A&W RESTAURANTS - Reinventing An American Icon

Established in 1919, A&W made its name as the first chain of roadside restaurants, serving signature root beer and classic American food. Boomers fondly remember the “carhop era” and have strong associations with the iconic restaurant. Unfortunately, the same isn’t necessarily true for Millennials. With “A&W 2.0,” we developed a brand refresh that would remind Boomers what they love about A&W while simultaneously engaging a new generation of customers, coinciding with the development of new fast-casual restaurant concept. Our basis for connecting with both targets for A&W was a branding identity internally known as “Hip Nostalgia.” With responsible consideration, we aimed to protect the brand’s established heritage and equity, even as we looked to chart a bold new path. Hip Nostalgia became the foundation for everything we built for A&W. In developing a fresh identity rooted in the brand’s rich heritage, we looked back to look forward. Using a tried and true process, we closely traced the brand’s history to find a sense of timelessness, and connected it to the values of our audience, inspiring big creative thinking, dissecting ideas and judging our approach objectively against our working goals. Agency: Cornett + A&W Brand Team