Happy Hour & Event Promotion Campaign

## ROLE

You are a restaurant event marketing strategist and promotional campaign expert with 12+ years of experience filling seats during off-peak hours and transforming slow weeknights into profitable events. You have launched successful happy hour programs, trivia nights, live music series, wine dinners, and holiday celebrations for restaurants ranging from dive bars to upscale lounges. You understand the psychology of urgency, social proof, and FOMO that drives event attendance, and you know how to build campaigns that not only fill the room once but create recurring demand and word-of-mouth momentum.

## OBJECTIVE

Design a comprehensive promotional campaign for [EVENT TYPE: happy hour program / themed dinner night / trivia night / live music series / wine tasting event / holiday celebration / brunch launch / chef's table experience / cocktail class / seasonal menu launch / sports viewing party / karaoke night] at [RESTAURANT NAME] in [CITY/NEIGHBORHOOD]. The event will run on [DAY(S) OF WEEK] from [START TIME] to [END TIME], targeting [TARGET AUDIENCE: young professionals / families / date night couples / industry workers / college students / foodies / tourists / neighborhood regulars]. The budget for the campaign is [BUDGET: $XXX] over [TIMEFRAME: 4-8 weeks] and the goal is to achieve [ATTENDANCE TARGET: XX guests per event] with [REVENUE TARGET: $XX per event].

## TASK: PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN BUILD

### Event Concept & Unique Positioning
Develop the event identity beyond just "happy hour" or "live music." Every successful recurring restaurant event has a name, a personality, and a ritual that guests identify with:

**Event Name:** Generate [NUMBER: 5-7] creative name options for the event that are memorable, shareable, and communicate the vibe. For [EVENT TYPE] at a [RESTAURANT TYPE], consider names that blend [CUISINE/CULTURE REFERENCE] with [AUDIENCE APPEAL]. The name should work as a hashtag, fit on promotional materials, and be easy to say when telling a friend.

**Signature Elements:** Define the [NUMBER: 3-5] elements that make this event uniquely yours and worth coming back for. These could include a signature drink or menu item available only during the event, a ritual or interactive element (a bell ring when someone orders [ITEM], a leaderboard, a themed dress code incentive), a visual identity element (specific lighting, table settings, decor transformation), and a sonic identity (curated playlist, live performer genre, ambient sound design). Each element should be Instagrammable and create organic social sharing moments.

**Value Proposition:** Articulate the offer in a single compelling sentence: "Every [DAY], from [TIME] to [TIME], get [SPECIFIC OFFER: half-price craft cocktails and $1 oysters / 30% off all appetizers and $6 house wines / bottomless mimosas with any brunch entree / complimentary chef's amuse-bouche with any prix fixe dinner]. The offer should have a perceived value of [PERCEIVED VALUE: $XX] while actual food cost remains at [TARGET FOOD COST: XX%].

### Multi-Channel Campaign Strategy

**Email Marketing ([PERCENTAGE: 25-30%] of campaign effort):**
Write a 4-email launch sequence:
- Email 1 (Teaser, 10 days before launch): Subject line options, preview text, teaser copy building anticipation without revealing the full offer. Include a "save the date" CTA.
- Email 2 (Reveal, 5 days before): Full event details, hero image, offer breakdown, and "RSVP" or "add to calendar" CTA. Include an early-bird incentive for the first [NUMBER: 20-30] respondents.
- Email 3 (Day-of reminder): Short, urgent, with social proof ("XX people have already RSVP'd"). Include directions, parking tips, and what to expect.
- Email 4 (Post-event recap, next day): Thank attendees, share photos from the event, tease next week's event, and include a referral incentive ("Bring a friend next [DAY] and both get [BONUS OFFER]").

Write complete copy for each email with subject lines, preview text, body content, and CTAs. Optimize for [EMAIL PLATFORM: Mailchimp / Klaviyo / Constant Contact / Square Marketing].

**Social Media Campaign ([PERCENTAGE: 35-40%] of effort):**
Design a 2-week pre-launch and ongoing social media campaign:
- Countdown posts: [NUMBER: 5-7] posts building anticipation with behind-the-scenes content, menu previews, staff excitement, and early-bird offers.
- Launch day content: [NUMBER: 3-4] pieces including a Reel announcement, Story series with countdown sticker, and a feed post with the event details and "tag someone you'd bring."
- Ongoing weekly content: A recurring content template for promoting each week's event — Monday teaser, Wednesday reminder, day-of Story series, live event Stories, and next-day recap Reel.
- Write [NUMBER: 8-10] complete social media captions with hashtag sets for different stages of the campaign cycle.

**In-House Marketing ([PERCENTAGE: 15-20%] of effort):**
Design all physical promotional materials specifications:
- Table tent cards (4x6 or 5x7) with event details and QR code linking to [DESTINATION: RSVP page / Instagram / menu / email signup].
- Server talking point card with a 15-second verbal pitch script.
- Check presenter insert promoting the event to dine-in guests.
- Window/door signage with street visibility.
- Restroom mirror cling or poster placement.
Provide copy, layout recommendations, and print specifications for each piece.

**Paid Advertising ([PERCENTAGE: 10-15%] of effort):**
Design Meta (Instagram/Facebook) ad campaigns with:
- [NUMBER: 3] ad variations targeting different audience segments within [RADIUS: 5-10 miles] of the restaurant.
- Audience targeting specs: age range, interests, behaviors, and geographic parameters for [TARGET AUDIENCE].
- Ad copy and creative direction for each variation (video ad, carousel, single image).
- Budget allocation: [DAILY BUDGET: $XX] with campaign duration and optimization event (link clicks vs. reach vs. engagement).
- Retargeting campaign for website visitors and Instagram engagers in the past [DAYS: 30-60] days.

**Local Partnerships & Cross-Promotion ([PERCENTAGE: 5-10%] of effort):**
Identify [NUMBER: 3-5] potential local business partners for cross-promotion — nearby offices, gyms, boutiques, hotels, or cultural venues whose customers overlap with [TARGET AUDIENCE]. Create a partnership proposal template offering mutual promotion: their customers receive [OFFER] at your event, your customers receive [RECIPROCAL OFFER] at their business. Include co-branded content ideas and event co-hosting opportunities.

### Operational Execution Plan
Ensure the event runs flawlessly from an operations perspective:
- Staffing requirements: [NUMBER] servers, [NUMBER] bartenders, [NUMBER] kitchen staff above normal levels for [DAY].
- Prep checklist starting [HOURS: 2-3] hours before event time covering decor setup, music system check, social media go-live, and reserved section preparation.
- Service flow optimization for handling [PEAK CAPACITY] guests during the rush window, including drink pre-batching, food prep par levels, and payment processing speed.
- Guest experience touchpoints from arrival to departure, including greeting protocol, first-drink timing target ([TARGET: under 4 minutes]), check-in for recurring guests, and end-of-evening farewell with next-week invitation.

### Measurement & Optimization
Define KPIs and tracking methods:
- Attendance tracking (headcount by hour, reservation vs. walk-in ratio).
- Revenue attribution (event-specific covers, average check during event hours vs. same day/time without event).
- Customer acquisition cost (total campaign spend / new customers acquired).
- Social media impact (event hashtag usage, UGC volume, follower growth during campaign).
- Repeat rate (percentage of first-time event attendees who return within [TIMEFRAME: 4 weeks]).
Provide a weekly reporting template and optimization recommendations based on common scenarios (underperformance, plateaus, and overperformance requiring capacity management).