it all while still keeping -- and increasing -- their kids and family marketing programs with Kidzsmart.

What this shows us is that people are still going to restaurants, but they're doing so with an eye on value. Families, in particular, still want to eat out, but they're looking for a bit more bang for their buck.

Restaurants that have a value meal plan, a weekday special, or a kids eat free day are using this perception of increased value to increase their attractiveness to parents. And if parents can bring their kids somewhere they're entertained and still saving money, then it makes the decision easy.

Both BJ's and T.G.I. Friday's save more money -- and provide value to families while differentiating themselves from the competition -- by using Kidzsmart childrens activity books and placemats. Kidzsmart's end-to-end service (concept to distribution) eliminates middlemen and saves time... and unit costs.

As the end-to-end provider of over 60 million paper-based pieces every year, Kidzsmart has established itself as experts in communicating brand messages to your entire child and family demographic.

Updating your kids menu? Find out what kids want...

The latest QSR Magazine has a forward-thinking article on what kids want out of fast food restaurants... and it's not what you'd expect.

"Independent restaurant operators are leading an emerging "kid-adult" fusion trend by promoting adult-style offerings to kids in greater numbers. Their menus target kids with smaller portions of premium steaks, fresh fish, locally-sourced healthy foods, and bolder ethnic flavors that are usually the domain of adult palates."

Click here to read "What Kids Want out of Fast Food."

Of course, this is not really a feasible option for most fast food chains... and something makes me suspect that it's the parents who are answering these questions.

Still, if you're looking at redesigning your kids menu, it might be worth looking at alternatives to chicken fingers and mac & cheese. Filet of sole for little Aidan? Better make sure you have something to entertain the kids while the chef is working on their meal!

NRA MEG Conference in New Orleans

Thanks to everyone at the National Restaurant Association, and everyone in New Orleans for making last week's NRA's Marketing Executive Group Fall Conference a wonderful time!

Our woman-on-the-street and Kidzsmart's face-of-the-company (and resident fashionista) Bonnie reports that's she was thrilled to finally put faces with names, and check in with dozens of old friends.

The 4:30 a.m. fire alarm in her hotel and the drunken door rattler guy who couldn't read the room number didn't even slow her down.

If we didn't get a chance to chat this time, hopefully we'll see you in Chicago in May!