What do you get when you combine a Chicago icon with great food? Mike Ditka’s Restaurants, and a formula for success. Still, Ditka’s came to us with a challenge; improve performance for a new restaurant  recently opened in Oakbrook Terrace and improve revenue streams to all elements of the downtown location.

It was a surprisingly challenging assignment. There are some great steak houses in Chicago and the growth in the number of restaurants in Oakbrook was daunting. Good, even great food was expected as a cost of entry in this packed field. Standing out in a crowded market was tough.

We had “da Coach” and a great menu, but a great menu would only go so far. So we focused on Coach; his wit, wisdom and the fact that folks love the fact that they are likely to see him at the restaurant. So we created a campaign that communicated that “You never know who or what you’ll see at Ditka’s” with the distinctive caricature that is the restaurant’s logo showing up in surprising places, but always linked to having a great time with great food and fun people.

The advertising has run in a variety of lifestyle and visitor publications and a new Pinnacle-designed website helped increase lucrative online reservations.

The result? The Oakbrook restaurant opened successfully, traffic increased in the downtown Chicago location and a third restaurant has been successfully opened in da Coach’s hometown of Pittsburgh. Private dining at all locations has increased significantly thanks to a special effort at that critical part of the business.

Ditka’s and Chicago – a love affair continues.

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In 2006, a banking client of ours decided to raise capital to create a new start up bank. He asked the agency to manage the entire marketing process, including developing the corporate identity and creating a launch campaign to establish credentials for potential investors and to introduce a unique concept to the nation’s most competitive banking market; west-suburban Chicago.

The concept was bold; a bank that offered a personal and professional service level that would draw high net worth customers from the surrounding communities.

Pinnacle created a campaign that emphasized the surprising service levels that included valet parking, concierge services, shoe shines for busy professionals, and a Wi Fi lounge with premium coffee service while you waited to see your personal banker.

Delivery focused on a media schedule with television, radio, print and event sponsorships targeted at the upscale target, including sponsorship of the Oak Brook Polo Club.

The results were equally surprising. The bank surpassed $100 million in assets in the first 90 days, well ahead of their aggressive first year goal. Awareness of the bank exceeded goals as well. Pinnacle was equally rewarded with 3 Certificate of Excellence winning entries in the 2007 Chicago Financial Advertisers Eagle Awards, and a loyal client relationship based on superior results.

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