Dive Brief:

• Flavor Flav is coming to Red Lobster’s aid on the tails of the seafood chain filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, per a news release.
• The rapper-turned-reality-TV personality narrates new ad spots that hype the return of Crabfest, a seasonal promotion for Red Lobster’s crab menu offerings. Social videos were produced by Flavor Flav, who has been dropping in on restaurant locations to express his support for the brand.   
• The “Crab Your Way” campaign was a last-minute pivot away from approved creative after Flavor Flav reached out to help the embattled company. Additional elements include an augmented reality filter and merchandise inspired by Flavor Flav’s distinctive oversized clock necklace.

Dive Insight:

Red Lobster is trying to dispel doomsaying about its business with help from iconic hip-hop hypeman Flavor Flav, though turning things around will be a tall order for the brand grappling with bankruptcy. The quickly assembled campaign, executed with creative agency BarkleyOKRP, bats back against notions on the internet that the chain is “going away” and instead pushes full steam ahead on Crabfest, a recurring seasonal promotion that this year touts deals on Cajun Butter, Roasted Garlic Butter and Simply Steamed crab legs. 

The marketing effort leans into fan lamentations about last month’s widely discussed Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, referencing a #SaveTheBiscuits hashtag shared by fans online, including Flavor Flav. Assets include 15- and 30-second spots narrated by Flavor Flav — who drops his “Yeah boy!” catchphrase — along with social videos and an AR filter that lets users virtually don the rapper’s recognizable clock necklace. The accessory additionally serves as the inspiration for merchandise that swaps out the timepiece for one modeled on a giant Cheddar Bay Biscuit and a bib for chowing down on the brand’s eponymous menu item.

“We love seeing our fans show up and rally for us, so when Flavor Flav reached out, we answered the call and invited him to join us in reminding fans we’re here to stay,” said Sara Bittorf, chief experience officer at Red Lobster, in a statement.

Touting the return of Crabfest follows Red Lobster recently landing in hot water for a different value-focused promotion. Much of the discussion around the company’s decline initially fixated on Ultimate Endless Shrimp, an offer that let diners snack on as much shrimp as they wanted for a flat fee. What started as an LTO became a permanent menu fixture in 2023, a move that helped drive traffic but reportedly sparked internal consternation and, eventually, added to financial pressures. 

However, Red Lobster’s problems stretch back at least a decade further, when private-equity firm Golden Gate Capital acquired the brand for $2.1 billion from Darden Restaurants and set up a sale-leaseback real estate deal that came with punishing rent costs, as reported by Restaurant Dive. High leadership churn and the eventual shift to ownership under Thai Union Group, a global seafood supplier that allegedly pressured Red Lobster to buy more shrimp for Ultimate Endless Shrimp, added to the woes that led to the Chapter 11.