Denny’s has announced the launch of its celebrity Web series, “Always Open,” in partnership with Will Arnett and Jason Bateman’s digital content and production studio, DumbDumb and Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio, Electus.
The show is an extension of Denny’s latest nationwide campaign developed by ad agency Gotham and adds depth to the new "America’s Diner is always open" platform, allowing even more consumers access to the Denny’s experience of a warm and welcoming place where friends and family get together.
Hosted by comedic actor David Koechner, of Anchorman, SNL and The Office fame, "Always Open" launched its first episode on March 7 at www.collegehumor.com/alwaysopen.
In the first show Koechner sits in a Denny’s booth where he casually interviews Jason Bateman. In upcoming episodes he’ll chat with Will Arnett, Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, Will Forte, and Kristin Bell. All episodes take place on premise in a live, working Denny’s restaurant, where Koechner meets up with his comedic celeb cohorts for an anything-goes, three-minute interview. Diners and employees of Denny’s will interact with the celebrities in the show, further integrating Denny’s brand and content. ‘Always Open’ will be distributed across CollegeHumor.com, Denny’s.com, DumbDumb.com, and will also be accessible via YouTube, Facebook, and other Web sites.
“For more than 50 years Denny’s has been a place where people come together to enjoy good food and conversation,” says Frances Allen, Denny’s chief marketing officer. “The ‘Always Open’ series utilizes celebrities to draw attention to the kinds of dialogue you’ll overhear all the time at Denny’s—sometimes funny, sometimes heartwarming, but always authentic.”
“We at DumbDumb are excited to be partnering with Denny’s in delivering a talent like Dave Koechner within a format that’s perfectly suited to showcase his unique comedic slant,” Will Arnett and Jason Bateman say. “Going forward, we hope that ’Always Open’ establishes itself as a natural destination for many of today’s top figures in the entertainment industry. Frankly, we think this show is a grand slamwich.”
The idea for an interview segment was conceived by Gotham, of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG).
“When we created the ‘Always Open’ brand platform for Denny’s, we did it with every intention of spreading that message across all media platforms,” says Marty Orzio, chief creative officer at Gotham. “The partnership with DumbDumb and Electus gives Denny’s the chance to speak to their customers in a fresh, fun way, while reinforcing its new brand positioning.”
“Major forward-thinking brands like Denny’s recognize that the traditional advertising model has transformed significantly over the last few years and are embracing new ways of reaching their consumers online,” says Laura Caraccioli-Davis, EVP of advertising solutions of Electus. “As one of America’s most iconic brands, we are excited to team up with Denny’s to not only create great content, but to help the brand express its values and personality to a broad audience and to truly enhance its presence nationwide.”
The next two interviews will air on Wednesday, March 23 and Wednesday, April 6.
