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In working with brands to connect them with the ever-growing number of Latinas using social media, learning more about how brands are marketing to Latinos is always of interest to us. That’s why when we heard about Denny’s first national online marketing campaign focused on the Latino community, we wanted to find out more about their efforts. The campaign includes videos in both Spanish (featured above) and English (found below) starring Cesar Millán as the “Skillet Whisperer” and features Millán helping a family tame an unruly Sizzlin’ Skillet.

We dug deeper to learn more about Denny’s plans for reaching out to Latinos and talked with the Vice President of Marketing for Denny’s, John Dillon.

Denny’s Marketing to Latinos: Interview with Denny’s VP of Marketing, John Dillon

Why is engaging with Latino consumers important to Denny’s?

Denny’s enjoys strong relationships with our Hispanic guests, which make up the fastest growing demographic at our restaurants and in the U.S. overall. We are committed to building the Denny’s brand and increasing awareness of the Denny’s experience among consumers of all different demographics. While Denny’s has been running dedicated, Spanish-language campaigns on national radio and television for at least a decade, we recently appointed Casanova-Pendrill to help us create more innovative campaigns for this audience and engage with Hispanics in new ways beyond traditional advertising.

Why was partnering with someone like Cesar Millán essential to Denny’s strategy in reaching out to the Latino market? How do you envision the Skillet Whisperer campaign will help in engaging with your Latino consumers?

The Skillet Whisperer video with Cesar Millan is our first foray into Hispanic branded entertainment as we look to increase engagement with this audience through online marketing and social media. The video not only gets our brand and our Sizzlin’ Skillets limited time offering out there, but it is doing so in an entertaining way. We recognized Cesar’s popularity among Hispanic guests in the United States. Our guests are able to connect with him in a familiar way and his values are in line with the core attributes of the Denny’s brand. In addition, the video was produced in Spanish with Hispanic actors (including Cesar’s son Calvin) with the goal of being authentic to the viewer and connecting with them in a new way.

How is the Skillet Whisperer video being received by the Latino community?

In the past we’ve been successful with our marketing and reaching Hispanics on a local and a national level, and believe the Skillet Whisperer video takes engagement to the next level. We’re also fortunate that Denny’s is an iconic brand well embraced among Hispanics seeking a traditional American meal and experience.

What is next for Denny’s marketing team?

For more than 50 years, Denny’s has been a part of the fabric of the American lifestyle and our goal with the ‘America’s Diner is Always Open’ brand positioning is to remind our regular, diverse group of customers of Denny’s accessibility and value-oriented menu, while also serving as a platform to introduce the next generation of Denny’s guests to the joys of classic American comfort food at whatever time of the day or night they may choose. We’ll look forward to continue engaging with all Denny’s guests and finding refreshing ways to connect with different demographics across all media platforms.

Does Denny’s Skillet Whisperer video speak to you?

About Ella Media

Ella Media focuses on connecting businesses with today's digital Latina and provides digital marketing and consulting services for large brands, small businesses, and social media savvy women.