Brand Takes Flavor on the Road to 12 College Football Matchups
Once again proving its commitment to college sports, Zaxby’s is rolling out “Zaxby’s Fanz of Flavor,” an interactive college tailgate experience, this football season. Through a partnership with IMG, the brand is taking its flavor on the road to 12 exciting matchups across its footprint.
“Zaxby’s has been at the forefront of sports partnerships for years, at the national and local levels, and ‘Zaxby’s Fanz of Flavor’ falls right in line,” said Will Riley, vice president of Brand Management and Marketing at Zaxby’s Franchising LLC. “The tailgate experience is a perfect way for us to unite the brand’s love for our fans, love of flavor and love for college football. We are excited to share this with our loyal Zaxby’s fanatics in each of these towns.”
Football fanatics at each stop will enjoy the “Zaxby’s Fanz of Flavor” tailgate activities, which will take place in a large custom-built structure designed and built by My Friend’s Nephew, an Atlanta-based creative advertising and design studio. By leveraging the breakthrough technology of Vive, the new virtual reality system from HTC, fans will be able to paint a three-dimensional Big Z, Zaxby’s mascot and virtually tour a Zaxby’s location.
“Our objective was to give people the chance to engage in an experience that goes beyond the typical swag,” said Josh Robinson, executive creative director and principal at My Friend’s Nephew. “We hope that everyone, from those who are hearing the Zaxby’s name for the first time to long-time fanatics, will discover that flavor and fun are at the heart of the brand.” The entire session will be captured on video and emailed to participants. Those interested are able to learn more and view videos at www.Zaxbys.com/FanzofFlavor. In addition to the virtual reality experience, fans will have an opportunity to compete for prizes at “Flavorize Your Fandom” stations and deck themselves out in body paint with help from two master body painters.
Tour stops include:
- Sept. 4 – University of Texas vs. Notre Dame
- Sept. 10 – TCU vs. Arkansas
- Sept. 17 – Arkansas vs. Texas State
- Sept. 24 – Western Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt
- Oct. 1 – FSU vs. UNC
- Oct. 8 – University of Texas vs. Oklahoma
- Oct. 15 – Georgia Tech vs. Georgia Southern
- Oct. 29 – South Carolina vs. Tennessee
- Nov. 5 – Ole Miss vs. Georgia Southern
- Nov. 10 – Duke vs. UNC
- Nov. 19 – Tennessee vs. Missouri
- Nov. 26 – Virginia Tech vs. Virginia
“Zaxby’s is committed to providing a memorable, interactive experience to their fans, and the Zaxby’s Fanz of Flavor tour is a creative way to interact with its core audience,” said Andrew Judelson, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, IMG College. “We are proud to work alongside Zaxby’s as the brand evolves in the collegiate space.”
Zaxby’s currently operates in 17 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
enjoys “Zaxby’s Fanz of Flavor” interactive college tailgate experience.
Enjoying great chicken in an atmosphere where you could be yourself? That’s what childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley wanted to achieve when they founded Zaxby’s back in the 1990s. Many years and locations later, Zaxby’s is still delivering on that promise: to serve delicious chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads in a fun, offbeat atmosphere where we welcome customers as friends. As of September 2016, Zaxby’s has grown to more than 700 locations in 17 states and is headquartered in Athens, Georgia. For more information, visit zaxbys.com or zaxbysfranchising.com.
IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency.
