With a Nod to Cheers, Applebee's Salutes Its Regulars

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. And that place is … Applebee’s?

Seems so, if the casual dining chain’s new commercial holds true. Grey developed the spot, which proclaims, “Here’s to the regulars. We wouldn’t be here without you.”

Families, firefighters, veterans, little leaguers and a group of friends from Pittsburgh appear. Gary Portnoy’s 1982 theme song from Cheers—oft voted the best TV tune ever, and a familiar Applebee’s selection—plays on the soundtrack.

We could see Cliff and Norm sidling in for brew pub pretzels with beer cheese dip. Diane probably wouldn’t be caught dead in the place, though. She’s “Fancy Like” that.

Speaking of which, it feels a tad odd to watch an Applebee’s ad sans Walker Hayes’ toe-tapper. Yet, it also makes for a refreshing menu change.

Smuggler director Henry-Alex Rubin serves up a thick slice of comforting American pie, which feels in step with the times, as folks yearn for simple pre-pandemic pleasures like dining out with friends.

Rubin adds to an impressive portfolio of styles ranging from holiday extravaganzas (for Amazon) and poignant nostalgia (his Clio Grand-winning spot for Dick’s Sporting Goods) to last year’s somber musical for Sandy Hook Promise fueled by Katy’s Perry’s “Teenage Dream.”

Applebee’s same-store sales rose nearly 30 percent during the third quarter of 2021, so the spot represents an effort to maintain momentum amid the Omicron surge.

“Here’s to the Regulars” will run during NFL playoff games and on prime-time programming.

CREDITS

BRAND: Applebee’s
John Cywinski: President
Joel Yashinsky: Chief Marketing Officer
Heather Boyer: Director, Advertising and Partnerships 

CREATIVE AGENCY: Grey New York 
Advertiser: Applebee’s
Spot Title: Regulars
Agency: Grey 

WW Chief Creative Officer: John Patroulis
Chief Creative Officer: Justine Armour 
Executive Creative Director: Lance Parrish 
Creative Director: Mike Latshaw 
Creative Director: Talia Bradicich 
Associate Creative Director: Talia Rapp
Associate Creative Director: Jessica Bass 
EVP, Account Director: Nadine Falco 
VP, Account Director: Ilyssa Harbatkin
VP, Account Director: Lucie Kittel
Account Supervisor: Ariana Tsapralis
Senior Account Executive: Mary Jane Fischer 
Executive Strategy Director: Tony Lederer
Planning Director: Lauren Friezo 
Senior Brand Planner: Taylor McLean
Brand Planner: Estie Wassner 
Project Director: Arie Andrews 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION: Townhouse
Chief Production Officer: James McPherson
Director of Production: Kim Kietz
Executive Producer: Peri Brand
Executive Producer: Liat Ebersohl
Music Producer: Leland Drake
SVP, Director of Business Affairs: Stephen Bernstein 
VP, Head of Talent: Natasha Howell
Business Manager: Lisa Johnson 

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Smuggler 
Director: Henry-Alex Rubin
Co-Founder: Patrick Milling-Smith
Co-Founder: Brian Carmody
Executive Producer: Drew Santarsiero
Chief Operating Officer: Andrew Colon
Head of Production: Alex Hughes 
Producer: Leah Allina

EDITING/FINISHING: Cartel
Executive Producer/Managing Director: Lauren Bleiweiss 
Head of Production: Meagen Carroll 
Head of Production: Vietan Nguyen 

COLOR: COMPANY 3 LA
Senior Colorist: Dave Hussey
Assistant Colorist: James Harmon
Senior Producer: Mario Castro
SVP Short Form: Ashley McKim
Audio Post: Heard City 
Managing Partner: Gloria Pitagorsky 
Mixers: Eric Warzecha, Phil Loeb, Evan Anderson
Executive Producers: Jackie James & Sasha Awn 
Senior Producer: Liana Rosenberg 
Assistant Producer: Nick Duvarney 
Assistant Mixers: Ronnie Stapleton, Seth Brogdon, Virginia Wright, Zoltan Monori, Chenoa Tarin 

PR: Current
SVP, Client Experience: Shannon McGovern 
SVP, Integrated Media Strategy: Mara Mazzoni 
Manager, Media Relations: Josephine Bonnie Mallari

MEDIA: Initiative 
Managing Director, Client Advice & Management: Kat So
Senior Group Director, Partnerships: Sharon Iancu
Director, Video Partnerships: Allison Rapps
Director, Digital Performance: Brian Pankauskas
Director, Communications Design: Karyn Saldanha