Choosing the right brand ambassador

MANILA, Philippines - Max’s Restaurant, one of the country’s leading fast-casual dining restaurants known as “the House that Fried Chicken Built,” has recently introduced its newest brand ambassador.

It was only after almost five decades that Max’s Restaurant decided to innovate and engage celebrity endorsers to boost its sales.

Max’s Restaurant vice president for corporate marketing and part-owner Jim Fuentebella recalled a surge in the company’s revenues after getting its first celebrity endorser Gary Valenciano in the early 90’s. 

Several years after, it signed matinee idol Piolo Pascual and Isabel Oli in a series of TV commercials which made famous Max’s slogan, “Sarap to the Bones” (“Delicious to the Bones”).

“Getting someone popular to endorse our products had put Max’s in the map. With this move, sales spike,” said Fuentebella. 

But Fuentebella pointed out that the selection of a “brand ambassador” does not come easy.

Edgar Allan Caper, Max’s marketing director, said they want to be very careful in choosing who would best fit the profile of a brand ambassador. 

“Max’s is a mature brand with 68 years of colorful history. And over the years, Max’s has successfully transitioned to capture the younger and more adventurous niche of Filipino diners with its creative marketing strategies and innovations. We want somebody fresh and could relate to the story of success of Max’s,” Caper said.

In July 2012, Max’s commissioned a three-month survey and the name of Coco Martin topped the list.

“He (Coco) appears to be well-loved, across all ages, all demographics. Coco captures A to D market,” said Caper.

After locking up a three-year contract in October last year, Max’s recently launched Coco with a new tagline “Ang Sarap, Ang Tamis!” .

Max’s marketing team said Coco is the best pick as the new brand ambassador because he could relate  to Max’s experience after being a food server in one of its branches more than a decade ago.

 â€œWe saw in Coco a great Filipino story of perseverance and hope with which Max’s was also built on. We see a great connection between Max’s and Coco and that’s why we believe we have found the perfect partner for Max’s,” added Caper.

It was also at Max’s where Coco got discovered.  While dining at Max’s, a talent scout  from one of the leading television networks in the country saw his potentials and asked  him to audition for a youth talent search.  This opened up the doors for Coco in showbusiness.

“Coco captured our attention because of his life story. In a lot of ways, he shares values that are inherent to Max’s – passion for what you do and love for the Filipino family. This is how Max’s story unravels everyday,” shared Caper. 

Coco’s story

Rodel Cortez Nacianceno in real life, the 31-year old award-winning actor had waited for a long time to get where he is now.

Taking the advice of his grandmother, Coco finished his Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management education at the National College of Business and Arts (NCBA) before venturing into the limelight. 

As good things come to those who wait, Coco eventually got his much-awaited break in the showbiz industry, and earned his title as the Prince of Philippine Independent Films. He also starred in the phenomenal and critically acclaimed television series Tayong Dalawa and Walang Hanggan.

Coco, an entrepreneur by heart, has invested on real estate and transport business from his first paycheck as an actor. Coco, who values his hard-earned money, also admits he is a wise spender. Saving for the future, he keeps accounts in three big banks in the country. 

If given a chance, Coco would really want to run a restaurant business someday as he does not only love cooking, he also believes he has the skills to offer good food and service to Filipino customers.

Expansion plans

Max’s started its operations in 1945.  Maximo Gimenez, a teacher who had graduated from Stanford University, decided to open a café which served chicken, steak, and drinks after the World War II. He was joined by his wife Mercedes, sister-in-law Felipa Serrano Sanvictores, his niece Ruby who managed the kitchen, and her husband Claro. They decided to name the restaurant “Max’s” after Maximo.

Max’s Restaurant started franchising in 1998. A franchise is currently priced at P5 million depending on the location and size of the restaurant.

To date, Max’s currently has over 130 branches in the Philippines. The chain also has seven branches in the United States, two in Canada and three in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) States.

Capitalizing on the popularity of its new brand ambassador, Max’s plans to intensify efforts to further expand its network in the international market.

“We have plans to have international launch for our new ambassador but we are still studying it,” Fuentebella said.

It plans to put up about 10 more branches in  Australia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and other parts of US.

Fuentebella said investments vary depending on location and size of the new branch. But on an average, it could range from $700,000 to $1 million per branch.