market insights study: consumer hashbrown trends

Hash Brown Market Insights Study SampleClient XYZ | October 1 – December 31, 2013

Building a Marketing & Engagement Roadmap

Pentonmarketingservices.com | 2Pentonmarketingservices.com | 2

Analyze data from key conversations happening online that provide feedback on hash browns at 7 key restaurant operators:

Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4 Competitor 5 Competitor 6 Competitor 7

Deliver data and insights to assist in enhancing the position of hash brown product to key Client XYZ customers

Determine the relationship of consumer feedback around hash browns and the resulted brand loyalty it delivers for Client XYZ customers

Understand any potential feedback that can be used to enhance the Client XYZ hash brown product

What consumer/operator needs are trending that can be seen as potential threats to Client XYZ’s product

Study ObjectivesWe focus on:

Audience AnalysisWho is most active and what they are saying?

What does your audience care about, any pain points, what influences them to buy?

Content NeedsWhat content is influencing the market and where?

Where is content resonating (social media, forums, etc.) Find brand advocates/influencers. Assess client’s current content.

Alignment of Marketing CampaignsWhere should your brand focus online?

What is the right media mix, what new marketing channels provide opportunity?

Pentonmarketingservices.com | 3

Study MethodologyHow we collect, review and present insights & data to ultimately drive your ROIMONITORUsing a combination of robust 3rd party tools and manual search performed by our experienced analysts, we look across all online media types (blogs, forums, social media channels and mainstream news sources) during a specific time period, based on study objectives & goals.

ANALYZE & ASSESSFindings are explored, insights are identified, opportunities are outlined and your current content is reviewed.

This collaboration of qualitative and quantitative research results in the findings that are published in this report. We align insights with marketing recommendations and provide a path of execution for you to use this data moving forward.

The Penton AdvantageAfter identifying key insights we are able to validate and/or expand on the findings with Penton’s own industry experts.

SO WHAT? Our experts are already connecting and engaging with your target audiences so they provide information no other firm can give you access to.


Final Study Outline

HASH BROWN INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Overall Mentions Competitive Share of Voice Popular Online Destinations

RESTAURANT CHAINS Brand Infographic Sample Posts Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4 Competitor 5 Competitor 6 Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 7 Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 1 Competitor 7

APPENDIX Extra data points


Overall Mentions

Restaurant Chain Share of Voice

Top Online Contributors

How Consumers Talk about Hash Browns

Hash Brown Overview


Hash Brown MentionsMore than 8,700 mentions of the brand names and hash brown iterations were analyzed from October 1 through December 31, 2013.

73%

19%

1%3% 4%

Top Social Channels

Twitter

Facebook

Mainstream News

Blogs

Forums

40%

30%

21%9%

Age

18-24

25-34

35-55

55+

34%

19%9%

27%

10%

Region Breakdown

California

New York

Georgia

Texas

Florida

58%

42%

Gender Breakdown

FemaleMale


More than 8,700 mentions of the brand names and hash brown iterations were analyzed from October 1 through December 31, 2013.

Competitor 6 holds the majority of mentions, with Competitor 4 and Competitor 2with high popularity, too.

At Competitor 4, the majority of mentions are from women, at 62% on Twitter.

Competitor 5 received positive mentions around their “semi-crispy” hash browns. The cooking style – on the grill – is favored to get the “perfect crispy outside and soft inside” that customers enjoy.

New Year’s Day brought the biggest spike in mentions, people eating after a big night.

Competitor 6 is most notably mentioned around the various toppings for their hash browns.

Restaurant Chain Share of Voice

TOTAL MENTIONS Competitor 1: 158 Competitor 2: 1135 Competitor 3: 180 Competitor 4: 2113 Competitor 5: 266 Competitor 6: 4815 Competitor 7: 46

2%

13%2%

24%

3%

55%

1%

Competitor 1

Competitor 2

Competitor 3

Competitor 4

Competitor 5

Competitor 6

Competitor 7


More than 8,700 mentions of the brand names and hash brown iterations were analyzed from October 1 through December 31, 2013.

Most people posting about hash browns and these chains on Twitter are between the age of 21 and 34.

Twitter posts often include hashtags such as: #hashbrowns, #breakfast, #omelet, #hungry, which is where most mentions come from.

Facebook provides an opportunity for people to share their daily activities, of which eating hash browns is generally involved. These are usually not filled with much sentiment.

Where the Mentions Originate

73%

19%

1% 3% 4%

Top Social Channels

Twitter

Facebook

Mainstream News

Blogs

Forums


Top Online Destinations

Urbanspoon is a dedicated review site of restaurants and food in different regions. Mobile reviews are very popular on this site.

Yelp is also a dedicated restaurant, shop, venue review site. Reviewers are generally between 20-40.

Roadfood Website with resources for those traveling and needing restaurant and food ideas, and forums for those discussions.

Chowhound is a top forum for discussion about food, restaurants, recipes, etc.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/

http://www.yelp.com/

http://www.roadfood.com/

http://chowhound.chow.com/


CONSUMERS EAT HASH BROWNS WITH…Hash browns are most often being consumed at breakfast, generally with bacon and eggs, and usually with something indulgent, such as pancakes or waffles.

TASTE VS. TEXTURETexture of the hash browns – crispy, golden brown outside with a soft inside – is commented on most, with little mention of taste. Customers enjoy what they cover their hash

browns with (similar to what Competitor 6 offers) – smothered, covered, etc.

PERPARATIONNegative sentiment in relation to hash browns generally pertains to how they are prepared (not cooked thoroughly.) “Preformed” is a frequently mentioned

keyword. Customers do not prefer hash browns that are preformed and sometimes precooked.

SHREDDED HASH BROWNS Consumers prefer shredded hash browns Competitor 5, Competitor 4 and most notably

Competitor 6 are cited most for having shredded hash browns - as opposed to the diced, home-fried type other venues serve.

SUBSTITUTIONS & UPCHARGESConsumers harp on: upcharges for additional toppings on their hash

browns restaurants not allowing a substitution of hash

browns for another item

AUDIENCE AGE DIFFERS BY RESTAURANT51+ Competitor 7, Competitor 1, Competitor 518-35 Competitor 2, Competitor 3, Competitor 4, Competitor 6

Under 21 Not much activity

ONLINE DESTINATIONS & CONTENT Twitter & Facebook: updates about what

people are eating at the restaurants Forums and online review sites: restaurants

as a whole, or specific food

Industry AnalysisShredded hash browns seem to be the favorite


Industry Analysis Cont’dCOMPARISONS TO COMPETITOR 6 Its menu is frequently mentioned Consumers rave about different ways they

can get their hash browns, and visit Competitor 6 simply for this experience.

Hash brown options: smothered (w/onions), covered (w/cheese), chunked (w/ham), “all the way” (w/everything)

AUDIENCE: BODYBUILDERS

A unique audience, as they’re looking for breakfasts with the most amount of calories, carbs and protein. Often recommended are chains, such as Competitor 4 and Competitor 2.

HASHTAGS & HASHBROWNS

There are over 5,000 references of hash browns and hashtags in the same sentence/tweet. This reflects an opportunity for humor and an engaging marketing ploy.

RECIPIES & HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS

Consumers try to replicate Competitor 6 hash browns and often share recipes and techniques online, as with other chains’ hash browns.

Competitor 5 and Competitor 6 hash brown recipe is also shared throughout social channels, mainly Twitter, and forums.


PREPERATION UPCHARGES

SHREDDED HASH BROWNS

Taste vs. Texture: Sample PostsShredded hash browns, how they’re prepared, and what customers eat them with


Positive Sentiment Hash Brown Tweets


What Consumers Eat Hash Browns With…

Most often, people order hash browns on the side of their eggs, with bacon and pancakes

Substitutions for other items with hash browns is a popular topic, especially if restaurants don’t allow substitutions (or at least those free of cost). Consumers have chosen to get extra hash browns.

I’ve had home fries all over in the states for many years, and in Mexico and Canada too! Some of the chains, like Competitor 5 and Competitor 2, do hash browns really well. Lovely with a dippy egg and lots of ketchup.

I am also a fan of (redacted)’s has browns….

Sides


How Consumers Talk About Their Hash Browns

“…I would love some… shredded hash browns…”

“…smothered, covered, & chunked…”

“…get those hash browns chunked (with ham) and extra crispy…”

Hash Brown Type


Hash Browns vs. Home Fries/Breakfast Potatoes

Home

Fries

Hash

Browns

Potat

o Pan

cake

s

Break

fast

Pot

atoe

s

33,715

268,799

5,736 731

Hash browns lead mentions fromOctober – Dec. 31

Other variations included are mentioned as alternatives by a very small majority

Hash browns and home fries were mentioned in the same post 962 times, and the majority of these posts came from Twitter, second Facebook

Majority of posts express that either hash browns are better than home fries OR confusion around what the difference between the two is


HOME FRIES

Age

Gender

Hash Browns vs. Home Fries Demographics

HASH BROWNS

Age

Gender

Boolean used: “hash browns” OR “hashbrowns;” “home fries”


Hash Browns vs. Home FriesCompetitor 4 and Competitor 5 are mentioned most in regards to home fries, Competitor 1 is third.

Hash browns are preferred because of the crunchy factor that the customer receives Other patrons like home fries better, but only with the peppers and onions Customers use caution when ordering home fries at restaurants because they’re afraid they won’t

be cooked well – uncooked (fresh potatoes) or hard vs. crispy outside and good flavor.

72, 58.54%

40, 32.52%

5, 4.07%

6, 4.88%

Is there a difference between hash browns and home fries other than the way they lookI haven’t had has browns since I was a kid and they were (redacted)s so they weren’t “real” hash browns I supposeBut I heard you take a baked potato, chop it up and put it in a pan for home fries and tried that and it was pretty good

Shoestring hashbrowns are at the bottom of the breakfast potato hierarchy imo, even though those pictures above look amazing.Homefries and (redacted) style hashbrown patties are superior to shoestring hash.


Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4 Competitor 5 Competitor 6 Competitor 6 Vs. Competitor 1 Competitor 6 Vs. Competitor 7 Competitor 7

For Each Brand: Brand Summary/Infographic Overall Brand Mentions Demographics & Audience Segments Sample Posts

Restaurant Chains

11%

52%

17%

20%

51+

36-50

21-35

Under 20

Hash Brown Breakdown

73% of all socialmentions come fromTwitter

Enjoyed Most with…

Eggs35%

Bacon34%

Consumer Preference

vs

Hash browns

Home fries

Share of Voice

Age Breakdown

Consumer Feedback Do not “pre-form” or precook Make sure they’re crispy Prefer shredded Like option to add toppings

Competitor 2AND hash browns #bacon

#hashbrowns

“If you come to Competitor 2 and don’t get hash browns ON your sandwich. You haven’t lived.”@bridgettepreece

Age BreakdownTarget younger crowds due to their frequent social media use and late night attendance.

42%

Gender Breakdown

58%

13%1%

3%

24%

2%2%

55%

Competitor 2

Competitor 7

Competitor 5

Competitor 4

Competitor 3

Competitor 1

Competitor 6

268,799

33 ,175

40%

30%

21%

9%

55+35-5525-3418-24

1,135

46

266

2,113

180

158

4,815

MENTIONS


c

Competitor 2’s Sample Posts

8%

50%

17%

25%

51+

36-50

21-35

Under 20




Eggs35%

Bacon34%

Consumer Preference

vs

Hash browns

Home fries

Share of Voice

Age Breakdown


Competitor 3AND hash browns

“I felt like I was eating at a friends house.”- rednecktrucker


z

48%

Gender Breakdown

52%

268,799

33 ,175

40%

30%

21%

9%

55+35-5525-3418-24

Boolean Search Data: “hashbrowns” OR “hash browns” AND (“Competitor 4” OR “Competitor 2” OR “Dennys” OR “Competitor 5” OR “Competitor 1” OR “Competitor 7” OR “Competitor 3” OR “Competitor 6”) Report Range: October 2013 – December 2013

1,135

46

266

2,113

180

158

4,815

MENTIONS

Most referenced with their stuffed hash browns, although they aren’t emphasized on Facebook.

reviews of Competitor 3 are made mostly by families.

13%1%

3%

24%

2%2%

55%

Competitor 2

Competitor 7

Competitor 5

Competitor 4

Competitor 3

Competitor 1

Competitor 6


c

c

Competitor 3 Sample Posts

18%

59%

13%

10%

51+

36-50

21-35

Under 20




Eggs35%

Bacon34%

Consumer Preference

vs

Hash browns

Home fries

Share of Voice

Age Breakdown




z

43%

Gender Breakdown

57%

268,799

33 ,175

40%

30%

21%

9%

55+35-5525-3418-24

Boolean Search Data: “hashbrowns” OR “hash browns” AND (“Competitor 4” OR “Competitor 2” OR “Dennys” OR “Competitor 5” OR “Competitor 1” OR “Competitor 7” OR “Competitor 3” OR “Competitor 6”) Report Range: October 2013 – December 2013

1,135

46

266

2,113

180

158

4,815

MENTIONS

Younger audiences frequent Competitor 4 the most.

Customers prefer the indulgent menu items: pancakes, country fried steak, waffles… with hash browns on the side.

“I think one of my favorite foods would be those hashbrowns at Competitor 4. To die for.”@fuccab

13%1%

3%

24%

2%2%

55%

Competitor 2

Competitor 7

Competitor 5

Competitor 4

Competitor 3

Competitor 1

Competitor 6


c

c


9%

30%

20%

41%51+

36-50

21-35

Under 20




Eggs35%

Bacon34%

Consumer Preference

vs

Hash browns

Home fries

Share of Voice

Age Breakdown




Older crowds will remain a huge draw for Competitor 5.

z

49%

Gender Breakdown

51%

268,799

33 ,175

40%

30%

21%

9%

55+35-5525-3418-24

1,135

46

266

2,113

180

158

4,815

MENTIONS

“How good do hash browns sound right now?? Not the (redacted)s one the ones like Competitor 5”@bruseruse

Had highest ratings on:

as compared to competitors.

13%1%

3%

24%

2%2%

55%

Competitor 2

Competitor 7

Competitor 5

Competitor 4

Competitor 3

Competitor 1

Competitor 6


c

c



c

Competitor 6 Analysis Consumers rave about all the different ways they can get their hash browns and will visit a

Competitor 6 just for this hash brown experience. People even discuss how far they will drive to get to a Competitor 6 to try the hash browns. Above all other restaurants, customers are enthusiastically loyal to Competitor 6


Competitor 6 Demographics & Audience Segments Largest age group is 21-35, most

often discussing hash browns and indulgent menu items

Customers offer tips on how to order the hash browns on review sites

Age

Gender


c



c

Competitor 6 Sample Posts (cont)


Competitor 6

Audience skews younger Enthusiastically discuss different ways

hash browns are eaten Mentions of other indulgent items for

breakfast, lunch and dinner

Age

Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 7Competitor 7

Largest audience segment is 50+, higher than Competitor 6 and other restaurant chains

Discussions surround the atmosphere of restaurant rather than food

Most discussed food is crepes and pies, not hash browns or other breakfast food

Age


c

c

Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 7 Hash Browns

Competitor 6

“Great hash browns!”

Competitor 7

“Hash browns had been smashed flat in an attempt to cook more quickly. Barely colored up and dry.”

4817

42

Competitor 6

Competitor 7

Total “hash brown” Mentions


Competitor 6

Mentions of Competitor 6 hash browns are positive and frequently about the way they are covered.

The experience customers have with hash browns influences what they think about the rest of the food in a positive way.

Age

Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 1Competitor 1

Most active audience segment is older audience, 36 and above, compared to other chains with active audiences 35 and below.

Mentions of hash browns after the product switch in November 2012 are more negative than before.

Age


cc

Competitor 6 vs. Competitor 1 Hash Browns

Competitor 6

“You know you love a chain…when you are wiling to drive 30 miles each way to get coffee, a waffle and hashbrowns.”

Competitor 1

“Hash browns looked good, tasted burnt.”

4817

111

Competitor 6

Competitor 1

Total “hash brown” Mentions


Additional Restaurant Chains Being Discussed(Redacted)’s breakfast is often discussed – the hash browns are mentioned sometimes, but more so as it relates to the hash brown casserole (which receives positive marks)


Competitor 7 Sentiment is Fairly Positive Sentiment around Competitor 7’s current breakfast menu, specifically the hash browns, is

positive, however there are mixed reviews as well just as with any restaurant chain Overall, people enjoy Competitor 7 because of the good service they receive Breakfast is positively reviewed, aside from remarks about the food being “average” The most positive remarks, especially from Urbanspoon are about the Competitor 7’s pies and the

kind service Compared the most to Competitor 2 for atmosphere and sometimes food; “western Competitor 2”


Competitor 7 Demographics & Audience Segments Male to female ratio of conversation

participation is fairly equal Competitor 7 skews to an older audience These people discuss more of the

atmosphere than the food The most recommended breakfast option

is the crepes

Age

Gender


Perception of Competitor 1 Before & After Switch Data cannot be found for mentions of the

hash brown product switch right after it happened, there were only 158 mentions of Competitor 1’s hash browns and they were mostly positive on social channels.

A few mentions of Competitor 1 hash browns included them not being prepared well, however people said they looked good.


Competitor 1 Demographics & Audience Segments

Ages 36-50 generate most mentions which usually come from blogs, forums or Facebook rather than Twitter

Discuss service and quality of food in more detail

Younger mentions are usually Foursquare check-ins

Females hold the slightest majority of conversations around Competitor 1

Females tend to post on social channels more about going to restaurants

Age

Gender


PRE

POST

c

c

Competitor 1: Pre and Post-Switch Sample Posts

market insights study: consumer hashbrown trends

Marketing

hash brown iterations

client xyz hash brown

position of hash brown

key insights

present insights data

key client xyz customers

brand focus

content needs