Stirring souls and selling bowls the wagamama way, through the secret power of cinema

Stirring souls and selling bowls the wagamama way, through the secret power of cinema

With consumer confidence falling and closures in the casual dining sector, wagamama responded by focusing on brand building over price promotions. It targeted younger diners (‘Urban Butterflies’) with distinctive cinema ads, expanding the approach after a successful test to London, where wagamama earns 45% of its revenue. In 2019, TV was added as a secondary channel. Sales in control outlets near cinemas rose, as did brand metrics and purchase intent. It is estimated that overall the activity delivered 440,000 incremental customers in 2019, with penetration growing among the targeted group. Advertising’s return is calculated at £10.80 per £1 invested.