Gen Z Says ‘You Better Applebee’s There’ in New Social Campaign

US dining chain Applebee’s has launched a new campaign on TikTok highlighting their Late Night Half Price Appetizer menu this summer.

The campaign plays into Applebee’s reputation as a social hub, seeing a series of friend archetypes – The Queen Bee, The Instigator, The Flirt, and more – encourage you to come and join them in enjoying the restaurant’s Late Night Half Price Appetizers.

Ultimately celebrating the simple pleasure of hanging out, The Local Collective’s creative vision targets gen z and younger millennials who want to finally get the group chat together in real life. The clips aim to give extra support to those making it happen for the friend group while appealing to the full spectrum of personalities that people know and love, all the way from the extrovert leading the charge to the introvert who needs a little extra coaxing. Whichever you are, ‘You Better Applebee’s There!’

The young talent featured brings the creative to life, each one believably representing the diversity of the target audience. Most of the dialogue that made it into the finished campaign was developed during the filming process, as the actors fully settled into the roles and grew more familiar with the characters they were tasked with portraying.

Matt Litzinger, founder and chief creative officer of The Local Collective, comments, “This project is very in line with the type of work brands come to us for. It's all about connecting on a deeper level with your audience, breaking through in a way that feels real to them. It feels culturally relevant to them. This campaign is a two-way playful conversation with their customer. When you are talking about late night, you have to have some fun with it. It's all about creating work and messaging that can entertain and bring in that next generation of Applebee's lovers. And as an agency, this is what we are all about.”