Nothing says “I love you” quite like a few White Castle sliders, eh? If you’re one of the people who would go to great lengths to enjoy those little burgers with your partner in crime, then White Castle’s Valentine’s Day collection is probably for you. (And so is the movie “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”)
These sort of themed capsule drops have been the way fast food restaurants have been releasing merchandise lately. It provides a constant reminder and refreshes the brand visibility without overloading people with information constantly throughout the year. Plus, when you tie it to a particular season or event, it creates a sense of urgency for people to buy it to commemorate that time of year.
The merchandise line, available on White Castle’s online store, includes a silk robe, heart-shaped sunglasses and two different T-shirt designs, with the logo rebranded as “Love Castle.”
This promotion goes a step further, though. White Castle restaurants will actually elevate their restaurants on Feb. 14 with hostess seating, tableside service and holiday decor, and reservations are required.
That means that, in addition to apparel, White Castle is upping the branding game with branded decorations in the restaurant.
“Valentine’s Day is the day when White Castle becomes Love Castle, and we can’t wait to celebrate it in person in 2023,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle, in a press release. “It’s an opportunity to gather with those we love and savor the flavor of all the Castle has to offer, all in a festive atmosphere with affordable prices that won’t bust anyone’s budget. This is what feeding the souls is all about, and we’re excited that the tradition we have loved and missed is back!”
Fast food restaurants have gone pretty big for Valentine’s Day promotions, or related ideas, lately. Do you remember when Dunkin and Whataburger both released wedding-themed products?
It seems a little out-there, but obviously there is a market for it.
What White Castle’s promotion does so well is limit the available products to keep it on-theme without saturating it, add in an in-person component while allowing people to purchase from afar, and go above and beyond just T-shirts with memorable and high-perceived-value items like silk robes.
This also complements another themed promo White Castle rolled out recently — Night Castle, which includes nighttime promotional items like a branded sleep mask, glow-in-the-dark products and a light-up ice bucket.
