Branding and Reputation

              Jimmy Johns is a very recognizable sandwich chain that has a distinct marketing strategy. The company has branded itself as a fast food chain in a very literal sense – the stores are known for their speedy service in-store and through delivery. They also brand themselves as slightly off-kilter through their menus and store decorations. There are funny, off-beat phrases and jokes in everything, like a sign that says “free smells” and including jokes on their menu item descriptions. While many would say Jimmy Johns is very similar to other sub shops as far as their actual food goes, they set themselves apart through their marketing and branding.

              Jimmy Johns has a reputation for providing good food quickly and cheaply. It’s not 5-star cuisine by any means, but it’s a viable option for anyone who wants something they’ll like without having to wait very long and without having to spend large amounts of money. This is especially important for college students, since most students are working with a limited budget and are incredibly busy.

              I think the Jimmy Johns franchise is aware of its reputation and uses it to enhance their branding. Their commercials highlight how “freaky fast” their service is, which is an important part of their reputation with their customers. Since one of their most important target demographics is young people (or milennials), they incorporate things that milennials care about into their branding strategy – like a fun, off-beat atmosphere in their stores, created through their fun phrases & signs. On the whole, it’s important for branding and reputation to reinforce one another to create a cohesive image for a company, and I think Jimmy Johns does that very well.