1. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 1
Mackenzie Eckman, Colin Gregory & Macaela Jones
Limestone Pizza SMP
Limestone Pizza Kitchen Bar
1. Campaign Objective
○ To build brand awareness and recognition which will be evident by an increase
sales of 10 percent by the end of May 2016.
2. Campaign Strategy
○ To change the image of Limestone from a pizza place to a delicious multifaceted
eatery that cares about the local community.
3. Client: Key Facts
○ Limestone was opened in April 2014.
○ The owners of Limestone are Rick Martin, Charlie Rascoll, Debbie Rascoll and
Mike Humphrey.
○ The general manager is Sarah Soderling.
○ “The mission of Limestone is to provide uniquely excellent food, beverage,
atmosphere & service for the people by the people” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ 814 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS (Gish, 2014).
○ Hours: MondaySaturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), Sunday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (“Limestone Home Page,” 2015).
○ “We like being Green & supporting local producers” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “Our service is customer focused,dedicated and driven. The customer’s
experience is a measure of our success. Every customer should leave feeling
'wow'ed, every time, by our food, our delivery, under our care” (“About Us,”
2015).
5. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 5
■ “54% of our food & beverage purchases are locally sourced” (“About Us,”
2015).
■ “Everything in the kitchen, they say, is regionally sourced, including the
Kansas flour in the pizza crust” (Ferruzza, 2014).
■ “Martin and his staff make their own Braunschweiger — and their own
chili paste, ketchup, pastrami, mozzarella, sauerkraut, sausage, and
pickles” (Ferruzza, 2014).
■ Everything served at Limestone is made from scratch.
● Summary: The food produced by Limestone is made from scratch
using fresh ingredients guaranteeing delicious food.
5. Target Audience: Demographics and Psychographics
○ The target audience of Limestone is 2145 yearold eco friendly, organic and
trendy men and women.
○ The following quotes support our decision for the target audience.
■ “Kelly Weikel, senior consumer research manager for Technomic, says
Millennials are an indepth group that understands healthy eating and
desires more unprocessed, natural foods. ‘Foodservice to them is just so
ingrained in their lifestyle,’ she says. ‘They’re relying on it; it’s a part of
their life’” (Oches, 2012).
■ “Though the recession was particularly hard on Millennials, members of
the generation commit the largest portion of their food expenditures to
food away from home among all generations. Some 45.2 percent of
25–34yearolds’ food expenditures is spent away from home, according
to The Food Institute’s “Demographics of Consumer Food Spending:
6. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 6
2012” report. The share climbs to 46.1 percent for Americans under 25”
(Oches, 2012).
■ “[Younger consumers] are looking for more exotic flavors,” he adds”
(Oches, 2012).
■ “It's important to understand that Millennials are not a onesizefitsall
generation and their needs and wants are varied" (Kelso, 2012).
■ “According to sociologist Paul H. Ray, over 50 million Americans share
interests characterized by social and environmental values aimed at
making the world a better place. Although these "cultural creatives," as he
calls them, do not necessarily share demographic traits such as race, sex
and age, they do share a set of values including an interest in healthy
food. For cultural creatives, healthy food is a choice based on an overall
desire to live well, integrating holistic eating with sensible, sustainable
lifestyle choices” (Gartenstein, N.A.).
■ “Affluent customers are part of the target market for a healthy restaurant
in part because they are able to afford healthy food” (Gartenstein, N.A.).
■ “Not all healthy restaurants offer fare that children are inclined to enjoy,
but a healthy restaurant that makes an effort to include kids' items on its
menu will certainly appeal to parents who are concerned about what their
children eat” (Gartenstein, N.A.).
6. Product Benefits
○ “All of our carryout packaging is recyclable or compostable” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “All of our dining room lighting is lowenergy consuming LEDs” (“About Us,”
2015).
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○ “KU’s biodiesel program recycles our used frying oil. Do your part, eat more fries”
(“About Us,” 2015).
7. Direct Competitors and Brand Image
○ 715 is a top competitor of Limestone Pizza.
■ The restaurant 715 is a European bistro with primarily Italianstyle dishes
and a large variety of drink specials. It’s located at 715 Massachusetts St,
hence the name.
■ The brand image of 715 is positive, with customers liking the unique drink
choices, friendly service and tasty food.
● Customers who eat at 715 commented on several websites about
it, saying that is was their favorite place in Lawrence. On Yelp, one
customer raved: “I love the atmosphere but I especially love the
food!” (“Yelp 715,” 2015)
○ The restaurant Merchants Pub and Plate is also a direct competitor of LImestone
Pizza, according to Rick Martin.
■ The restaurant Merchants is an American sitdown restaurant with similar
values and clientele as Limestone. It is also on Mass. Street.
■ Its brand image is positive, with customers praising the unique dishes
such as yam fries and quinoa burgers.
● Customers who eat at Merchants commented on several websites
about it, saying they liked the wide selection of craft beers and
local ingredients. On Yelp, one customer praised Merchants,
saying it had “High end food and drinks at a reasonable price”
(Yelp Merchants Pub & Plate, 2015).
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○ Free State Brewing Company is another direct competitor of Limestone Pizza.
■ It is described as an easygoing brewpub with hearty food selections. As
with most of Limestone’s direct competitors, it is located on Mass. Street.
■ Free State’s brand image is that it is an institution in Lawrence, as the
restaurant has been around since 1989. This brand recognition within
Lawrence gives it a leg up over its newer competitors.
● Customers who go to Free State commented on several websites
about it, praising the diverse selection of craft beers and the
wholesome food (“Yelp Freestate,” 2015).
○ The owners of Limestone Pizza determined that Port Fonda is one of its direct
competitors.
■ Port Fonda is a popular and upscale Mexican restaurant located on New
Hampshire Street. The original Port Fonda is located in Westport, and the
Lawrence restaurant opened summer 2015. Westport is an entertainment
district in Kansas City.
■ Its brand image is mostly positive, with customers liking the inside decor
and the good service. Please note that most reviews for Port Fonda are
for the Westport location. The Lawrence location has yet to receive many
reviews from customers, because of its newness.
● Customers who visit Port Fonda commented on several websites,
saying that the layout and look of the restaurant was fascinating
and the food was generally good. There were more negative
reviews for Port Fonda than for other direct competitors, with
some customers calling the food overpriced and overrated.
9. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 9
However, the reviews were primarily positive.5 (“Yelp Port Fonda”,
2015) (“Zomato Port Fonda,” 2015).
8. Indirect Competitors and Brand Image
○ An indirect competitor of Limestone Pizza is Wheatfields Bakery and Cafe.
■ Wheatfields is an allday restaurant the serves breakfast, lunch and
dinner. The menu is very simple. It is most popular with the breakfast
crowd. It’s located on Vermont Street in Lawrence.
● It is an indirect competitor because it is located near Limestone
and offers wholesomelycrafted food. It’s a different kind of
restaurant than Limestone, as it serves primarily breakfast and
sandwiches, and does not serve pizza. Although Yelp claims that
it serves beer and wine, none of the customer reviews mention
this, nor does its menu.
● Wheatfields’ brand image is very positive. Customers love the
fresh bread and tasty ingredients. It’s known around Lawrence as
a great place for any meal of the day, and it received praise for its
casual atmosphere.
● Customers who visited Wheatfields commented about the
restaurant, saying, “I have never bought bread from bakeries but
after trying this I will never get mass produced bread again!” This
review was from Yelp, and reviews from that site were universally
glowing (“Yelp Wheatfields,” 2015).
○ Another indirect competitor of Limestone Pizza is Pyramid Pizza.
■ Pyramid Pizza is a latenight pizza place on Mass. Street.
12. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 12
■ Customers commented about Limestone, saying:
● “I was so excited when this restaurant opened, and I can honestly
say the food and atmosphere are fantastic” (“Yelp Limestone,”
2015).
● “Oh yeah!!! More than a pizza lover's place....its a pizza, fresh
ingredients, Artisan cheese, place with a good beer selection and
a very tasty house vanilla soda. Eat here, food made well by folks
who know that good ingredients count” (“Tripadvisor Limestone,”
2015).
● “Let me tell you a little something. If you live in Lawrence and
haven't had this pizza, you're not right in the head” (“Tripadvisor
Limestone,” 2015).
● “Latest surprises: the wine on tap, particularly the Sicilians are
wonderful and are served in a plain glass container which I find
refreshing” (“Tripadvisor Limestone,” 2015).
● “Named for the behemoth oven surrounded by limestone in the
open kitchen and the exposed limestone walls, the restaurant's
decor is casual and welcoming, just like the accessible menu and
friendly staff” (“Tripadvisor Limestone,” 2015).
● “This place has some dang good pizza. I think it's a little
unconventionalthey have some crazy specials ("biscuits and
gravy"w[hat]) but they always make it taste good” (“Tripadvisor
Limestone,” 2015).
14. Eckman, Gregory & Jones 14
10. Strategic Message: The Promise
○ The Strategic Message of Limestone is to promise to stay true to midwestern
values and locally sourced ingredients. It promises to produce highquality,
seasonallyrotating culinary creations.
○ Suggested slogan: “From the heartland to our hearth, food made the right way.”
■ Summary: Limestone offers fresh, delicious, locally sourced products that
are constantly changing with the seasons.
11. Supporting Evidence: The Proof
○ “We like being Green & supporting local producers” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “Our service is customer focused,dedicated and driven. The customer’s
experience is a measure of our success. Every customer should leave feeling
'wow'ed, every time, by our food, our delivery, under our care” (“About Us,”
2015).
○ “We are all respectful of our space and its role in creating a comfortable
atmosphere for our customers and ourselves. We will provide the same level of
service in our work with our peers as we do with our guests. We go the extra mile
for each other. We are polite, supportive, considerate, good listeners, working on
the basis of mutual respect, care and good humor” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “We are concerned with all aspects of our community. This is reflected in our
support of local agriculture, our recycling program, limiting our waste plus an
emphasis on community outreach & education. We want to be a welcome
addition to the growing food culture of our town and a gathering place for our
fellow citizens” (“About Us,” 2015).
![Eckman, Gregory & Jones 2
○ “We are all respectful of our space and its role in creating a comfortable
atmosphere for our customers and ourselves. We will provide the same level of
service in our work with our peers as we do with our guests. We go the extra mile
for each other. We are polite, supportive, considerate, good listeners, working on
the basis of mutual respect, care and good humor” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “We are concerned with all aspects of our community. This is reflected in our
support of local agriculture, our recycling program, limiting our waste plus an
emphasis on community outreach & education. We want to be a welcome
addition to the growing food culture of our town and a gathering place for our
fellow citizens” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ “We will cultivate a learning environment, fostering skills that empower our
employees as professionals. Management is always open to learning from
employees as well. Shared knowledge equals shared success” (“About Us,”
2015).
○ “While we have goals other than purely financial ones, in order to achieve those,
we must first & foremost, realize a healthy profit. We all, as a group, work hard to
make our business a thriving, profitable enterprise” (“About Us,” 2015).
○ Part owner and head baker of Limestone is Mikey Humphrey, who attended the
famed San Francisco Baking Institute (“About Us,” 2015).
○ Humphrey also was the former head baker at Wheatfields (Gish, 2014).
○ “[Part owner and] Chef [Rick] Martin has a deeprooted passion for supporting
Farm to School programs and school gardening, founding the nonprofit
Homegrown Lawrence in 2010 to fundraise for school gardening initiatives and
he trains school foodservice staff throughout the state” (“About Us,” 2015).](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)