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DENVER - Watch your back, Jared.
The longtime pitchman for sandwich segment leader Subway has some new competition: the talking toaster starring in ads for the Toasty Torpedo, the new $4 sandwich from Denver-based Quiznos Sub.
Marketing experts say the commercials have broken through with authences at a crucial time for the sandwich segment, when Quiznos and Domino's Pizza have entered the fray with new sandwich products at or under the $5 price point that's been so successful for Subway.
The humorous Quiznos spots use the toaster's deep baritone to announce not only the $4 price point, which undercuts Subway's $5 footlong, but also to reinforce its traditional point of differentiation.
"At Quiznos, it's all about the toasting," said Trey Hall, chief marketing officer for the more than 4,500-unit chain. "So who better than the toaster itself [to be a spokesman]?"
The $4 Toasty Torpedo, launched March 23, and the accompanying ads have been a boon to Quiznos' value perception, according to research firm Brandlndex. Quiznos' value score measured by Brandindex went from 12.1 for all adults March 2 to an 18.7 value March 26. Among survey respondents aged 18 to 34, Quiznos' value score hit 20.4 on March 25 and reached a high of 27.4 on April 8.
By comparison, Subway's value score started from a much higher score of 50.1 on March 2. The score reached as high...