Social Campaign • strategy • ART DIRECTION • DESIGN • MERCHI Got Late at
Applebee’s
As iconic hangout spots for Gen Z disappear, Applebee’s can fill the void by becoming the new late-night destination. The “Get Late” campaign invites Gen Z to bring their crew and enjoy Late Night Half-Priced Appetizers, positioning Applebee’s as the go-to spot for fun, affordable late-night eats. With scrappy, social-driven content and merch, we’ll highlight Applebee’s as the ultimate late-night hangout, making it the place to be.
Who doesn’t love irreverent merch? Our followers have been asking for it, so we launched Applebee’s first official merch to drive in-store traffic.
Here’s the twist: the merch will only be available through geofenced website access, allowing purchases exclusively while dining inside Applebee’s via QR codes on table toppers. To boost engagement, we’ll also launch a social media sweepstakes where guests can post photos at Applebee’s with #GetLate for a chance to win free merch.
Merch Featured - hats, t-shirts, temporary tattoos
MERCH DROP
🔥
MERCH DROP 🔥
Get Late Merch
Photo Library
Gen Z wants to see themselves
This idea came from social listening—industry research shows real photos get 35% more engagement than stock images, building authenticity and trust. For Gen Z, 63% prefer ads featuring real people in everyday situations over celebrities.
Agency - Grey Group
Executive Creative Director - Lance Perrish
Associate Creative Director (Art) - Megan Dreisbach
Associate Creative Director (Copy) - Eileen Mathews
Designer - Annie Nirschel
We put together a quick photoshoot to capture the "Get Late" vibe—Midwestern opulence, nothing fancy. Just candid shots of friends at Applebee's, enjoying LNHPAs. These photos were integrated into our organic content for the summer and beyond. To further boost reach, we collaborated with micro-influencers as featured talent.
