QSR Media talks to Trios Wraps

David Elia – Managing Director of Trios Wraps talks to Justine Charlton about the exciting new phase Trios Wraps has embarked on and the reasoning behind their recent rebranding.

(1) Why did Trios rebrand to Trios Wraps?
We have been around since 2002 and have been fortunate to enjoy consistent loyalty from our customers. That said, we also realize that consumer buying patterns and behaviour has been changing – especially amongst our target demographic of Generation X and Generation Y – they are looking for instant gratification in a very personal (yet personable) environment. We felt that by rebranding to include the word ‘Wraps’ in our brand identity, we can successfully reinforce our brand proposition – and develop a stronger identity. It has become imperative that we connect – emotionally – with our target customers.

(2) How is it being received?
It is still early days but so far the response has been overwhelming. We have refurbished one of our Melbourne CBD locations and are in the process of refurbishing two company owned stores. That said, we have started rolling out our revised identity and menu panels across the network and customer feedback has been extremely positive. We always knew that by incorporating a deeper, earthier colour palette that we would appeal to a younger demographic – but we definitely were not expecting the affirmative comments that we have gathered over the past month. Customers have been excited about the new look and the new menu – especially some of the flavour profiles we have just introduced.

(3) What design elements did you have to think about during the rebranding?
We have in essence examined every consumer touch point – from interiors to packaging – and by studying the customer purchase path, we have redeveloped every element that the consumer interacts with, to be true to our brand archetype. It started from the basics of the brand identity – to showcase the word ‘wraps’ in our deconstructed font and spilled over to interiors (our deeper, earthier colour palette of recycled timber and grey panels) to packaging (minimalism with brand impact) and finally to environmental branding (by using the deconstructed font to highlight thought provoking and humorous messaging). We don’t take ourselves too seriously at Trios Wraps and wanted this to be clear on every consumer level. We have relooked colour palettes, primary and secondary fonts and our branding rationale.

(4) What are the expectations of the new branding?
‘Emotionally resonating with our target clientele’. It’s as simple as that. We have no intention of alienating our current customer – and our rebranding wont even affect them (except getting them more excited of course) but by incorporating our new image – which we call ‘grunge chic’ we are attracting more youth and customers who have different expectations from the brand. They expect a truer and deeper taste profile, they expect a spirited and trendy purchase environment and they specifically don’t want to be ‘sold to’ – earthy realism is paramount to them and that’s what we offer at Trios Wraps. Since we have been unveiling ‘snippets’ of our rebranding over the past six months we have seen a surge in international franchise enquiries. We are also receiving a lot of local franchise enquiries and this has been strengthened by an increase in sales for the stores that have introduced the revised menu. Phase II of Trios 360 (our rebranding project) concentrates on social media marketing and aggressive BTL/Local Store Marketing strategies. We are confident that as soon as we introduce this phase we will enjoy an even more committed brand following – and consumer retention marketing is what we are going to be concentrating on over the next 12 months.

(5) What influenced the new design?
The premise behind the new design has predominantly been listening to our consumers and our overseas exposure. Our branding and international development team is very diverse and has a lot of experience with international markets (with each market characterized by cultural differences). This experience and calibre has allowed us to create a very effective and powerful think tank that has led the rebranding project. We have always been on the forefront of trend – and now, after the GFC – we are once again challenging the status quo and developing a trend in terms of design and attitude that is unchartered territory – especially in the QSR industry. To speak to the infamous generations of youth and disposable income has become essential to the success of Trios Wraps (as with any other brand) – the new design is our interpretation of the dialogue.

(6) Who was responsible for the new design?
I have been personally involved with the design process and developing the rationale. After extensive researching we have successfully managed to tie up with a fantastic design team – Dig Creative – who are young and extremely imaginative and artistic in terms of design and application. We wanted an agency that thinks outside the box and that could transform (in essence) our ideas to reality and are fortunate to have developed a strong working relationship with Dig. The project is also headed by our branding and international development stake holder as he brings an international perspective to the project. Finally, the team would be incomplete without the in-depth experience and knowledge of our Director of Marketing Sam Elia.

(7) Has the rebranding also incorporated the food offering?
At Trios Wraps our brand promise is to offer freshly grilled wraps that taste absolutely incredible – in a hip and trendy environment. We have introduced some exciting new flavours and have ‘upped the taste journey’. We have re-examined every recipe and taste profile – and promise to be true to each – whether it’s the punch in our fiery crispy chicken wrap or the heat in our wasabi mayo for the teriyaki chicken wrap. Even our Aussie Bar B wrap, we have made sure, takes you on an ‘emotional taste journey’.

(8) Finally – what is ahead for the next 12 months?
Very exciting times. We have an aggressive development plan for Australia – with franchise enquiries coming in from NSW and Queensland. 2011 will be all about reinforcing the Trios Wraps brand rationale through social media marketing and consumer retention programs.