Whitbread
Driving digital performance for 28 million customers
Our story
With 50,000 team members serving over 28 million customers a month, Whitbread operates some of the UK’s most popular and recognisable brands. From its humble beginnings as a small brewer some 275 years ago, the now FTSE 100 company owns a hospitality empire comprising Premier Inn, now the UK’s largest Hotel chain, and their 7 restaurant brands.
We’ve been working together since 2012 helping to create, mould and deliver various digital strategies. Over this time our relationship has not only helped their business grow and adapt to a digital-first world, but has also played a big part in our own story too.
Bar + Block
When the flagship Birmingham restaurant opened its doors in 2016 we were right alongside, serving up a from-scratch digital strategy to build excitement and awareness. Covering everything from the launch and management of their social channels to tactical paid digital advertising, we brought Bar + Block to life through building a relevant and engaged online audience.
“Engage’s enthusiasm for our brands is never wavering and they approach every new challenge with flair and creativity. They’re reliable, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with”
Caroline Dickens, Senior Marketing Operations Manager
Mr Men Family Portraits
Together with Beefeater, we partnered with the iconic Mr Men & Little Miss to build an experience that has been played over 500k times to date. Family Portraits lets fans immortalise their family in the likeness of their favourite Mr Men through a fun and socially shareable game mechanic. It even managed to pick up a few awards along the way too.
Premier Inn digital screens
We brought breakfast to the big screen for the UK’s most popular hotel chain through a range of videos that can be viewed in lobbies of Premier Inns nationwide.
Whitbread Inns
Whitbread Inns was created in 2014 as a nod to Whitbread’s brewer roots. The concept is local Inns serving quality pub food food and ales in a warm and friendly atmosphere. We developed a from-scratch digital marketing strategy to support the new venture, along with website and paid support. Today the brand has expanded into 10+ locations across the south of England.
“Engage have been an integral part of our Marketing Team since 2012, supporting all of our restaurant brands with digital marketing activity”
Caroline Dickens, Senior Marketing Operations Manager
Together, a force for good
It’s not all work though and over the years we’ve pledged our support to Whitbread in their ongoing fundraising for a charity close to all of our hearts, Great Ormond St Hospital.
2018 marks a milestone in their partnership with the grand opening of the Premier Inn Clinical Building at the hospital, an amazing new facility helping those children that need it the most and built with donations from Whitbread themselves, their customer and suppliers.
