• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, July 6, 2010

The Burgerville QSR chain is using a branded YouTube channel, Burgerville TV, to combine its fresh, local, sustainable food brand message with the support of grassroots community efforts that contribute to the accessibility of sustainable food.

The new branded channel is hosted by president/CEO Jeff Harvey, who introduces the brand-posted videos offered.

In an introductory "Meet the president/CEO" video, Harvey talks about Burgerville's philosophy and explains that Burgerville TV will let customers in on the behind-the-scenes practices and decisions that go into its menu offerings.

Citing the brand's close relationships with the communities it serves and research from The Hunger Project showing that communities can break the cycle of hunger by creating their own sustainable food systems/structures, Harvey also introduces a new Burgerville "Community Champions" program -- the first in an ongoing series of efforts to help create and promote local sustainable food initiatives. Every six weeks, Burgerville TV will feature a different leader of a local sustainability effort, with a video explaining each champion's work and cause.

In addition, Burgerville will work with each project leader to create unique menu items, with a portion of all sales from the items to go toward the respective leader's cause.

Burgerville TV also features videos on the menu items and developments at the chain, such as its recently rolled-out Nutricate receipt program, in which customers get a personalized receipt showing the details of the calories and other nutritional information for their orders (and suggestions for reducing calories, fat content etc. on their next orders, if desired).

Burgerville TV subscribers can post comments, and the new branded channel is being promoted on the chain's Facebook page and Twitter account.

"We're very excited about this new way to engage our guests," Harvey commented to Marketing Daily, by email. "Social Web sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are media that provide the opportunity for us to open a two-way dialogue with our guests and invite interaction and engagement that we can't do elsewhere. The Burgerville TV platform allows us to visually connect with our guests more directly and personally than ever before."

In addition to sharing updates on the company and its menu offerings, Burgerville TV represents "another chance for us to share how Burgerville is making an impact in the local communities we serve with restaurants and reinforce our vision of supporting the development of self-reliant communities," Harvey added.