Rebranding Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings hired Maccabee Group to complete the rebranding from its original name (bw-3, short for Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck. . . don't ask), drive nationwide brand awareness for its fast-casual, sports-infused restaurants, and create excitement for their signature 12 sauces.

Maccabee Group's coast-to-coast media relations campaign for Buffalo Wild Wings resulted in:

Saturation trade media coverage, including a full-color cover story in Chain Leader magazine featuring CEO Sally Smith, followed by multiple features in Nation's Restaurant News.
Franchise recruitment and retention-focused articles in Franchise Times and Biz/Your Franchise Source.
General business exposure through Inc. and Start Your Own Business.
Hometown visibility in Minnesota Business and Twin Cities Business Monthly, which applauded the company's "Wingding of an Expansion. . . chicken wings carry a local restaurant chain to new heights."

System-wide sales jumped past $150 million with same-store sales growing 8% and revenues jumping by 27% to $220 million in one year. The company doubled its number of units from 76 to 152 during Maccabee Group's campaigns, with Nation's Restaurant News hailing the chain with the words: "chicken wings soar - one of the more successful of the bar-type concepts.... preparing for a revitalized expansion push."

"Public relations is part of the marketing fuel that drives Buffalo Wild Wings. Sure, we trusted Maccabee Group to generate tons of publicity for Buffalo Wild Wings. But, more importantly, we relied on Maccabee as a full partner in growing our 152-restaurant chain in more than 75 U.S. markets. From employee communications to franchise recruitment, from brand identity to event marketing and crisis counsel, Maccabee Group truly helped Buffalo Wild Wings... take wing!"

- Kathleen Benning
- VP of Marketing

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