DESIGN
inspired by the retro midwestern supper clubs of the 1950's, 60's and 70's, the pink squirrel became a diamond in the rough, providing a critically acclaimed cocktail selection, boozy artisan milkshakes and throwback classics. our team worked alongside siren betty, an interior design firm, to develop a website that would match the glitter and glam aesthetic of the pink squirrel's decor. I worked as the project lead, directing the construction of the site's wireframe, providing conceptual layouts and conducting branding workshops with investors to develop what became an interactive and informative website.
UI / UX
the pink squirrel is surrounded by some of logan square's oldest dive bars, sporting $5 pitchers and an array of daily specials. rather than competing with those surrounding dives, our strategy was to welcome logan square locals to expand their comfort zone and experience our unfamiliar yet intriguing concept. although the pink squirrel is an elevated concept, we wanted to engineer an approachable menu. our team worked cross-functionally with operations to engineer a menu that addressed two asks. first to assure our guests that we served all the classics they were used to. second, to draw our guests the eye towards our critically acclaimed cocktail selection and boozy artisan milkshakes. the menu was designed to resemble an updated diner menu complete with script headings and throwback illustrations to give it an old school aesthetic.
MENU ENGINEERING
'cause we like to party
in anticipation of the holidays, my team was challenged with capitalizing on company parties, local get-togethers, and general holiday festivities. We utilized street teams, social engagement, creative events, and promotions to create a new revenue stream. previously private events were non-existent. by creating thoughtful event packages, partnerships with local businesses and executing targeted e-blasts, we were able to drive new event business that returned a 30% increase in sales over the holiday period. the private event program continues to expand and drive significant profits to the business, becoming a major component to the pink squirrel's ongoing success.
private event packages
PROMOTIONS
hibernate with us
COCKTAILS & COOKIES
during the spring, we identified a consumer desire that led us to embrace the viral frenzy surrounding the girl scout cookie season. to meet this need our team offered tiered packages utilizing a third-party online platform so guests could reserve our retro booths for parties up to eight. Guests who purchased the experience received a custom curated menu of six cocktails that paired perfectly with specific girl scout cookies.
WHAT the DUCKPIN?
DRIVING TRAFFIC DURING UNDERPERFORMING HOURS
one of the more iconic and picturesque elements of the pink squirrel is its restored mini duckpin bowling lanes. unlike traditional bowling alleys, our lanes are small and cater mostly to smaller parties. our goal was to utilize the lanes to drive traffic during off-hours, particularly, tuesday nights. we took aim at competitive locals to engage in a duckpin bowling league with a low nightly entry fee and chance to clinch gift cards, freebies, and prizes. each tuesday we highlighted a cocktail and incorporated a special rule to keep things interesting. groups were mixed and matched and the fun, interactive environment kept guests not only coming back but staying later and drinking longer.
ANALYTICAL REPORTING
i created and implemented a monthly marketing analysis for the pink squirrel. this not only gave our operations and leadership teams a timely pulse check on our overall digital footprint but gave our operations team the opportunity to implement operational changes and focus on creating a stronger brand identity. this includes but is not limited to press coverage, influencer content, a customer review matrix, third party delivery platform reviews, lto performance, e-blast performance, web analytics and seo strength
DIGITAL
MARKETING
E-BLAST COMMUNICATION
headlining a well-known mixologist, and acclaimed beverage program, the pink squirrel became a destination for trendy tourists and cocktail connoisseurs alike. utilizing a third-party email collection software, we were able to gradually grow our digital database, allowing us the opportunity to extend offers, promotions and news encouraging new-trial and repeat business.
SOCIAL MEDIA
COLOR SCHEMES & PRETTY DRINKS
it was no surprise to us that our core demographic was women between the ages of 23-27 looking for instagram worthy backdrops and the next hot thing. we decided to lean into that, angling our social strategy to include a cute and colorful aesthetic, with easily identifiable design elements in the bar that would inspire nostalgia and boost our brand's organic reach.