• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, October 2, 2015

Bojangles’ Restaurants is launching a TV, mobile, in-store and paid social advertising campaign focused on a new, branded emoji keyboard.

The campaign also aims to sustain word-of-mouth momentum for “It’s Bo Time,” a five-year-old tagline that's become something of a Southern catchphrase, by encouraging fans to use the app to "speak Bomoji."

Bojangles’ is far from the first QSRchain to introduce an emoji keyboard, but says it designed its app to be more "conversational," with most of the 61 symbols offered standing for things that fans might think or say about Bojangles', rather than depicting the chain's foods. 

For instance, there are keystrokes for “I propose we share a Bo Big Box!,” “I’m thinking chicken legs” and, of course, for “It’s Bo Time.” 

Fleeting, five- and ten-second TV spots show bubbles meant to convey text-messages ("Hungry?" "Yes!"); urge viewers to download the Bojangles' emoji keyboard (showing the Apple App Store logo and a splash page, Bomoji.com); and end with: "It's Bomoji Time!"

Other elements include mobile Flash and video banners targeting frequent QSRdiners and digital/mobile enthusiasts (via networks BlueKai, Cross Pixel, eXelate, Neustar, Acxiom, and Datalogix). The banners are geo-targeted (via Dstillery) within two miles of Bojangles’ locations. 

There is also geo- and interest-targeted paid social on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, plus heavy in-restaurant Bomoji promotions.  

"Bojangles' following on social media is practically cult-like among the Millennials and Gen Z-ers who consumer media through their phones,"

the brand's social and digital strategist, Colby Anderson, tells Marketing Daily. "Emojis are the new visual vernacular for those generations, so we knew that the keyboard and this campaign would be a great fit for Bojangles'." 

Anderson says that Bojangles' has run several successful digital promotions. Bomojis are viewed as a long-term branding tool (an Android version will be released soon) and part of the brand's strategy to reach consumers through all digital platforms.

The app and the advertising creative are from the BooneOakley agency (which, like Bojangles', is based in Charlotte, N.C.). Crossmedia, New York, handled the media buying. The ads will run across 36 DMAs, most in the Southeast. 

The Bojangles’ chicken and biscuits chain has some 600 locations in 10 states, ranging from Mississippi to Florida and north to Pennsylvania, plus Washington, D.C.