Red Lobster has named Nichole Robillard as chief marketing officer overseeing the seafood chain’s marketing, communications and culinary teams, according to a press release. Robillard will report directly to Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun, who praised her ability to blend creative and operational strategy in the announcement.
“As we look to reconnect with longtime guests and reach new audiences, Nichole’s leadership will help us remind the world what they love about Red Lobster and invite them to experience it again,” said Adamolekun in a statement. “I am confident that with her guidance, we will achieve these goals and strengthen our position in the industry.”
Robillard most recently served as CMO for Smokey Bones, spearheading a rebrand for the barbecue restaurant chain that Red Lobster could take cues from as it enacts its own turnaround plans. The executive also previously worked at several ad agencies, as well as on the operational side of the restaurant industry early in her over two-decade career.
The appointment tasks Robillard with ushering Red Lobster’s 545 locations in the U.S. and Canada into a new era. The dine-in spot known for its seafood dishes and Cheddar Bay Biscuits in September officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that became something of a public spectacle due to its association with an Ultimate Endless Shrimp promotion that attracted droves of customers but proved costly to the business.
In reality, Red Lobster’s problems were more complex and deeper-rooted than a single botched promotion, with many of its woes stemming from cumbersome sale-leaseback real estate deals with its prior owner. As part of last month’s exit from bankruptcy, Red Lobster was sold to RL Investor Holdings while Adamolekun, the former chief executive of P.F. Chang’s, was put in charge of the company, as reported in sister publication Restaurant Dive. Red Lobster earlier this week also appointed a new finance chief in industry vet Bob Baker.
While Red Lobster has been through a topsy-turvy few months, it has stayed active on the marketing front. In June, it rolled out a campaign starring rapper and media personality Flavor Flav that hyped the return of Crabfest and boasted the chain is “here to stay.”
Red Lobster’s marketing was handled by Chief Experience Officer Sara Bittorf, a specialist in turnarounds and restructurings, during the bankruptcy period. Bittorf departed the chain in September following the RL Investor Holdings deal.
